One embodiment is a bearing carrier assembly including a circular shield having top and bottom surfaces; and a number of bearing separators integrated with the bottom surface of the shield, wherein each pair of bearing separators defines a receptacle for receiving and retaining a bearing therewithin and wherein the shield blocks the received bearings from debris and retains lubricant around the received bearings. Each of the bearing separators may include a spacer element for separating adjacent ones of the bearings. The bearing carrier assembly may be made up of a number of carrier sections that interconnect to form the bearing carrier assembly.