You will need to know:

1. The forces that will be placed on the bearings either in pounds force or the pressure that will be place on the bearing surface in the pounds per square inch.
2. The desired speed at which you wish to operate the system in feet per minute or RPM.
3. The desired shaft size.
4. The type of shaft material you want to use
   What issue am I trying to solve?
5. Is the bearing in a location that is difficult to service?
6. You are trying to reduce the weight of the total system?
7. Are the loads and speed such that lubrication does not work?
8. Will bearing operate in an oscillatory motion?
9. Are you trying to solve a warranty problem that is caused by difficulty of servicing the bearing?

What is the environment that my design will operate in?

1. Will the bearing operate in temperature extremes?
2. Is the bearing in a location where there is splash or infrequent lubrication?
3. Will the bearing operate in liquids that are not usually considered lubricates?
4. Will the bearing operate in a dirty environment?

How will my design be serviced in use?

1. I want to run it without adding lubrication.
2. I want the bearing to provide lubrication at start-up but I will use lubrication during operation.
3. The location of the bearing will prevent the use of lubrication.
4. I need to eliminate the lubricant to stop putting grease into the environment.

Is it ok to lubricate a self-lubricated bearing?

Yes it is ok to lubricate bearings made with TEFLON® brand fibers. However, the lubricant needs to be free of fillers like molybdenum disulfide. Molybdenum disulfide is a consider a dry lubricant because it is made up of hard particle which help hold the moving parts apart. Unfortunately, these hard particles will cut the liner made from TEFLON® brand fibers to pieces and cause bearing life to decrease by a factor of 10.