AXK3552 bearing: complete specifications & equivalents
The AXK3552 is a ISO 3031 radial bearing sized 35 x 52 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 | 35 mm |
| Outer diameter D | 52 mm |
| Width B | 2 mm |
| Material | GCr15 |
| Seal / shield | open |
| Internal clearance | CN |
| Tolerance class | P0 |
| Cage | steel |
| Basic dynamic load rating C | 16.6 kN |
| Basic static load rating C0 | 83 kN |
| Fatigue load limit Pu | 9.8 kN |
| Reference speed (thermal) | 3200 rpm |
| Limiting speed (mechanical) | 6300 rpm |
| Operating temperature | -40 to +120 °C |
| Mass | 10 g |
| Manufacturer designation | AXK 3552 |
| 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 | 1.378 in |
|---|---|
| Outer diameter D | 2.047 in |
| Width B | 0.079 in |
| ISO bore code | 52 |
| 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) | 12 of 30 |
| Bore above smallest AXK-series size | 31 mm |
Cross references & equivalents
No verified interchange data yet. Send an inquiry and our team will confirm equivalents manually.
How the AXK3552 model number is decoded
AXK 3552 gives thrust capacity in the height of a shim: 35 mm inner track, 52 mm outer track, only 2 mm thick, with needles held by the stamped steel cage for one-direction axial load. The designation AXK 3552 identifies a 2 mm needle thrust cage for the 35–52 mm track; the same diameters select the matching hardened washers, which is the usual ordering error to avoid. Washer selection is part of the bearing: too-soft faces rib within weeks even though the 16.6 kN rating is unchanged — the AXK code only supplies the rolling elements. Selection arithmetic: C 16.6 kN against C0 83 kN gives a C0/C ratio of 5.00 — thrust bearings are chosen on static rating and F_a/C0 more often than on L10 life. Mounting: harden and grind both mating faces to 58–64 HRC over the full Ea 39–Eb 51 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
- automotive manual and automatic transmission thrust positions
- 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
Known failure patterns
- edge loading across the needle crowns when the mating faces are not square to the shaft
- 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
- rolling-contact fatigue spalling after the catalogue L10 life is exhausted
- needle-row denting from a single hard particle trapped in the 2 mm section
Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute
- On a 35 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 3,200 r/min reference speed is the thermal criterion under load, the 6,300 r/min limiting speed assumes hardened, ground, oiled faces; soft or dry faces drop the real ceiling drastically.
- The 16.6 kN rating is real only at 58–64 HRC face hardness; visual inspection cannot tell a 45 HRC washer from a 60 HRC one — order certified washers.
- Match washers by the exact 35–52 mm track — a washer sized to the shaft alone leaves the needles overrunning its edge, which shears the cage.
- The AXK code supplies no washers: AXK 3552 arrives as the needle cage only, and a "bearing failure" on hard-faced tracks is usually a missing-AS-washer failure at ordering time.
- The 16.6/83 kN ratings and 10 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
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 16.6 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 39–Eb 51 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.
What are the dimensions and ratings of the AXK 3552?
A AXK 3552 measures 35 mm bore × 52 mm outside diameter × 2 mm width (1.378 × 2.047 × 0.079 in). From SKF catalogue PUB BU/P1 17000: dynamic C 16.6 kN, static C0 83 kN, fatigue limit Pu 9.8 kN, reference speed 3,200 r/min, limiting speed 6,300 r/min, mass about 10 g. The contact band runs Ea 39–Eb 51 mm; hardened washers or 58–64 HRC faces are required.
Does the AXK 3552 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 39–Eb 51 mm band, supply the two raceways.
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.