A method has been developed for recording the elastic roll body contacts in the load zone for both radial and thrust rolling element bearings subjected to various static loading conditions. Employed in this investigation were a ball bearing and four types of roller bearings which included cylindrical, needle, tapered and spherical. Inspection of the contact areas, or footprints, yields a qualitative measure of the extent of loading arc, load sharing among rolling elements, contact characteristics such as end loading and effects of misalignment. Quantitative data on individual contacts permits the determination of load and stress distributions. Summation of the vertical components of individual roll body loads agrees with the total load applied to the whole bearing, thereby demonstrating the practicability and accuracy of this technique. Correlation of roll body loads with theoretical values varied, depending on angular position from the radial load plane. Finally, this paper indicates how static stress levels on the most heavily loaded element may be obtained and used as a basis for bearing life prediction.Presented at the 26th ASLE Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, May 3–6, 1971