23188 bearing: complete specifications & equivalents

Specification table

Source: catalog reference (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018), ch. 9.1 spherical roller bearings) · extracted 2026-09-26

Parameters extracted from the official SKF Rolling Bearings catalogue (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018), ch. 9.1 spherical roller bearings); 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.

Cross references & equivalents

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 23188 model number is decoded

In SKF catalogue PUB BU/P1 17000, 23188 appears as 23188 CA/W33: an open, double-row spherical roller bearing, self-aligning by virtue of the sphered outer raceway, sized 440×720×226 mm to the ISO 15 boundary plan. On the SKF nameplate, 23188 follows the ISO 15 convention: 2 for the spherical roller type, 31 for the dimension series 31 (medium OD, wide), final digits 88 for the 440 mm bore. In SKF suffix language, CA/W33 means the brass-cage CA execution — often preferred for the largest bores and for shock/vibration duty where a rigid machined cage matters; W33 adds the relubrication groove. The sealed 2CS5 and vibrating-screen VA405 are separate executions. At 450 r/min reference speed the 140.0 mm-section 23188 is governed thermally by lubricant flow through the W33 groove and the two-row roller complement; grease or oil selection should be made against that value, with 850 r/min as the mechanical ceiling. Spherical roller bearings are routinely specified with C3 clearance because the tight inner-ring fit and inner/outer temperature gradient eat into the CN running clearance — check the residual clearance after mounting with feeler gauges.

Typical equipment & failure modes

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

• At 440 mm bore the ring mass makes cocking during mounting a real risk; guide the bearing square, confirm seat contact around the full circumference, and re-check the self-aligning swing after the housing cap is torqued down.
• The 23100-series series at 440 mm bore (720×226 mm) is the medium-OD wide envelope for heavy continuous duty; it is wider than a 222 bearing in the same OD class, so housing width and spacer stack must be re-checked before substitution.
• Shaft and housing fillets must clear the bearing chamfer so the 226 mm-wide rings seat square; use an undercut or withdrawal groove rather than an oversized radius that locks on the ring face.
• The 360000 g mass and 226 mm width mean abutment faces must be square to the axis within the bearing's own P0 tolerance; a tilted spacer tilts the outer ring and concentrates load on one roller row of 23188.
• The 6215/10000 kN ratings are SKF catalogue values for this exact execution (23188 CA/W33); SKF can revise internal geometry without changing the order number, so keep the catalogue version (SKF catalogue PUB BU/P1 17000) with the specification and re-verify for critical drives.
• SKF lists several executions of 23188 (cylindrical bore as listed, tapered-bore 23188 CCK/W33 variant, plus sealed and vibrating-screen options in the same envelope); they are not interchangeable order numbers — quote the full 23188 CA/W33 designation when purchasing.