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The journal bearing has long been the brawn of the turbocharger,
however a ball-bearing cartridge is now an affordable technology
advancement that provides significant performance improvements to the
turbocharger.
Ball bearing innovation began as a result of work with the Garrett
Motorsports group for several racing series where it received the term
the ‘cartridge ball bearing’. The cartridge is a single sleeve system
that contains a set of angular contact ball bearings on either end,
whereas the traditional bearing system contains a set of journal
bearings and a thrust bearing
Turbo Response – When driving a vehicle with the cartridge ball
bearing turbocharger, you will find exceptionally crisp and strong
throttle response. Garrett Ball Bearing turbochargers spool up 15%
faster than traditional journal bearings. This produces an improved
response that can be converted to quicker 0-60 mph speed. In fact, some
professional drivers of Garrett ball-bearing turbocharged engines
report that they feel like they are driving a big, normally aspirated
engine.
Tests run on CART turbos
have shown that ball-bearings have up to half of the power consumption
of traditional bearings. The result is faster time to boost which
translates into better drivability and acceleration.
Reduced Oil Flow – The ball bearing design reduces the required
amount of oil required to provide adequate lubrication. This lower oil
volume reduces the chance for seal leakage. Also, the ball bearing is
more tolerant of marginal lube conditions, and diminishes the
possibility of turbocharger failure on engine shut down.
Improved
Rotordynamics and Durability – The ball bearing cartridge gives better
damping and control over shaft motion, allowing enhanced reliability
for both everyday and extreme driving conditions. In addition, the
opposed angular contact bearing cartridge eliminates the need for the
thrust bearing commonly a weak link in the turbo bearing system.
Competitor
Ball Bearing Options – Another option one will find is a hybrid ball
bearing. This consists of replacing only the compressor side journal
bearing with a single angular contact ball bearing. Since the single
bearing can only take thrust in one direction, a thrust bearing is
still necessary and drag in the turbine side journal bearing is
unchanged. With the Garrett ball bearing cartridge the rotor-group is
entirely supported by the ball bearings, maximizing efficiency,
performance, and durability.
Ball
Bearings in Original Equipment – Pumping up the MAZDASPEED Protegé’s
heart rate is a Garrett T25 turbocharger system. With Garrett
technology on board, the vehicle gains increased acceleration without
sacrificing overall efficiency and it has received many rave reviews
from the world’s top automotive press for it’s unprecedented
performance.
however a ball-bearing cartridge is now an affordable technology
advancement that provides significant performance improvements to the
turbocharger.
Ball bearing innovation began as a result of work with the Garrett
Motorsports group for several racing series where it received the term
the ‘cartridge ball bearing’. The cartridge is a single sleeve system
that contains a set of angular contact ball bearings on either end,
whereas the traditional bearing system contains a set of journal
bearings and a thrust bearing
Turbo Response – When driving a vehicle with the cartridge ball
bearing turbocharger, you will find exceptionally crisp and strong
throttle response. Garrett Ball Bearing turbochargers spool up 15%
faster than traditional journal bearings. This produces an improved
response that can be converted to quicker 0-60 mph speed. In fact, some
professional drivers of Garrett ball-bearing turbocharged engines
report that they feel like they are driving a big, normally aspirated
engine.
Tests run on CART turbos
have shown that ball-bearings have up to half of the power consumption
of traditional bearings. The result is faster time to boost which
translates into better drivability and acceleration.
Reduced Oil Flow – The ball bearing design reduces the required
amount of oil required to provide adequate lubrication. This lower oil
volume reduces the chance for seal leakage. Also, the ball bearing is
more tolerant of marginal lube conditions, and diminishes the
possibility of turbocharger failure on engine shut down.
Improved
Rotordynamics and Durability – The ball bearing cartridge gives better
damping and control over shaft motion, allowing enhanced reliability
for both everyday and extreme driving conditions. In addition, the
opposed angular contact bearing cartridge eliminates the need for the
thrust bearing commonly a weak link in the turbo bearing system.
Competitor
Ball Bearing Options – Another option one will find is a hybrid ball
bearing. This consists of replacing only the compressor side journal
bearing with a single angular contact ball bearing. Since the single
bearing can only take thrust in one direction, a thrust bearing is
still necessary and drag in the turbine side journal bearing is
unchanged. With the Garrett ball bearing cartridge the rotor-group is
entirely supported by the ball bearings, maximizing efficiency,
performance, and durability.
Ball
Bearings in Original Equipment – Pumping up the MAZDASPEED Protegé’s
heart rate is a Garrett T25 turbocharger system. With Garrett
technology on board, the vehicle gains increased acceleration without
sacrificing overall efficiency and it has received many rave reviews
from the world’s top automotive press for it’s unprecedented
performance.
