Bearing isolator

A two-piece bearing isolator assembly for mounting roller or ball bearing races to a mounting structure for journalling a shaft. An outer Z-shaped metallic ring has outwardly and inwardly extending flanges on opposite axial margins. The outward flange retains the ring axially in a mounting structure; whereas, the inner flange retains plastic energy absorbing pad means receiving the outer race, in line-to-line contact, of a bearing to be mounted. In one embodiment the pad means comprises separate pads disposed in circumferentially spaced apertures in the metallic ring. In another embodiment, the pad means comprises separate pads spaced circumferentially about an integrally formed plastic ring received in the metallic ring. The inner flange also serves as a stop for limiting radial movement of the bearing with respect to the mounting structure.