61808-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 61808-NTN model number is decoded

61808 is supplied open, without shields or seals, so the arrangement around it must supply and retain the lubricant. Within the extra-thin 618xx section (diameter series 8 of ISO 15), multiplying bore code 08 by five gives the 40 mm bore; the 52 mm outside diameter and 7 mm width follow the same boundary-dimension plan. For a rotating inner ring on a 40 mm shaft under normal load, catalogue practice seats it on a k5 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

• A 40 mm shaft for 61808 should be finished to Ra ≤ 1.6 µm with square seating faces; at this bore a scored or oval journal shows up directly as running noise and early raceway damage.
• Only 6.0 mm of radial section separates bore and OD on the 618xx series at 40 mm: ring flex from clamping or an oval housing bore transfers straight into raceway stress, so seat roundness matters more here than on a 6208.
• The open 61808-NTN has no lubricant retention: grease escapes and contaminants migrate straight into the 40×52×7 mm raceway, so specify a sealed arrangement for dusty or washdown duty.
• Storage matters for open bearings: 61808-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.
• Axial location must clamp the ring face, not the seal area: a shoulder or circlip bearing on the seal side of the 7 mm-wide ring of 61808-NTN drags the lip and overheats it.
• Do not quieten a noisy bearing by preloading it: the 61800-series is a deep-groove design, not angular-contact; axial preload raises temperature and shortens grease life.
• The open 61808 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 40 mm bore puts 61808 in NTN's general-purpose industrial range; the standard pressed-steel cage and CN clearance cover most electric-motor and pump duty, but for continuous high-speed use specify the LLH low-torque seal (not LLU) and confirm the housing allows the listed limiting speed.
• NTN rates 61808 at 12000 r/min grease limiting speed — this is an electric-motor range; keep the grease fill at 25–35% of the free bearing volume and avoid mixing grease thickener types if regreasing through the housing.
• NTN rates 61808 at 5.65 kN dynamic (C) and 4.4 kN static (C0), 0.29 kN fatigue load limit Cu; this light-to-medium rating suits fractional-horsepower drives and instruments — for conveying or gearbox duty with shock loads, verify the equivalent dynamic load stays well below C.
• At only 33 g, 61808 is a lightweight bearing that can be handled by hand; still, press it onto the shaft with a sleeve against the inner ring — never through the balls or outer ring.
• The 40×52×7 mm envelope of 61808 gives a D/d ratio of 1.30 and only 6.0 mm radial section height — this is an ultra-thin section where shaft deflection and housing ovality directly load the ball-raceway contact; verify shaft stiffness (target deflection under 0.05 mm) before specifying it over a 62-series.
• The 5.65/4.4 kN load ratings, 0.29 kN fatigue load limit Cu NTN lists the grease limiting speed at 12000 r/min for this designation; oil-mist or jet lubrication raises the ceiling but requires a sealed-housing review. and 33 g mass here are NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E figures for 6808JR on the 40×52×7 mm ISO 15 envelope; internal geometry and ratings legitimately differ between brands, so re-verify before substituting another manufacturer's 61808 in a rated drive.
• NTN's pressed-steel cage (no cage suffix) is the quiet standard for this size; for sustained running close to the limiting speed or for heavy shock duty, ask the NTN channel whether a machined-cage execution of 61808 is listed.
• Two NTN bearings of the same designation from different production lots can carry minor internal-geometry revisions; for paired or preloaded arrangements on one shaft, order a single lot through the NTN distributor.