6308-NTN bearing: complete specifications & equivalents
The 6308-NTN is a ISO 15 radial bearing sized 40 x 90 x 23 mm (bore x OD x width). Verify dimensions against the official catalog before ordering.
Specification table
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | NTN |
| Bore diameter d | 40 mm |
| Outer diameter D | 90 mm |
| Width B | 23 mm |
| Material | GCr15 |
| Seal / shield | open |
| Internal clearance | CN |
| Tolerance class | P0 |
| Cage | steel, stamped ribbon (J-type) |
| Basic dynamic load rating C | 45 kN |
| Basic static load rating C0 | 24 kN |
| Fatigue load limit Pu | 1.83 kN |
| Limiting speed (mechanical) | 7800 rpm |
| Operating temperature | -40 to +120 °C |
| Mass | 630 g |
| Manufacturer designation | 6308 |
| Standard | ISO 15 |
| Catalog version | NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E (2024) |
| Last verified | 2026-09-25 |
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.
Dimensions in inches & 6300-series range
| Bore d | 1.575 in |
|---|---|
| Outer diameter D | 3.543 in |
| Width B | 0.906 in |
| ISO bore code | 08 |
| Radial section height (D−d)/2 | 25 mm |
| Smallest bore in 6300-series | 2 mm |
| Largest outer diameter in 6300-series | 500 mm |
| Width range across 6300-series | 3–95 mm |
| Bore position in 6300-series (smallest first) | 15 of 40 |
| Bore above smallest 6300-series size | 38 mm |
Mounting, lubrication & life for 6308-NTN
Recommended fits & mounting
- Rotating inner ring on a 40 mm shaft: k5; housing bore H7 for normal stationary-load outer rings. Reverse the logic if the outer ring rotates.
- Fit by induction heating (max 120 °C) where practical — never drive the ring home through the rolling elements.
- Keep shaft and housing fillet radii below the bearing chamfer so the 23 mm-wide ring seats square on its shoulder.
Lubrication strategy
Open execution: the application supplies lubrication. Use the grease relubrication chart for this bearing — pitch diameter dm = 65 mm, so the speed factor at the 7,800 r/min limiting speed is 507,000 mm·r/min. Intervals shorten steeply as that factor rises.
Worked L10 life example (illustrative duty)
For ball bearings, L10h = (C/P)3 · 106 / (60·n). Taking an example radial equivalent load P = 3 kN at n = 1,500 r/min (a small belted motor duty — substitute the real equivalent load from the application calculation):
C = 45.0 kN → L10h ≈ 37,500 hours
Choosing a section at the same 40 mm bore
| Series | Open execution | OD × width | C (kN) | Limiting speed (r/min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60xx | 6008-FAG | 68 × 15 | 17.8 | 14,600 |
| 62xx | 6208-FAG | 80 × 18 | 31.5 | 13,600 |
| 63xx | 6308-FAG | 90 × 23 | 47.0 | 11,800 |
| 64xx | 6408-FAG | 110 × 27 | 68.0 | 9,500 |
| 618xx | 61808-FAG | 52 × 7 | 4.9 | 19,300 |
| 619xx | 61908-FAG | 62 × 12 | 14.5 | 15,800 |
| 160xx | 16008 | 68 × 9 | 12.6 | 15,200 |
A larger section is not a drop-in swap — OD and width change — and same-envelope seal variants are compared on the 40×90×23 envelope page. Match meaning, not the size chart alone: see what the cross-reference levels mean.
Cross references & equivalents
| Equivalent model | Brand | Match level | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6308-FAG | FAG | full Dimensions and internal design equivalent — standard interchange. | Same 40×90×23 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant and load ratings may differ — confirm sealing and rating before substituting. |
| 6308-2RS-FAG | FAG | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 40×90×23 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant and load ratings may differ — confirm sealing and rating before substituting. |
| 6308-ZZ-FAG | FAG | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 40×90×23 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant and load ratings may differ — confirm sealing and rating before substituting. |
| 6308-2RS-NSK | NSK | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 40×90×23 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant and load ratings may differ — confirm sealing and rating before substituting. |
| 6308-RSR-NSK | NSK | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 40×90×23 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant and load ratings may differ — confirm sealing and rating before substituting. |
| 6308-ZZ-NSK | NSK | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 40×90×23 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant and load ratings may differ — confirm sealing and rating before substituting. |
| 6308-NSK | NSK | full Dimensions and internal design equivalent — standard interchange. | Same 40×90×23 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant and load ratings may differ — confirm sealing and rating before substituting. |
| 6308 | SKF | full Dimensions and internal design equivalent — standard interchange. | Same 40×90×23 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant and load ratings may differ — confirm sealing and rating before substituting. |
| 6308-ZZ | SKF | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 40×90×23 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant and load ratings may differ — confirm sealing and rating before substituting. |
| 6308-2RS | SKF | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 40×90×23 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant and load ratings may differ — confirm sealing and rating before substituting. |
| 6308-RSR | SKF | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 40×90×23 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant and load ratings may differ — confirm sealing and rating before substituting. |
| 308 | SKF | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 40×90×23 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant and load ratings may differ — confirm sealing and rating before substituting. |
| 308-ZZ | SKF | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 40×90×23 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant and load ratings may differ — confirm sealing and rating before substituting. |
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 6308-NTN model number is decoded
In the 6300-series (diameter series 3 of ISO 15) the last two digits encode the bore: 6308 carries bore code 08 = 40 mm. Outside diameter 90 mm and width 23 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 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
Common applications
- small gearboxes
- conveyors and drives
- agricultural equipment
- fans and blowers
Known failure patterns
- contamination wear from dust and dirt ingress through the open arrangement
- lubricant starvation when no regreasing interval is maintained
- cage damage from operation beyond the limiting speed
- electrical pitting in VFD-driven motors without grounding protection
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 6308-NTN.
- The 63xx medium section at 40 mm bore gains dynamic rating through larger rolling elements on a 90 mm OD; the penalty is mass and a lower limiting speed than the 6208 — do not specify it for speed-critical shafts.
- Storage matters for open bearings: 6308-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.
- Open bearings tolerate the highest speeds in the 6300-series but need a defined regreasing interval; run-to-failure lubrication is the dominant cause of early failure in open 6308 units.
- Never mix components between two 6308-NTN units: rings, cage and balls are factory-matched and are not field-interchangeable, even between identical designations.
- A 40 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 6308 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 6308 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.
- At 7800 r/min the grease limiting speed for 6308 covers medium-duty industrial drives; the open or shielded execution can run continuously at this speed with standard lithium-soap grease.
- NTN rates 6308 at 45 kN dynamic (C) and 24 kN static (C0), 1.83 kN fatigue load limit Cu; this upper-medium rating covers conveyor and gearbox drives, but at these loads the pressed-steel cage can be the limiting factor under shock — consider the machined brass cage (suffix M) for impact duty.
- At 630 g, 6308 requires a soft-jaw vise or arbor press for mounting — never hammer it onto the shaft, and support the opposite ring to avoid brinelling the raceways.
- The 40×90×23 mm envelope of 6308 gives a D/d ratio of 2.25 and 25.0 mm radial section height — a heavy section built for high-load, lower-speed duty; specifying it in a high-rpm motor generates excess heat and shortens grease life, so prefer a 62/63-series there.
- The 45/24 kN load ratings, 1.83 kN fatigue load limit Cu NTN lists the grease limiting speed at 7800 r/min for this designation; oil-mist or jet lubrication raises the ceiling but requires a sealed-housing review. and 630 g mass here are NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E figures for 6308 on the 40×90×23 mm ISO 15 envelope; internal geometry and ratings legitimately differ between brands, so re-verify before substituting another manufacturer's 6308 in a rated drive.
- Factory-fill grease in NTN sealed units is a general-duty lithium-soap grease; food-grade, low-temperature and high-temperature fills are request options at order time, because LLU/LLB units are not meant to be opened and re-greased in the field.
- Order the C3 internal-clearance version (6308 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.
Frequently asked questions
What are the dimensions of a 6308-NTN bearing?
A 6308-NTN deep-groove ball bearing has a 40 mm bore, 90 mm outer diameter and 23 mm width (1.575 × 3.543 × 0.906 in), per ISO 15 boundary dimensions. It is an open bearing with no seals or shields.
How does the 6300 compare with other series at the same 40 mm bore?
The '3' is the medium diameter series: 90×23 mm, 25.0 mm radial section at 40 mm bore, carrying more load than a 6208 but needing a larger housing bore and giving up some speed.
Are 6308 bearings from different brands interchangeable?
For boundary dimensions, yes: every brand's 6308 uses the same ISO 15 envelope (40×90×23 mm). Load ratings, limiting speeds, clearance, precision class and sealing design can differ, so verify those in the supplier catalogue when substituting.
What is the NTN order number for an open 6308?
NTN lists the open 6308 under the bare designation 6308; protected versions use suffixes ZZ (shields), LLB/LLF (non-contact seals), LLH (low-torque contact seal) and LLU (contact seal) on the same 40 mm bore envelope.
Does NTN offer 6308 with C3 clearance?
Yes — most NTN deep-groove sizes can be ordered with C3 internal clearance (suffix C3 follows the seal code). C3 suits tight fits and hot shafts; for normal fits at moderate temperature the standard CN clearance of 6308 is the correct choice.
Reviewed & verified by the MPN Base engineering desk against source catalog NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E (2024) on 2026-09-25. Read our editorial & correction policy.