7203-BEP bearing: complete specifications & equivalents

Specification table

Source: catalog reference (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018)) · extracted 2026-09-27

Parameters extracted from the official SKF Rolling Bearings catalogue (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018)); SKF® and SKF Explorer® are trademarks of AB SKF, used here for identification only — mpnbase is not an authorized SKF distributor. Boundary dimensions are ISO 15 interchangeable; current production values may differ, verify at skf.com.

Cross references & equivalents

Interchange levels: full standard interchange · partial verify parameters · verify manual confirmation required. Links resolve to the equivalent model's specification page where available.

How the 7203-BEP model number is decoded

7203 BEP is SKF's 17 mm-bore single-row angular-contact ball bearing in the 7200 series, nominal 40° (B) contact angle, 17×40×12 mm to the ISO dimension plan. 40° contact angle (suffix B): the steep standard single-row angle, giving the highest axial capacity at the cost of speed, with a recommended load ratio Fa/Fr ≥ 1. E marks the optimized internal design with an enhanced ball complement and race geometry. glass-fibre reinforced PA66 cage, ball-centred (suffix P), with a 120 °C continuous-temperature ceiling. The plain BEP is a basic single bearing: its faces are not ground for universal matching, so defined pairs require the BECBP execution rather than two arbitrary BEP units.. Envelope 17×40×12 mm (0.669×1.575×0.472 in), 11.5 mm radial section height, C 10.4 kN, C0 5.5 kN, Pu 0.236 kN.reference speed 22,000 r/min (thermal) and limiting speed 20,000 r/min (mechanical), catalogue mass 65 g. Envelope economics: the 12 mm width over a 11.5 mm section yields 1.04 mm of ring width per section millimetre, and the bearing weighs 65 g for 10.4 kN of dynamic capacity — about 6 g per rated kN. Mass and section check: 65 g inside the 17×40×12 mm outline leaves a 11.5 mm radial section, and the 5.5 kN static rating is 0.53× the dynamic rating — plan static safety and minimum load against those numbers rather than against sister executions. Speed-ratio note for this exact unit: the reference speed is 22,000 r/min against a 20,000 r/min limiting speed, i.e. a reference-to-limit ratio of 1.10. Basic polymer-cage execution: BEP is delivered as an individual open bearing with the 40-degree optimized internals and a glass-fibre PA66 ball-centred cage; it is not ground on the side faces for arbitrary pairing, so a reversing-thrust position should order BECBP for a set rather than mounting two unmatched BEP units.

Typical equipment & failure modes

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

• DB pairs give the highest moment stiffness, DF pairs tolerate misalignment and thermal expansion better, DT shares heavy one-direction thrust; choose from the shaft thermal calculation rather than by habit.
• DB pairs give the highest moment stiffness, DF pairs tolerate misalignment and thermal expansion better, DT shares heavy one-direction thrust; choose from the shaft thermal calculation rather than by habit.
• One 7203-BEP locates the shaft in one axial direction only; reversing-thrust positions need a DB or DF pair — or a double-row bearing — with preload set from the load diagram, never from assembly feel.
• Mount by induction-heating the inner ring to max 120 °C — the PA66 cage sets the ceiling, not the steel; driving the bearing home through the outer ring or balls brinells the asymmetric raceway.
• The steep 40° angle of 7203-BEP favours thrust-heavy combined loads; for a predominantly radial high-speed position the 25° ACCBM execution of the same size is the alternative order number.
• Catalogue ratings are SKF PUB BU/P1 17000 figures for 7203 BEP as the single basic pa66 execution; the other order numbers of the 7203 size are different products and may carry different ratings — always quote the full designation when purchasing.