Weatherproof plain bearings in reliable lowering mechanism for radiator mascot

• What was needed: clip bearings from the iglidur plain bearing product range
• Requirements: a favourable sliding surface with consistent flange thickness, which is very wear-resistant even in cold and warm environments as well as under the influence of fine Sahara sand
• Industry: automotive
• Success for the customer: the iglidur bearings allow for the flat movement between the two metallic components and are ideal for outdoor use due to their specifications such as low moisture absorption and resistance to temperatures and corrosion.

In luxury cars such as the Rolls Royce Phantom, the radiator mascot can be lowered into the bonnet to prevent theft. In the course of a redesign, sliding surfaces were required that moved in relation to each other between two metal components. In an early prototype, this was achieved using reworked flange bearings. These had to be pressed in to prevent them from getting lost. However, this had the disadvantage that the flange bulged differently after the press-fit, meaning that the components did not rest at the same surface level.
For series production, a cost-effective sliding surface with a consistent flange thickness was required which could be installed by hand and used for two different material thicknesses (1 and 3mm). It also had to be very wear-resistant in cold and warm environments, even under the influence of fine Sahara sand.

The car manufacturer finally found the solution to the problem in our product range. More precisely, the idea was to use iglidur clip bearings, which significantly improved the mechanism. The consistent flange thickness of the bearings and the desired flat movement between the two metallic components were particularly important. However, the other specifications of the material iglidur were also able to solve some problems in this application. They are characterised by their low moisture absorption and special resistance to temperatures, chemicals and corrosion. The properties of the bearing products make the components the ideal solution for use under severe weather conditions such as cold, heat, humidity or, as in this case, Sahara sand.