AXK2542 bearing: complete specifications & equivalents
The AXK2542 is a ISO 3031 radial bearing sized 25 x 42 x 2 mm (bore x OD x width). Verify dimensions against the official catalog before ordering.
Specification table
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | SKF |
| Bore diameter d | 25 mm |
| Outer diameter D | 42 mm |
| Width B | 2 mm |
| Material | GCr15 |
| Seal / shield | open |
| Internal clearance | CN |
| Tolerance class | P0 |
| Cage | steel |
| Basic dynamic load rating C | 13.4 kN |
| Basic static load rating C0 | 60 kN |
| Fatigue load limit Pu | 6.95 kN |
| Reference speed (thermal) | 3800 rpm |
| Limiting speed (mechanical) | 7500 rpm |
| Operating temperature | -40 to +120 °C |
| Mass | 7 g |
| Manufacturer designation | AXK 2542 |
| Standard | ISO 3031 |
| Catalog version | SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018), ch. 12.1 needle roller and cage thrust assemblies |
| Last verified | 2026-09-27 |
Source: catalog reference (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018), ch. 12.1 needle roller and cage thrust assemblies) · extracted 2026-09-27
Parameters extracted from the official SKF Rolling Bearings catalogue (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018), ch. 12.1 needle roller and cage thrust assemblies); 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 & AXK-series range
| Bore d | 0.984 in |
|---|---|
| Outer diameter D | 1.654 in |
| Width B | 0.079 in |
| ISO bore code | 42 |
| Radial section height (D−d)/2 | 8.5 mm |
| Smallest bore in AXK-series | 4 mm |
| Largest outer diameter in AXK-series | 200 mm |
| Width range across AXK-series | 2–5 mm |
| Bore position in AXK-series (smallest first) | 10 of 30 |
| Bore above smallest AXK-series size | 21 mm |
Cross references & equivalents
No verified interchange data yet. Send an inquiry and our team will confirm equivalents manually.
How the AXK2542 model number is decoded
SKF's AXK 2542 is not a complete bearing — the stamped steel cage spaces the thrust needles, while hardened AS/LS raceway washers (or shaft and housing faces at 58–64 HRC) provide the two raceways. In AXK 2542 the number is the boundary plan, not a bore code: 25/42, with the 2 mm assembly thickness fixed by the ISO 3031 plan and Ea/Eb 29/41 mm marking the actual needle-contact band. The assembly itself has no rings: both raceways must be supplied as hardened washers or machine faces (58–64 HRC, ground), with the contact band covering Ea 29 to Eb 41 mm. Speed planning separates the 3,800 r/min thermal reference from the 7,500 r/min mechanical limiting speed. Thrust bearings govern the thermal speed of many vertical arrangements, and oil circulation raises the usable speed substantially above grease values. Mounting: harden and grind both mating faces to 58–64 HRC over the full Ea 29–Eb 41 mm band (or fit AS/LS washers), drop the 2 mm cage in flat, and never press or hammer the needle complement.
Typical equipment & failure modes
Common applications
- torque converter and clutch release assemblies in passenger cars
- small gearbox gears that need a 2 mm thrust shim between a shaft and face
- light turntables, index plates and office-machine pivots
- two-wheeler gearbox selector and layshaft thrust faces
Known failure patterns
- instant raceway scoring when the assembly runs against a face below 58 HRC or with a rough finish
- smearing at roller-raceway contacts during unloaded startup before the oil film or preload is established
- abrasive paste forming as dust bypasses the housing seals into the open washer set
- hard-particle indentation where oil or grease filtration is inadequate
- edge loading across the needle crowns when the mating faces are not square to the shaft
Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute
- On a 25 mm shaft the cage is only 2 mm thick — a shaft shoulder with a sharp edge or a 0.1 mm burr will catch and spin the cage instead of locating it.
- The AXK code supplies no washers: AXK 2542 arrives as the needle cage only, and a "bearing failure" on hard-faced tracks is usually a missing-AS-washer failure at ordering time.
- Match washers by the exact 25–42 mm track — a washer sized to the shaft alone leaves the needles overrunning its edge, which shears the cage.
- Do not expect misalignment tolerance: a 2 mm rigid needle set edge-loads if the faces tilt even a fraction of a degree — use a spherical or AXW solution where the seat cannot be kept parallel.
- TN polymer and stamped steel cages of the same code (AXK 2542) share envelopes and ratings; the choice is temperature and noise, not load.
- The 13.4/60 kN ratings and 7 g mass are SKF catalogue values transcribed from ch. 12.1 of PUB BU/P1 17000 (PDF table page 908); mounting data — Ea/Eb raceway diameters and the minimum load factor A — appears in the running text because the structured record carries the boundary envelope only.
Frequently asked questions
Does the AXK 2542 include washers?
No. AXK is the needle roller and cage thrust assembly only; hardened AS/LS washers or shaft/housing faces at 58–64 HRC, ground over the Ea 29–Eb 41 mm band, supply the two raceways.
How is the AXK 2542 code read?
AXK marks the needle thrust assembly and 25/42 gives the inner 25 mm and outer 42 mm track diameters directly; the assembly is 2 mm thick. TN means the polymer cage instead of stamped steel.
What minimum hardness do the mating faces need?
58–64 HRC with a ground raceway finish. A softer face looks fine after assembly but the needles rib and score it within weeks despite the 13.4 kN catalogue rating — order certified washers if the shaft/housing cannot be heat treated.
How is an AXK thrust assembly mounted?
Harden or washer-face both tracks across Ea 29–Eb 41 mm, keep faces parallel, locate the cage concentrically against a shoulder or register, grease the needles so they stay pocketed, and never press through them.
Reviewed & verified by the MPN Base engineering desk against source catalog SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018), ch. 12.1 needle roller and cage thrust assemblies on 2026-09-27. Read our editorial & correction policy.