PEEK is what you use where nylon has already softened once: 250 °C, fuel and oil resistant, and dimensionally stable. Automotive & Electric Vehicles duty is shock load, wide temperature swings and electrical erosion from the inverter; the material is what decides whether the bearing survives it.
| Industry duty | shock at the wheel end, 15,000 rpm in the e-drive, and inverter shaft voltages |
|---|---|
| Typical media | road spray, brake dust, gear oil, glycol |
| Housing temperature | −40 to +150 °C |
| Material and grade | PEEK polymer |
| Hardness | — (polymer, 90 Shore D) |
| Temperature ceiling | 250 °C |
| Corrosion / chemical | most chemicals and solvents |
| Relative cost | ≈5× a polymer, 1/3 of ceramic of a standard 52100 bearing |
An actuator linkage next to a turbo runs at 200 °C, sees oil mist and has to keep a 0.05 mm clearance for a hundred thousand cycles. PA66 at that temperature softens and creeps, and the linkage develops play. PEEK keeps its modulus, resists the fluids and runs dry, which is why it appears in EGR valves and turbo actuators rather than in seat pivots.
| Position | Bearing type | Material / finish | Why it works there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo actuator linkage | PEEK bush | PEEK bush, carbon-fibre filled | 250 °C at the linkage with no oil feed. |
| EGR valve spindle | PEEK bush | PEEK bush, 0.05 mm clearance | Soot and 200 °C; PEEK does not soften the way PA66 does. |
| Transmission sensor housing | PEEK thrust washer | PEEK thrust washer | ATF resistant and dimensionally stable at 150 °C. |
| Material | Fit here | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| PEEK | Best fit | Above 150 °C with fuel or oil exposure, where PA66 has already failed. |
| PA66 | Workable alternative | Below 105 °C and away from fuel — a tenth of the cost. |
| Bronze | Workable alternative | Where load is high and an oil film is available. |
Only where the temperature or the fluid demands it. On an EGR valve that sees 200 °C and soot, it is the difference between a warranty repair and a life-of-vehicle part.
Not well — aluminium is too soft and the bush wears the counterface. Use a steel or anodised shaft.
Yes, along with most hydraulic fluids. That is why it appears in brake and clutch mechanisms as well.
Hardness, temperature, corrosion and equivalents for PEEK.
Read →Typical duty, recommended types and suffixes for automotive & ev.
Read →Wheel end & driveline — wheel hub pairs, gearbox shafts and e-drive rotors.
Read →Brake & road-spray — brake-adjacent mechanisms, exposed chassis joints and sensor bearings.
Read →Send the position, bore size, quantity and the medium it sees. We reply with the material certificate, clearance class, lubricant and price within 30 minutes on working days.