NU260 bearing: complete specifications & equivalents
The NU260 is a ISO 15 radial bearing sized 300 x 540 x 85 mm (bore x OD x width). Verify dimensions against the official catalog before ordering.
Specification table
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | NTN |
| Bore diameter d | 300 mm |
| Outer diameter D | 540 mm |
| Width B | 85 mm |
| Material | GCr15 |
| Seal / shield | open |
| Internal clearance | CN |
| Tolerance class | P0 |
| Cage | steel |
| Basic dynamic load rating C | 1560 kN |
| Basic static load rating C0 | 2070 kN |
| Fatigue load limit Pu | 164 kN |
| Limiting speed (mechanical) | 1100 rpm |
| Operating temperature | -40 to +120 °C |
| Mass | 86400 g |
| Manufacturer designation | NTN NU260 |
| 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 | 11.811 in |
|---|---|
| Outer diameter D | 21.26 in |
| Width B | 3.346 in |
| ISO bore code | 60 |
| Radial section height (D−d)/2 | 120 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) | 35 of 36 |
| Bore above smallest NU200-series size | 285 mm |
Cross references & equivalents
| Equivalent model | Brand | Match level | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| NU260-M | SKF | full Dimensions and internal design equivalent — standard interchange. | Identical ISO 15 envelope, seal and ratings band — standard interchange; re-verify precision class and clearance per 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 NU260 model number is decoded
The NTN order number NU260 denotes a 300×540×85 mm (11.811 × 21.26 × 3.346 in) cylindrical roller bearing in the NU200 family, a pressed sheet-steel cage. On the NTN nameplate NU states which ring carries the ribs, which determines whether NU260 floats or locates; the numeric remainder is the ISO 15 series and 300 mm bore reference, not a fit or clearance instruction. Line contact between rollers and raceways gives NU260 high radial capacity but no tolerance for misalignment: beyond roughly 3–4 arc-minutes the roller ends edge-load and fatigue accelerates. Rating life at 1560 kN C assumes clean oil and adequate film; the 164 kN Pu floor means contamination derating — not the C rating alone — governs adjusted life in dusty gearboxes. On NU arrangements confirm which ring is separable before heating: forcing the ribbed ring off over the roller complement damages the cage and rib faces.
Typical equipment & failure modes
Common applications
- large turbine and generator rotor bearings
- wind-turbine gearbox planet and rotor shafts
- ship propulsion line shafts and reduction gears
- mining SAG/ball-mill drive shafts
Known failure patterns
- inner-ring raceway spalling from overload in the line-contact Hertzian zone
- 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
- electrical pitting on VFD-driven motor shafts without grounding protection
- edge loading from shaft deflection beyond the 3–4 arc-minute alignment limit
Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute
- At 300 mm bore, oil-lubricated arrangements toward 1,300 r/min need positive flow and drain design; the 86400 g NU260 ring stores enough heat that grease-only duty needs a careful relubrication calculation.
- Grease limiting speed 1,100 r/min and oil 1,300 r/min are different limits for NU260: the first is the cage/lubricant mechanical ceiling, the second assumes real oil flow rather than an oil bath.
- If the shaft must be located both ways, do not use NU260 alone: pair it with a locating bearing or specify the NUP execution with the matching loose rib ring from the 2203E table.
- Open NU260 units need application-supplied sealing and a defined lubricant schedule; film thickness is the first failure mode for line contact when viscosity drops at the 300 mm contact.
- Wide (22/23) and light (10/49) executions at 300 mm bore share bore but not OD/width; check the full NU200 series code before substituting, because housing and shoulder geometry will not interchange.
- The 1560/2070 kN ratings, 164 kN Pu and 86400 g mass are NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203E values for NU260 (standard 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 NU260?
NU260 is an NTN NU single-row cylindrical roller bearing to ISO 15: 300 mm bore, 540 mm OD and 85 mm width (11.811 × 21.26 × 3.346 in). From NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203E: C 1560 kN, C0 2070 kN, Pu 164 kN, grease limiting speed 1,100 r/min, oil 1,300 r/min, mass about 86400 g. It is open, with a 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. NU260 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. NU260 is supplied in the standard open execution shown in the table.
Can NU260 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 NU260?
Fw is the inner sub-assembly raceway/roller-set envelope diameter and Ew the outer-ring raceway diameter printed for geometric checks: Fw 364 mm, Ew 476 mm. The nominal bore/OD remain 300/540 mm; Fw/Ew describe the rolling-contact path, and speeds still run to 1,100 r/min grease / 1,300 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.