To check for clearance in a ball bearing, which tool should be used?

The appropriate tool for checking clearance in a ball bearing is a plastic gauge. This tool is specifically designed to measure the space or clearance between a bearing and its housing or shaft in a straightforward and effective manner.

When using a plastic gauge, the material provides a tactile feel for the clearance, allowing for an accurate assessment of the space based on the thickness of the plastic gauge used. The plastic gauge is compressed between the bearing surfaces during installation and, after removal, it shows an impression that corresponds to the clearance. This is critical in ensuring that the bearings operate efficiently without excessive play or binding, which can lead to premature wear or failure.

Other tools like calipers and micrometers are capable of measuring dimensions with high precision, but they are not optimized for gauging the specific clearances within bearings in the same practical manner. A Vernier scale, while useful for various measurements, may not provide the same level of clarity in terms of clearance measurement that a plastic gauge does. Thus, for checking the clearance in ball bearings effectively, plastic gauges are preferred.