Usually, vibrations in bearings, rolling bearings themselves do not generate noise, and the usual "bearing noise" is actually the sound effect of direct or indirect vibrations of the bearing and the surrounding structure. This is why many times noise problems can be regarded as vibration problems involving the entire bearing application. When a radial load is applied to the bearing, the number of rolling elements that bear the load changes slightly during operation, which causes the load direction to shift. The vibrations generated are unavoidable, but can be mitigated by axial preload and applied to all rolling elements (not applicable to cylindrical roller bearings).

A small part of the bearing raceway and rolling elements may be damaged due to operation or installation errors. In operation, the rolling bearing components with damage will generate specific vibration frequencies. Vibration frequency analysis can determine the damaged bearing components. This principle has been applied to condition monitoring equipment to detect bearing damage. To calculate the bearing frequency, refer to the calculation program "Bearing Frequency".

In the case of a close fit between the bearing ring and the bearing housing or drive shaft, the bearing ring may deform depending on the shape of the adjacent components. If deformation occurs, vibrations may occur during operation.

If running in a polluted environment, impurities may enter the bearing and be crushed by the rolling elements. The degree of vibration generated depends on the number, size and composition of the crushed particles, and although it does not produce a typical frequency form, a harsh noise can be heard.

The reasons why rolling bearings produce noise are more complicated. One is the wear of the inner and outer rings of the bearings. Due to this wear, the bearings and housings, the bearings and shafts break, causing the shaft to deviate from the correct position and produce abnormal sounds when the shaft moves at high speeds. When the bearing is fatigued, the peeling of the surface metal will also increase the radial clearance of the bearing, thereby producing abnormal noise. In addition, insufficient bearing lubrication, dry friction and bearing crushing can also produce abnormal sounds. After the bearing is loose, the cage is loose and damaged, which will also produce abnormal noise.