This Timken SF Series spherical plain bearing is composed of two through-hardened steel rings, an outer ring and an inner ring. The inner ring is machined to be installed within the outer ring and can spin and pivot without the aid of rolling elements. A single fracture in the outer ring permits installation of the inner ring, and the contact surfaces of both rings are ground to a fine finish to minimize friction. The bearing has grooves and holes in both rings to receive and retain lubrication, and the rings are treated with phosphate and then coated with MoS2 (molybdenum disulphide) to minimize friction. This bearing is appropriate for slow moving or low frequency oscillation, or slow thrust motion, applications, such as in a cylinder. The design minimizes maintenance and helps make the bearing capable of accommodating misalignment. SF Series spherical plain bearings are used in industrial applications such as in struts, cylinders (lifting, tilting) and articulation joints in a variety of industries such as construction, power generation, fossil energy, agriculture, and paper and forest products, among others.

Plain bearings (with no rolling elements) are used to handle radial or axial loads by providing a low-friction motion between two surfaces as shafts rotate or move back and forth through the center of the bearing. The most common types are bushings (also called bush), with a sleeve or flanged design, and are measured by their bore (inside diameter), outside diameter, length, and width (thickness). Plain bearings are used in automobiles, construction equipment, medical applications, railroad cars, turbines, various military applications, aeronautics, space exploration, among others.

The Timken Company manufactures a variety of bearings, alloy steels, and related components and assemblies that meet International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards for quality assurance. Founded in 1899, the Timken Company is based in Canton, Ohio.