Tapered roller bearings have tapered inner and outer ring raceways arranged between them with tapered rollers, angled so that the surface of the rollers converges on the bearing axis. These bearings are unusual in that they can cope with massive volumes of load in all directions, unlike most bearings that can accommodate only axial or radial loads.

A single row taper bearing is constrained in that high axial loads can only be taken from one direction, however that axial load is counteracted when adjusted against a second tapered roller bearing. This causes high radial and axial loads from many directions to be tolerated by the bearings. It is because of this capability that pairs of tapered roller bearings are used in wheel bearings for cars and trucks where significant radial and axial forces must be treated simultaneously. Usually, tapered roller bearings can be broken down into distinct sections. The inner ring can be separated and placed separately from the outer ring with a roller and cage assembly.

A tapered roller bearing’s ability to tolerate the internal ring’s angular misalignment in comparison to the outer ring is reduced to a few minutes of arc. As with other roller bearings, a minimum load must be given to tapered roller bearings, especially in high-speed applications where inertial forces and friction may have a dangerous effect between the rollers and the raceway.