Tapered roller bearings consist of four interdependent components: the cone (inner ring), the cup (outer ring), the tapered rollers (rolling elements) and the cage (roller retainer). Tapered roller bearings are uniquely designed to manage both thrust and radial loads between a rotating and non-rotating member. The steeper the cup angle, the greater the ability of the bearing to handle thrust loads.

This is the most basic and most widely used type of tapered roller bearing. It consists of two main separable parts: the cone (inner ring) assembly and the cup (outer ring). It is typically mounted in opposing pairs on a shaft.