7203-BEY 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-BEY model number is decoded

7203 BEY 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. stamped brass cage, ball-centred (suffix Y) — lighter than the machined M cage but brass rather than polymer. The BEY is a basic single bearing with a stamped brass Y cage — a single unit, not a universally matchable one.. Envelope 17×40×12 mm (0.669×1.575×0.472 in), 11.5 mm radial section height, C 11.1 kN, C0 6.1 kN, Pu 0.26 kN.reference speed 22,000 r/min (thermal) and limiting speed 20,000 r/min (mechanical), catalogue mass 65 g. At the printed limiting speed of 20,000 r/min the mean pitch diameter dm ≈ 28.5 mm implies a dn value around 570k mm·r/min; the 22,000 r/min reference speed is the thermal-planning figure under catalogue load. Selection figures for 7203 BEY: the static-to-dynamic ratio C0/C is 0.55, Pu 0.26 kN is about 2 % of C, and catalogue mass works out to roughly 4 g per millimetre of bore. 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. Ordering note: BEY is the basic single bearing with the stamped brass strip cage (Y) — light and oil-additive tolerant, but not ground on the side faces for set mounting; order BECBY for a universally matchable stamped-brass unit.

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.
• Keep the load ratio in the SKF design range: Fa/Fr ≥ 1 for this angle; below it the balls unload the contact ellipse and skid, which is why the catalogue insists on a minimum axial load (Fam ≈ A·(n·dm/1000)²) at high speed.
• Mount by induction-heating the inner ring to max 120 °C; driving the bearing home through the outer ring or balls brinells the asymmetric raceway.
• 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.
• The steep 40° angle of 7203-BEY 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 BEY as the single basic stamped brass execution; the other order numbers of the 7203 size are different products and may carry different ratings — always quote the full designation when purchasing.