Compared to ball and roller bearings, sleeve bearings have a higher coefficient of friction.

• A. Lower
• B. The same
• C. Higher
• D. Unknown

Answer: (C)

Friction behavior differs between sliding and rolling bearings. Ball and roller bearings use rolling elements between the races, which converts most of the resistance into rolling friction and keeps energy losses very low. A sleeve bearing, by contrast, has a sliding contact between the shaft and bearing surface, so friction is governed by sliding friction and the lubricant’s viscosity. Even with good lubrication, sliding contact in a sleeve bearing tends to produce a higher coefficient of friction than the rolling contact in ball and roller bearings. That’s why the statement is true: sleeve bearings generally have a higher friction than ball or roller bearings.