Tapered roller bearings feature a cup and cone assembly. The cup is comprised of the outer ring and the cone assembly consists of inner ring, rollers, and cage. This bearing construction accommodates combined loads and provides low friction during operation.

The proper adjustment of the two bearings in the hub assembly is one of the most important aspects of the installation process. Excessive tightening of the adjustment nut, otherwise known as excessive preload, can cause the type of rapid deep spalling shown in these pictures.Tapered roller bearing cones and assemblies with a double row design can have three basic arrangements. The face-to-face (TDI) configuration joins the load lines toward the axis, the back-to-back (TDO) configuration separates the load lines toward the axis, and the tandem configuration sets the load lines parallel to one another.