Mounting directions for a linear guide

2024-04-05

Most standard linear guides can be mounted in any direction—on a flat surface, vertically on a wall, or even upside down on a ceiling. They can operate horizontally or vertically and still handle forces in all directions.

That said, not all guides carry equal loads in every direction. Guides with four ball tracks usually do, while those with two rows may behave differently.

For example:

• Linear guides handle vertical downward forces really well.
• If the load comes from the side, it’s a good idea to use dowel pins or positioning edges to prevent the rail or carriage from shifting sideways. In these cases, only the friction between the mounting surfaces and the rail would resist the load otherwise.
• For pulling forces, you should also double-check the strength of your bolts.

Software like LMD (Linear Motion Designer), which is available for free on Bosch Rexroth’s website, accounts for this. If your setup has load issues, the program will alert you.

The mounting direction of the linear guide can also affect lubrication.
Oil, by nature, runs to the lowest point. That means if certain ball tracks sit on top, they might miss out on lubrication.

From a design standpoint, we usually prefer O-configurations over X-configurations, because the most loaded ball track often sits at the bottom—where the oil naturally flows.

Some linear guides are also better at distributing lubrication inside the carriage. There are even versions that wick oil to the right spots using porous materials.

If you’re using grease, though, it generally stays in place—even in the upper ball tracks.

Here you can see a video on the subject with Carry Lindholm from Bosch Rexroth: