NK25-16-XL bearing: complete specifications & equivalents
The NK25-16-XL is a ISO 15 radial bearing sized 25 x 33 x 16 mm (bore x OD x width). Verify dimensions against the official catalog before ordering.
Specification table
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | FAG |
| Bore diameter d | 25 mm |
| Outer diameter D | 33 mm |
| Width B | 16 mm |
| Material | GCr15 |
| Seal / shield | open |
| Internal clearance | CN |
| Tolerance class | P0 |
| Cage | steel |
| Basic dynamic load rating C | 16.8 kN |
| Basic static load rating C0 | 22.4 kN |
| Fatigue load limit Pu | 4.2 kN |
| Reference speed (thermal) | 10700 rpm |
| Limiting speed (mechanical) | 17800 rpm |
| Operating temperature | -40 to +120 °C |
| Mass | 32.6 g |
| Manufacturer designation | NK25/16-XL |
| Standard | ISO 15 |
| Catalog version | HR1 2026-09-25 |
| Last verified | 2026-09-30 |
Source: catalog reference (HR1 2026-09-25) · extracted 2026-09-30
Parameters extracted from the official FAG Rolling Bearings catalogue (HR1 2026-09-25); FAG® is a trademark of Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, used here for identification only — mpnbase is not an authorized FAG/Schaeffler distributor. Boundary dimensions are ISO 15 interchangeable; current production values may differ, verify at schaeffler.com.
Dimensions in inches & nk-series range
| Bore d | 0.984 in |
|---|---|
| Outer diameter D | 1.299 in |
| Width B | 0.63 in |
| ISO bore code | — |
| Radial section height (D−d)/2 | 4 mm |
| Smallest bore in nk-series | 5 mm |
| Largest outer diameter in nk-series | 130 mm |
| Width range across nk-series | 10–40 mm |
| Bore position in nk-series (smallest first) | 18 of 46 |
| Bore above smallest nk-series size | 20 mm |
Cross references & equivalents
| Equivalent model | Brand | Match level | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| NK25-16 | SKF | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 25×33×16 mm envelope per ISO 15; catalogue load ratings differ by >10% — re-rate the application before substituting. |
| NK25-20 | SKF | verify Commonly quoted cross reference; confirm against the target catalog before ordering. | Model-number interchange per ISO 15; confirm dimensions, sealing and ratings in the supplier catalogue. |
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 NK25-16-XL model number is decoded
envelope 25×33×16 mm: 25 mm seat is the hardened and ground shaft journal itself — there is no inner ring, with a thin 4.0 mm radial section packed with small-diameter needle rollers C is 16.8 kN and C0 22.4 kN at the 25 mm seat; the C/C0 ratio of 0.75 is characteristic of a needle bearing — high static rating relative to dynamic in a compact 33 mm outside diameter the fatigue load limit Cur is 4.2 kN, the limiting speed 17,800 r/min and the thermal reference speed 10,700 r/min; for small needle bearings the reference speed can exceed the kinematic limit, so the lower of the two governs the application dynamic capacity per millimetre of bore is 0.67 kN/mm and per millimetre of width 1.05 kN/mm — the reason 16 mm-wide needle bearings routinely replace much larger ball or roller positions mass is 32.6 g, just 0.06 g per mm² of projected 33×16 mm envelope, which keeps unbalanced forces low in fast-actuating linkages at 25 mm bore this size balances the 33 mm outside diameter against machineability of the adjacent parts — the most frequently specified band in the HR1 range The hardness requirement is unforgiving: below about 58 HRC the 25 mm journal brinels under the 22.4 kN static rating, and roughness above raceway finish accelerates roller wear The -XL suffix is the Schaeffler X-life mark: interchangeable envelope with the basic bearing, but higher load capacity and lower running temperature at the 17,800 r/min limit. Typical applications include agricultural machine pivots and linkages, hydraulic and pneumatic pump eccentrics and textile machine heald and cam shafts, where the 33 mm outside diameter and 16.8 kN dynamic rating match the duty. In agricultural machine pivots and linkages the unit fits a compact 25 mm seat, and in hydraulic and pneumatic pump eccentrics the 32.6 g mass keeps unbalanced forces low in fast linkages. Designers also specify it for textile machine heald and cam shafts, relying on the 16 mm width and the published 22.4 kN static rating. Do not press an RNA/NK assembly in through the outer ring when mounting it on a shaft, and vice versa — rolling forces through the wrong ring bruises the raceways. On reciprocating duty ensure the stroke rotates the full needle set, or brinelling occurs at the same roller positions.
Typical equipment & failure modes
Common applications
- agricultural machine pivots and linkages
- planetary gear bearings
- textile machine heald and cam shafts
- connecting-rod small ends
Known failure patterns
- journal brinelling when a no-inner-ring bearing runs on a shaft hardened below 58 HRC or finished too rough
- needle skewing and jamming after momentary unloading of a flangeless (RNAO/NAO) pack
- raceway pitting from contamination drawn through the open ends of an unsealed bearing
- edge loading at the roller ends from a tapered or lobed shaft seat
- cage damage from shock loading or from pressing the bearing through the wrong ring
- lubricant starvation on fast reciprocating strokes that never fully rotate the needles
- false brinelling during stationary transport vibration
- spalling from excessive interference that removes the radial clearance
- roller wear from misaligned connecting-rod eyes and rocker bores
Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute
- Do not press an RNA/NK assembly in through the outer ring when mounting it on a shaft, and vice versa — rolling forces through the wrong ring bruises the raceways.
- On reciprocating duty ensure the stroke rotates the full needle set, or brinelling occurs at the same roller positions.
- Adding an IR inner ring changes the envelope logic: the same outer assembly then fits a smaller shaft — recheck bore, clearance and ratings when substituting.
Frequently asked questions
What are the dimensions of the NK25/16-XL?
The NK25/16-XL is a NK machined-ring needle roller bearing without inner ring with 33 mm outside diameter, 25 mm bore and 16 mm width, envelope 25×33×16 mm. Mass is 32.6 g.
What does the NK25/16-XL designation mean in the FAG/INA HR1 catalogue?
NK25/16-XL identifies this NK machined-ring needle roller bearing without inner ring in the Schaeffler HR1 rolling bearings catalogue; the -XL suffix marks the X-life execution. The envelope is 25×33×16 mm and the catalogue ratings are C 16.8 kN, C0 22.4 kN, Cur 4.2 kN.
What is the load capacity of the NK25/16-XL?
The basic dynamic load rating C is 16.8 kN and the basic static load rating C0 is 22.4 kN; the fatigue load limit Cur is 4.2 kN.
What is the maximum speed of the NK25/16-XL?
The limiting speed is 17,800 r/min and the thermal reference speed is 10,700 r/min. In the Schaeffler catalogue the reference speed is the thermally permissible running speed under defined load; the lower of the two values governs each application.
Can the NK25/16-XL run directly on an ordinary shaft?
Not on a soft shaft. The NK25/16-XL has no inner ring, so the 25 mm journal itself is the raceway: harden it to 58–64 HRC and finish-grind to the catalogue journal tolerance. Where the shaft cannot be hardened, use the corresponding with-inner-ring execution instead.
Reviewed & verified by the MPN Base engineering desk against source catalog HR1 2026-09-25 on 2026-09-30. Read our editorial & correction policy.