In bearing housings, which component is used to keep grease in and dirt out?

• A. Seals
• B. Glands
• C. Gaskets
• D. O-rings

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that keeping lubricant in and contaminants out in a bearing housing relies on the grease-retention feature called the gland. The gland is the recessed area inside the housing that holds the lubricant and provides the seating surface for the sealing element. It creates the space where grease is loaded and maintained, while the seal around the shaft works with the gland to form a barrier against dirt and dust. Without the gland, the lubricant would have nowhere to be contained, and the seal wouldn’t have a proper interface to block ingress. Gaskets and O-rings are types of seals used in various applications, but they’re not the specific part that stores grease inside the housing; they serve more as the barrier or gasket between surfaces. Seals themselves are the barrier, but the gland is the component that enables and concentrates the grease retention in the bearing housing, working together with the seal to keep grease in and dirt out.