6232-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 6232-NTN model number is decoded

In the 6200-series (diameter series 2 of ISO 15) the last two digits encode the bore: 6232 carries bore code 32 = 160 mm. Outside diameter 290 mm and width 48 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 160 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 160 mm of 6232-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.
• The 62xx light series is the default general-purpose section at 160 mm bore; before upgrading to a 6332 for extra capacity, confirm the housing accepts a 290 mm OD and 48 mm width — it is not a drop-in swap.
• The open 6232-NTN has no lubricant retention: grease escapes and contaminants migrate straight into the 160×290×48 mm raceway, so specify a sealed arrangement for dusty or washdown duty.
• Storage matters for open bearings: 6232-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.
• The housing bore for the 290 mm OD should be round within IT7; an oval bore pinches the outer ring of 6232-NTN and shows up later as two-point loaded raceway wear.
• A 160 mm bore listing showing the right d/D/B but no standard or precision-class reference may be a loose-tolerance import; measure bore/OD spread before fitting it to a machined shaft.
• The open 6232 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 160 mm bore places 6232 at the lower end of 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 6232; 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 205 kN dynamic load rating (C) and 186 kN static (C0), 9.45 kN fatigue load limit Cu, 6232 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 11700 g (11.7 kg), 6232 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 160×290×48 mm envelope of 6232 gives a D/d ratio of 1.81 and 65.0 mm radial section height — a standard medium section that balances load capacity and speed; for this geometry the pressed-steel cage is adequate up to the listed limiting speed, and C3 clearance is the common choice for hot shafts.
• The 205/186 kN load ratings, 9.45 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 11700 g mass here are NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E figures for 6232 on the 160×290×48 mm ISO 15 envelope; internal geometry and ratings legitimately differ between brands, so re-verify before substituting another manufacturer's 6232 in a rated drive.
• Order the C3 internal-clearance version (6232 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.
• 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.