Four-point contact ball bearings make it easy to streamline system designs that have a radial, thrust and moment load mix so all three can be done simultaneously. They are mostly used for applications that are slow to moderate-speed, or where oscillatory motion is prevalent.

A single four-point contact bearing usually makes a second bearing unnecessary, which offer a variety of benefits, including space, weight and cost savings. It is easier to build, more detailed and requires less upkeep. A four-point contact bearing can handle radial, thrust and moment loads independently or in any combination, since its special ball path geometry creates twice as many contact points. For an inner race and an outer race, it has one row of balls.

Similarly, having a single bearing means no runout matching, no diameter matching, and no chance of wobble from two bearings with unequal runout. All of this enhances the accuracy of the assembly. In contrast, a four-point contact ball bearing is manufactured with the proper internal fit and is simply fastened to its mating parts.

Finally, eliminating a second bearing saves money that can be used to integrate features (gears, mounting holes, lubrication fittings) into the four-point contact bearing to further optimize performance.