The plain bearings fitted in the four bearing locations have a sliding contact surface comprising steel with hard chromium plating and PTFE fabric.

The inner ring is hardened and the slideway for the PTFE fabric has a hard chromium plating. The PTFE fabric is supported in the split outer ring of the bearing.

Due to the sliding contact surface, the bearings are maintenance-free. These bearings will probably reach the end of their lives due to influences which cannot be calculated in advance.

The main rotary bearing (bearing location 1) has an INA Elges spherical plain bearing GE320-DW.

The outer ring is radially split and is held together by bolts and the adjacent construction.

The adjacent construction has two contact seals and a sealing shield on each side of the bearing arrangement. This prevents the ingress of moisture and contamination into the bearing.

For the bascule bearing (bearing location 2), INA Elges spherical plain bearings GE320-DW were selected. The sealing arrangements and adjacent construction are similar to those for the main rotary bearing.

The bearings for the hydraulic cylinder (bearing location 3) are fitted with INA Elges spherical plain bearings GE200-UK-2RS. These bearings also have a sliding contact surface comprising steel with hard chromium plating and PTFE. The bearings have a split outer ring.

The bearings are fitted on both sides with integral contact seals. Further contact seals are mounted in the adjacent construction to protect the bearings.

The tie rod bearings (bearing location 4) have INA Elges spherical plain bearings GE160-UK-2RS.

The bearings are fitted on both sides with integral contact seals. Further contact seals are mounted in the adjacent construction to protect the bearings.