32208-SKF bearing: complete specifications & equivalents

Specification table

Source: catalog reference (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018), ch. 8.1 metric single-row TRB) · extracted 2026-09-28

Parameters extracted from the official SKF Rolling Bearings catalogue (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018), ch. 8.1 metric single-row TRB); 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 32208-SKF model number is decoded

For a 40 mm shaft carrying combined load, SKF lists 32208 under catalogue execution SKF 32208: one open single-row tapered roller bearing in the heavy section of the 32200 family.Reading the designation: the leading 3 marks a single-row tapered roller bearing, the 22 is the ISO 355 diameter/width series (heavy section), and the last two digits encode the 40 mm bore; the 80 mm OD and 24.75 mm width follow the ISO 355 general plan. In SKF suffix language a bare 32208 is the standard execution; B marks a larger contact angle and Q or J2 mark clearance/cage variants, all quoted separately. Selection arithmetic: the C0/C ratio is about 0.94 (static 86.5 kN against dynamic 91.6 kN), typical of a tapered roller sized for axial capacity, and the 9.8 kN fatigue load limit Pu is the equivalent-load floor used in the life calculation. Fit selection follows the rotating ring — interference on a rotating cone — and two 32208 units are required to take reversing thrust; keep the induced axial load inside the rated capacity when calculating the pair. Speed envelope and thermal behaviour: at 7,000 r/min thermal reference, the 40 mm bore shaft runs at a dn of 280k, and the 20.0 mm section dissipates heat through the cup-to-housing contact path; the 8,500 r/min mechanical ceiling reflects cage strength, and the 530 g spinning cone contributes gyroscopic moment under rapid speed reversal.

Typical equipment & failure modes

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

• On this 40 mm bore, interference and temperature rise consume clearance inside a preloaded pair; calculate the residual clearance after mounting and at operating temperature — an over-tight 32208 pair heats, loses setting control and smears the roller-rib contact.
• The 322 series at 40 mm bore (80×24.75 mm) is a wider, higher-capacity section than 30208; do not substitute without re-checking shaft shoulder diameters and pair setting.
• At the 91.6 kN rating of 32208, preload class changes stiffness by tens of percent but also heat generation; select light preload for the 8,500 r/min speed end and heavier preload only where moment stiffness dominates.
• O (back-to-back) pairs are stiffer against moments, X (face-to-face) pairs tolerate misalignment and thermal growth better; choosing the arrangement from the 2D drawing rather than the actual shaft thermal expansion is a common 32208 mounting error.
• Never press both rings through the wrong element during fitting: force for an interference shaft seat goes through the cone only, or brinell marks on the 80 mm cup race release as noise within the first running hours.
• The 91.6/86.5 kN ratings are SKF catalogue 17000 values for the basic execution; SKF can revise internal geometry without changing the order number, so keep the catalogue version (PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN, 2018) with the specification and re-verify for critical drives.
• SKF lists several executions of 32208 (basic, B steeper angle, Q/J2 clearance variants); they are not interchangeable order numbers — quote the full SKF 32208 designation when purchasing and match the execution to the mounting arrangement.