54420-M bearing: complete specifications & equivalents
The 54420-M is a ISO 104 radial bearing sized 80 x 210 x 159.9 mm (bore x OD x width). Verify dimensions against the official catalog before ordering.
Specification table
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | SKF |
| Bore diameter d | 80 mm |
| Outer diameter D | 210 mm |
| Width B | 159.9 mm |
| Material | GCr15 |
| Seal / shield | open |
| Internal clearance | CN |
| Tolerance class | P0 |
| Cage | brass |
| Basic dynamic load rating C | 371 kN |
| Basic static load rating C0 | 1060 kN |
| Fatigue load limit Pu | 31.5 kN |
| Reference speed (thermal) | 700 rpm |
| Limiting speed (mechanical) | 950 rpm |
| Operating temperature | -40 to +120 °C |
| Mass | 29000 g |
| Manufacturer designation | 54420 M |
| Standard | ISO 104 |
| Catalog version | SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018) |
| Last verified | 2026-09-28 |
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.
Dimensions in inches & 54400-series range
| Bore d | 3.15 in |
|---|---|
| Outer diameter D | 8.268 in |
| Width B | 6.295 in |
| ISO bore code | 20 |
| Radial section height (D−d)/2 | 65 mm |
| Smallest bore in 54400-series | 35 mm |
| Largest outer diameter in 54400-series | 210 mm |
| Width range across 54400-series | 78.9–159.9 mm |
| Bore position in 54400-series (smallest first) | 4 of 4 |
| Bore above smallest 54400-series size | 45 mm |
Cross references & equivalents
| Equivalent model | Brand | Match level | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54420 | ISO 15 | full Dimensions and internal design equivalent — standard interchange. | ISO 15 boundary-dimension envelope; standard interchange — confirm clearance class and precision with the supplier. |
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 54420-M model number is decoded
Listed in SKF 17000 chapter 5, 54420 M is an ISO 104 double-direction thrust ball bearing, 80 mm bore and 210 mm OD, with a sphered housing washer and U seat washer, standing 159.9 mm high before installation. Construction is a five-component stack: one central shaft washer with tracks on both faces, two outward-facing housing washers and two cage sets, which lets one housing recess accept thrust from either direction. note the bore of 54420 M is 80 mm by the dimension table: the double-direction series was deliberately aligned to the 51/53 washer sets with shifted codes, so the familiar 04=20 arithmetic does not apply here. M-cage execution: brass machined from solid and ball-centred, giving heavier guidance than the standard pressed retainer at the top end of the thrust-ball range. Envelope 80×210×159.9 mm (3.15×8.268×6.295 in), 65.0 mm radial section, C 371 kN, C0 1060 kN, Pu 31.5 kN. Mounted height H1 176 mm includes the U 420 seat washer; the bearing alone is 159.9 mm high. reference speed 700 r/min (thermal) and limiting speed 950 r/min (mechanical), catalogue mass 29000 g. Speed band width for this size is 250 r/min between reference and limiting (1.36× ratio); lubrication, preload and heat removal decide where inside that band 54420 M can actually run. Minimum-load arithmetic: with dm ≈ 145.0 mm and factor A 5.8, Fam ≈ A·(n·dm/1000)² at the 700 r/min reference speed is about 59.8 kN for 54420 M; below that preload the balls skid and smear the tracks. Washer-annulus check: the π/4·(D²−d²) contact annulus of 54420 M covers about 29,610 mm², distributing C0 1060 kN over a mean track circle of π·dm ≈ 456 mm. Light-load floor: Pu = 31.5 kN is the equivalent-load threshold below which the SKF adjusted-life equation credits very long life for 54420 M; the number is 8 % of the 371 kN dynamic rating. Stack/annulus proportions: the 159.9 mm axial stack over the 29,610 mm² washer annulus gives 5.40 mm of height per annular square millimetre ×10⁻³, and at 29000 g the bearing holds about 36.6 kN of C0 per kilogram. Heavy bidirectional self-aligning note: the two machined brass cage sets and the two sphered housing washer / U seat-washer pairs make this the heaviest standard thrust-ball execution of its bore — check both spherical interfaces for fretting at overhaul and confirm both U washers are the catalogue-matched designations before reassembly. The heaviest self-aligning thrust-ball execution of its bore: 29000 g, two machined brass cage sets and two sphered washer pairs at 176 mm installed height — plan lifting fixtures and the two U 420 articles before shutdown work starts.
Typical equipment & failure modes
Common applications
- heavy reversing hook blocks needing self-aligning seats
- large vertical-pump thrust with up-thrust events
- winch drives with bidirectional thrust on welded frames
Known failure patterns
- thermal lock-up when differential expansion removes the end play of the tighter-loaded side
- one-side track spalling when reversing duty dwells predominantly in one direction and only one cage set accumulates cycles
- point-contact destruction of the housing register when a sphered washer is operated directly on a flat face without its U seat washer
- asymmetric cage wear when reversing duty loads one brass cage set far more often than the other
- false brinelling of the stationary tracks while the machine stands under vibration
- rolling-contact fatigue spalling after the L10 life at the actual thrust load is exceeded
Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute
- The 371/1060 kN ratings assume the spherical contacts are free to find their seat — a painted-over or shimmed U washer fixes the angle and turns the self-aligning bearing into an edge-loaded one.
- Assembly is a five-component stack (central shaft washer, two cage sets, two sphered housing washers) plus the two U seat washers in the housing registers; dry-build the arrangement by hand first to confirm both sides swivel freely.
- Order TWO seat washers for 54420 M — the designation U 420 pairs with one side and a second U washer (same number) with the other; the catalogue 176 mm H1 includes both.
- The two spherical interfaces accommodate initial misalignment in either load direction but must stay clean, greased and static — continuous rocking frets the sphered contacts of even the 1060 kN static-rated set.
- Ordering discipline for 54420: the catalogue page quotes 54420 M plus U 420 and its 371/1060 kN ratings as one exact article; bare-number substitutions from another series or brand need a fresh dimension and rating check, not a like-for-like assumption.
Frequently asked questions
What are the dimensions and catalogue data of 54420-M?
The catalogue envelope is 80×210×159.9 mm plus the 16.1 mm the U 420 seat washer adds to reach H1 176 mm, mass 29000 g; ratings C 371 kN / C0 1060 kN / Pu 31.5 kN, reference speed 700 r/min (thermal) and limiting speed 950 r/min (mechanical).
What does the designation 54420 M mean?
note the bore of 54420 M is 80 mm by the dimension table: the double-direction series was deliberately aligned to the 51/53 washer sets with shifted codes, so the familiar 04=20 arithmetic does not apply here. M-cage execution: brass machined from solid and ball-centred, giving heavier guidance than the standard pressed retainer at the top end of the thrust-ball range. 5 = thrust ball bearing, 4 = double direction with sphered seating surfaces.
What loads can 54420-M take?
Pure axial load in both directions: C 371 kN, C0 1060 kN, Pu 31.5 kN, with the same minimum-load rule (factor A 5.8) in each direction; radial load is excluded.
How are the two U washers ordered and fitted?
Order two pieces of U 420 and seat one flat-backed in each housing register with the concave faces towards the sphered housing washers; check both interfaces swivel freely before fitting the central shaft washer, and verify the mounted stack measures the 176 mm H1.
Reviewed & verified by the MPN Base engineering desk against source catalog SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018) on 2026-09-28. Read our editorial & correction policy.