61808 bearing: complete specifications & equivalents

Specification table

Source: catalog reference (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018)) · extracted 2026-09-24

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 61808 model number is decoded

In the 61800-series (diameter series 8 of ISO 15) the last two digits encode the bore: 61808 carries bore code 08 = 40 mm. Outside diameter 52 mm and width 7 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 40 mm shaft, typical catalogue practice is a k5 shaft seat with an H7 housing bore — verify against the actual load direction and magnitude. In the SKF catalogue this open execution carries the bare designation; protected variants are ordered separately as -2Z and -2RSH.

Typical equipment & failure modes

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

• Sizes around 40 mm bore are normally pressed on cold with a sleeve against the inner-ring face; the press force must never route through the outer ring or the balls of 61808.
• 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.
• Storage matters for open bearings: 61808 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.
• Open bearings tolerate the highest speeds in the 61800-series but need a defined regreasing interval; run-to-failure lubrication is the dominant cause of early failure in open 61808 units.
• Shaft and housing fillets must clear the bearing chamfer so the 7 mm-wide ring seats square; provide an undercut or withdrawal groove instead of relying on an oversized radius.
• Vibration during standstill brinells the raceways of a 40 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 61808 needs external sealing and application-supplied lubrication; in the SKF catalogue the protected variants are separate order numbers 61808-2Z (shields) and 61808-2RSH (contact seals), not suffix-free 61808.
• The 4.49/3.75 kN ratings here are SKF Explorer-class figures from catalogue PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018); SKF can revise internal geometry and ratings without changing the designation, so treat the catalogue version and date as part of the specification and re-verify for critical drives.