Originally Posted by
dClbydalpha
The bearing is to allow rotation of the hub around the static control rod. It's a duplex bearing because it has two races precisely matched to maintain alignment when the shaft is moved horizontally.
In my personal opinion it looks like the inspections are checking both ends of the control rod for anything that may cause it to jam or break.
I would hazard a guess that there was a major mechanical failure that caused severe damage to many components and they are looking for the initial cause. Were there not eye witness reports of "gear crunching" noises?