16038-NTN bearing: complete specifications & equivalents

Specification table

Source: catalog reference (NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E (2024)) · extracted 2026-09-25

Parameters extracted from the official NTN Ball and Roller Bearings catalogue (NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E (2024)); NTN® is a trademark of NTN Corporation, used here for identification only — mpnbase is not an authorized NTN distributor. Boundary dimensions are ISO 15 interchangeable; current production values may differ, verify at ntnglobal.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 16038-NTN model number is decoded

In the 16000-series (the narrow extra-light section of ISO 15) the last two digits encode the bore: 16038 carries bore code 38 = 190 mm. Outside diameter 290 mm and width 31 mm come from the ISO 15 boundary-dimensions general plan. With no seal suffix the bearing is open: no shields or seals are fitted and lubrication is supplied by the application. For normal-load mounting with a rotating inner ring on a 190 mm shaft, typical catalogue practice is a m6 shaft seat with an H7 housing bore — verify against the actual load direction and magnitude. In the NTN catalogue this open execution carries the bare designation; protected variants are ordered separately with suffixes ZZ (shields), LLB/LLF (non-contact seals), LLH (low-torque contact seal) and LLU (contact seal).

Typical equipment & failure modes

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

• Large bores like the 190 mm of 16038-NTN demand clean, burr-free seats; one raised burr under a ring this size cocks the bearing and concentrates load at the raceway edge, cutting life drastically.
• Because the 160xx narrow section shares the 290 mm OD of the 6038 at 190 mm bore but is only 31 mm wide, a housing machined for the wider bearing needs a spacer or relocated circlip — never assume width interchangeability.
• The open 16038-NTN has no lubricant retention: grease escapes and contaminants migrate straight into the 190×290×31 mm raceway, so specify a sealed arrangement for dusty or washdown duty.
• Storage matters for open bearings: 16038-NTN leaves the factory with rust preventive only, so clean it and apply the service grease at assembly even if the rings look oily from the wrapper.
• Deep-groove ball bearings tolerate only minutes of misalignment; if the 290 mm housing cannot be aligned, switch to a self-aligning type rather than shimming 16038-NTN.
• Vibration during standstill brinells the raceways of a 190 mm bearing at ball spacing; if the machine sits idle next to running equipment, turn the shaft over periodically or isolate the arrangement.
• The open 16038 has no integral sealing; in the NTN 2203 catalogue the protected variants carry suffixes ZZ (non-contact steel shields), LLB/LLF (non-contact rubber seals), LLU (contact rubber seals) and LLH (a low-torque contact seal with higher speed capability than LLU). A JR or JRX suffix (printed for some thin-section sizes) denotes a pressed-steel cage, not a seal.
• The 190 mm bore places 16038 in NTN's large-size range; at these diameters the pressed-steel cage is speed-limited and NTN commonly supplies a machined brass cage (suffix M) as an option. Verify cage material and relubrication interval with the NTN distributor, and do not extrapolate small-bore speed ratings to this size.
• NTN lists the grease limiting speed at 2100 r/min for 16038; this is a large or heavy-section size where centrifugal force and cage inertia cap the speed — for higher shaft speeds either step to a smaller bearing on the same bore or consult NTN for an oil-lubricated, machined-cage variant.
• At 149 kN dynamic load rating (C) and 156 kN static (C0), 6.7 kN fatigue load limit Cu, 16038 is a heavy-load bearing for industrial gearboxes and large conveyors; NTN expects a machined brass cage (suffix M) at this rating for shock duty, and the static C0 must be checked against any mounting or lifting loads.
• At 6770 g (6.8 kg), 16038 is a heavy bearing that requires a crane or hoist for handling; induction-heat the inner ring (max 120 °C) and use a mechanical puller for removal — never apply heat directly to the balls or cage.
• The 190×290×31 mm envelope of 16038 gives a D/d ratio of 1.53 and 50.0 mm radial section height — this thin section saves space but is sensitive to misalignment and shock; confirm the housing stays round within IT7 and the shaft does not deflect past the raceway contact angle under load.
• The 149/156 kN load ratings, 6.7 kN fatigue load limit Cu NTN lists the grease limiting speed at 2100 r/min for this designation; oil-mist or jet lubrication raises the ceiling but requires a sealed-housing review. and 6770 g mass here are NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E figures for 16038 on the 190×290×31 mm ISO 15 envelope; internal geometry and ratings legitimately differ between brands, so re-verify before substituting another manufacturer's 16038 in a rated drive.
• NTN date-codes its packaging; rotate stock first-in-first-out, because the grease inside sealed units ages on the shelf — after three to five years of storage, check the grease condition before putting the bearing into service.
• Order the C3 internal-clearance version (16038 with C3 after the seal code) when the shaft fit is tight or the shaft-to-housing temperature gradient exceeds roughly 10 °C — the residual clearance after mounting, not the catalogue CN figure, decides service life.