By diff bearings, do you mean the bearings holding the diff in the gearbox housing? If yes...
Rolling element bearings, to give them their correct name, will feature two hardened races and an element that rolls between them. They come in lots of types, each having its own application. In terms of their operation they all follow the same Laws of Physics, and can all be regarded as the same type of bearing.
The principles remain the same - that the load the bearing is trying to carry runs principally through the centre line of the rolling element. Where there is both a radial (along the radius of the bearing cross section) and an axial (along the centreline of the bearing) load, then there are bearings that are designed to take both loads. Typically, our applications are for solely radial or axial load - the load goes vertically through the rolling elements or horizontally through the rolling elements.
The most common is the so-called ball bearing, or radial bearing. That's what we use in our axle bearings and they are designed to take a vertical load from the weight of the car, or the pull of a gear in the gearbox. They will also take the moderate side loads of cornering that we generate, so are cheaper than taper roller bearings used in your car axles. The next most used is the thrust bearing, where the bearing takes an end load from the diff screw, for example. In you road car you will find needle-roller bearings, where the rolling elements are long cylinders to spread the load, and taper-roller bearings in the hubs to support the wheels where there is both radial and axial load (weight of car and cornering loads) to be supported that is way higher than we generate.
Technically, there is no difference between the bearings in any of our cars, but physically they just look different. This is probably the best
reference guide you can find as it is easy to understand and very comprehensive, whilst containing further links if you want to know more. HTH
10-06-2012
Difference between Thrust and Diff Bearings
Linear Mode
