A needle roller bearing is a bearing which uses small cylindrical rollers. They are used to reduce friction of a rotating surface.
Needle bearings have a large surface area that is in contact with the bearing outer surfaces compared to ball bearings.
Radial needle bearings are cylindrical and use rollers parallel to the axis of the shaft. Thrust needle bearings are flat and use a radial pattern of needles.
Needle bearings are heavily used in engine components such as rocker arm pivots, pumps, compressors, and transmissions. The drive shaft of a rear-wheel drive vehicle typically has at least 8 needle bearings (4 in each U joint) and often more if it is particularly long, or operates on steep slopes.
World famous brand: INA®.
