6038-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 6038-NTN model number is decoded

6038 is supplied open, without shields or seals, so the arrangement around it must supply and retain the lubricant. Within the extra-light 60xx section (diameter series 0 of ISO 15), multiplying bore code 38 by five gives the 190 mm bore; the 290 mm outside diameter and 46 mm width follow the same boundary-dimension plan. For a rotating inner ring on a 190 mm shaft under normal load, catalogue practice seats it on a m6 shaft fit with an H7 housing bore — confirm against the actual load direction and magnitude before committing. 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

• At 190 mm bore the ring mass is significant: heat 6038 on an induction heater (max 120 °C), never over an open flame, and plan puller access or a withdrawal sleeve now for the day it has to come off again.
• The 60xx extra-light section at 190 mm bore uses a smaller 290 mm OD than a 6238; load ratings are lower, so do not replace a failed 62-series bearing with a 60-series without re-rating the load.
• The open 6038-NTN has no lubricant retention: grease escapes and contaminants migrate straight into the 190×290×46 mm raceway, so specify a sealed arrangement for dusty or washdown duty.
• Storage matters for open bearings: 6038-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.
• Assign fits by which ring rotates: an interference shaft fit for a rotating inner ring; if the outer ring rotates instead, reverse the logic — a loose rotating ring creeps and frets its seat.
• The housing bore for the 290 mm OD should be round within IT7; an oval bore pinches the outer ring of 6038-NTN and shows up later as two-point loaded raceway wear.
• The open 6038 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 6038 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 6038; 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 218 kN dynamic load rating (C) and 215 kN static (C0), 10.1 kN fatigue load limit Cu, 6038 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 9180 g (9.2 kg), 6038 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 190×290×46 mm envelope of 6038 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 218/215 kN load ratings, 10.1 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 9180 g mass here are NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E figures for 6038 on the 190×290×46 mm ISO 15 envelope; internal geometry and ratings legitimately differ between brands, so re-verify before substituting another manufacturer's 6038 in a rated drive.
• Order the C3 internal-clearance version (6038 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.
• 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.