NU218EA bearing: complete specifications & equivalents
The NU218EA is a ISO 15 radial bearing sized 90 x 160 x 30 mm (bore x OD x width). Verify dimensions against the official catalog before ordering.
Specification table
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | NTN |
| Bore diameter d | 90 mm |
| Outer diameter D | 160 mm |
| Width B | 30 mm |
| Material | GCr15 |
| Seal / shield | open |
| Internal clearance | CN |
| Tolerance class | P0 |
| Cage | steel, stamped ribbon (J-type) |
| Basic dynamic load rating C | 215 kN |
| Basic static load rating C0 | 217 kN |
| Fatigue load limit Pu | 24.7 kN |
| Limiting speed (mechanical) | 3900 rpm |
| Operating temperature | -40 to +120 °C |
| Mass | 2370 g |
| Manufacturer designation | NTN NU218EA |
| Standard | ISO 15 |
| Catalog version | NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203E |
| Last verified | 2026-10-01 |
Source: catalog reference (NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203E) · extracted 2026-10-01
Parameters extracted from the official NTN Ball and Roller Bearings catalogue (NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203E); 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 & NU200-series range
| Bore d | 3.543 in |
|---|---|
| Outer diameter D | 6.299 in |
| Width B | 1.181 in |
| ISO bore code | — |
| Radial section height (D−d)/2 | 35 mm |
| Smallest bore in NU200-series | 15 mm |
| Largest outer diameter in NU200-series | 580 mm |
| Width range across NU200-series | 11–92 mm |
| Bore position in NU200-series (smallest first) | 17 of 36 |
| Bore above smallest NU200-series size | 75 mm |
Cross references & equivalents
| Equivalent model | Brand | Match level | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| NU218EA | 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 NU218EA model number is decoded
In NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203E, NU218EA appears as a 90 mm bore single-row cylindrical roller bearing (215 kN C / 217 kN C0) with the EA high-capacity pressed sheet-steel cage, listed to the ISO 15 boundary plan. Reading the code: NU for the non-locating separable-inner-ring type, then the ISO 15 diameter/width series and the bore code — ×5 = 90 mm (00–03 use the 10/12/15/17 exception table). NTN prints the raceway diameters for this size — Fw 107 mm and Ew 145 mm — the envelope inside the 90/160 mm bore/OD where the rollers actually run. The 2.4 kN-per-mm-bore figure (215 kN over 90 mm) lets a NU218EA interchange candidate be screened quickly against the same-envelope ball or roller alternatives. Provide axial location with an adjacent locating bearing rather than expecting the float cylindrical set to hold thrust on the 90 mm shaft.
Typical equipment & failure modes
Common applications
- rolling-mill auxiliary drive shafts
- crusher and vibrating-screen drive shafts
- marine gearbox and deck-machinery shafts
- large electric-motor and generator rotors
Known failure patterns
- roller smearing (microwelding) at start-up before the oil film builds under insufficient radial load
- cage wear accelerated when the EA high-capacity roller complement runs continuously above its thermal balance
- roller-end and raceway scoring from inadequate oil flow under heavy radial load
- hard-particle indentation of raceways in unfiltered oil or open arrangements
- electrical pitting on VFD-driven motor shafts without grounding protection
Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute
- Induction-heat the 90 mm inner ring (max 120 °C) and mount it before fitting the outer ring; the ring mass makes square guidance essential — driving through the rollers brinells the 160 mm raceway.
- If the shaft must be located both ways, do not use NU218EA alone: pair it with a locating bearing or specify the NUP execution with the matching loose rib ring from the 2203E table.
- Minimum radial load is frequently missed in oversized motor and fan selections: an underloaded NU218EA skids at 3,900 r/min and fails by smearing long before L10 fatigue.
- Never press either ring through the roller complement when fitting: mounting force goes through the ring faces, or the 160 mm race brinells and releases as vibration within hours.
- The NU rib arrangement is not interchangeable with another prefix on the same 90 mm seat: outer ring ribbed, inner ring ribless. Swapping NU for NJ changes axial location behaviour even though the 160×30 mm envelope matches.
- The 215/217 kN ratings, 24.7 kN Pu and 2370 g mass are NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203E values for NU218EA (EA pressed-steel-cage execution); other makes sharing the ISO 15 envelope revise internal geometry without changing the order number, so keep the 2203E reference with the specification for critical drives.
Frequently asked questions
What are the dimensions and catalogue data of NU218EA?
NU218EA is an NTN NU single-row cylindrical roller bearing to ISO 15: 90 mm bore, 160 mm OD and 30 mm width (3.543 × 6.299 × 1.181 in). From NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203E: C 215 kN, C0 217 kN, Pu 24.7 kN, grease limiting speed 3,900 r/min, oil 5,500 r/min, mass about 2370 g. It is open, with the EA high-capacity pressed sheet-steel cage.
What is the difference between NU, NJ, NUP, N and NF cylindrical roller bearings?
The prefix states the rib arrangement: NU has two outer-ring ribs and a ribless inner ring (float, no axial load); NJ adds ribs for one-direction location; NUP adds a loose L-ring to locate both directions; N has two inner-ring ribs and a separable outer ring; NF has one rib per ring for one-direction guidance. NU218EA is two integral ribs on the outer ring and a ribless, separable inner ring — a non-locating bearing that lets the shaft float axially.
What do the EA, E and ＊ suffixes mean on NTN cylindrical roller bearings?
EA is NTN's high-capacity design with a pressed sheet-steel cage and optimised roller complement in the same ISO 15 envelope; E marks the high-capacity design at the larger bores; the ＊ symbol printed before the code in the NTN catalogue marks the ULTAGE new-generation specification and is not typed as part of the order number. This page's bearing carries the EA pressed-steel-cage execution.
Can NU218EA take axial load and locate a shaft?
the NU design carries no axial load and floats axially on both sides. Provide axial location with an adjacent locating bearing (angular-contact, deep-groove or a paired NJ/NUP set).
What do Fw and Ew mean for NU218EA?
Fw is the inner sub-assembly raceway/roller-set envelope diameter and Ew the outer-ring raceway diameter printed for geometric checks: Fw 107 mm, Ew 145 mm. The nominal bore/OD remain 90/160 mm; Fw/Ew describe the rolling-contact path, and speeds still run to 3,900 r/min grease / 5,500 r/min oil.
Reviewed & verified by the MPN Base engineering desk against source catalog NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203E on 2026-10-01. Read our editorial & correction policy.