51196-F bearing: complete specifications & equivalents

Specification table

Source: catalog reference (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018)) · extracted 2026-09-28

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 51196-F model number is decoded

51196 F is SKF's 480 mm-bore single-direction thrust ball bearing in the 51100 series to the ISO 104 dimension plan, with a flat housing seating surface, measuring 480×580×80 mm. The separable set comprises a shaft washer (ground bore, tight fit on the shaft), a loose-bore housing washer and one ball-cage assembly, reacting axial force in one direction and carrying no radial load. in the 51xxx designation the first 1 marks a single-direction bearing with a flat housing seating surface; the third digit 1–4 grades the dimension series from the light 511 section through the heavy 514 section. the final two digits 96 encode the bore as 480 mm (code 96 × 5), the standard SKF bore-code rule shared with radial bearings. suffix F identifies a machined steel cage, ball-centred: fitted to the largest sizes of the assortment where the ball complement and centrifugal forces exceed what the stamped sheet-steel execution can guide. Envelope 480×580×80 mm (18.898×22.835×3.15 in), 50.0 mm radial section, C 540 kN, C0 3550 kN, Pu 56 kN. reference speed 560 r/min (thermal) and limiting speed 800 r/min (mechanical), catalogue mass 45500 g. Capacity density: 540 kN C from 45.500 kg of bearing steel gives about 11.9 kN per kilogram; static density is correspondingly 78.0 kN/kg at C0 3550 kN. Track-circle loading: per millimetre of mean track circumference the 540 kN dynamic rating corresponds to roughly 0.32 kN/mm of π·dm track, a useful comparison against the other dimension series of the 480 mm bore. Mass and section check: 45500 g inside the 480×580×80 mm outline leaves a 50.0 mm radial section, and the 3550 kN static rating is 6.57× the dynamic rating — plan static safety and minimum preload against those figures. Sizing arithmetic on the 480 mm bore: 540 kN C over the 50.0 mm radial section gives 10.8 kN per section millimetre, and the 80 mm stack height is 1.60× that section — proportions typical of a 51100 thrust section. At the printed limiting speed of 800 r/min the mean pitch diameter dm ≈ 530.0 mm implies a dn value around 424k mm·r/min; the 560 r/min reference speed is the thermal-planning value under catalogue load. Large-size execution note: the F machined steel cage exists because the ball complement and pitch diameter of the biggest 512-series sizes are beyond pressed-cage guidance; the steel cage is machined from solid, ball-centred, and its heavier mass must be supported by genuine oil or grease flow at start-up — never mount an F bearing dry for a trial rotation. Mounting note for the 80 mm F stack: induction-heat the shaft washer only — the machined steel cage rides the balls and must never be tapped, and first rotation should be a slow unloaded bedding run before the working thrust goes on.

Typical equipment & failure modes

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

• The three components are separable and interchangeable within the ISO 104 size, but keep this bearing's parts together in service and never combine washers from different manufacturers or a worn washer with a new ball set.
• A 51-series bearing reacts thrust in one direction only — reversing positions need a mirrored single-direction pair or a 52-series double-direction unit; fitting a single 51196 against two-way load lifts the loose washer off its raceway.
• Identify the washers before fitting: the shaft washer has the ground, smaller bore and takes an interference fit on the 480 mm shaft, while the housing washer bore is larger and runs loose; swapping them locks the ball set and burns the tracks.
• On vertical shafts retain the loose housing washer positively with a cover or ring and verify the grease fill does not drain out of the 80 mm stack; thrust-ball bearings on horizontal shafts should have the shaft washer (the tight one) against the rotating element.
• The 540/3550 kN figures belong to 51196 F specifically (the single flat machined steel execution of 51196); suffixed, sphered and counterpart-series order numbers are separate articles, so write the complete designation on the order and the maintenance record.