Bearing 203 application in a VAZ car

Bearing 6203 is a single-row radial ball bearing with dimensions 17x40x12.

Lubricant is added to such an element during assembly.

The open type is capable of achieving a threshold speed slightly higher if it is pre-lubricated with oil.

The designation 6203 is the international name format.

On the Russian market it can be found under number 203.

The direction of perceived loads is radial and axial in both directions. Axial - up to 70% of unused permissible radial load. Can operate under axial loads at high rotation speeds.

Characteristics table

Characteristic	Meaning	Unit measurements
Inner size		mm
Outer size

total weight


Rotation frequency	20 000

Bearing ball size 6203

Analogues of bearing 6203

If you need to replace a part, you can use analogues.

Imported analogue:

Domestic analogue:

203 - open on both sides;
180203 - closed with rubber plugs on both sides;
80203 - closed with metal washers on both sides;
60203 - closed with a metal washer on only one side;
50203 - open type of part with groove.

Table of analogues

Imported analogue	Domestic analogue
6203 Z	60203
6203 ZZ	80203
6203	203
6203 2RS	180203
6203 N	50203

Domestic parts are manufactured in accordance with GOST, and quality is controlled at the factory. Nowadays there are many products and it is difficult to sort out among imported, domestic and Chinese analogues, so when choosing, it is best to use customer reviews about the chosen brand as a guide.

Russian manufacturers of bearing 203 on the market:

3 GPP is located in Saratov
23 GPP is located in Vologda
2 GPP is located in Moscow
SPZ 4 is located in Samara

In terms of quality, the best are 3 GPPs, but most often in stores and markets you can find Chinese products that have very different markings, which indicate that the product is domestically produced. Simply put, these are fake products.

Applicability of bearing 6203

The applicability of this product is very wide, from washing machines to motorcycles, KAMAZ trucks, and tractors.

Applicability for motorcycles

It is also used on the crankshaft of a GAZ car, in the gearbox (toe of the input shaft) of the gazelle Sable, in the gearbox of RAF buses, in the engine of cooling systems and gearboxes of KAvz, in the engine (cooling system) of PAZ, in the engine (power system) of LiAZ and KAZ, in the ErAZ and UAZ gearbox, in the KAMAZ engine (power system), in the KrAZ and MAZ engine (cooling system), in the Ural truck engine, in the BelAZ command controller, in the engine (carburetor regulator) of the T-012 tractor and much more technology.

Applicability for washing machines

Washing machines use a closed type of this product, mainly from the manufacturer SKF because This manufacturer makes the highest quality parts. They put it in the drum of the washing machine and usually they come in pairs 6203 zz and 6204 zz.

Applicability table for washing machines

Ardo	Ariston	Indesit	Beko
Ardo 600	Ariston AB95EU	Indesit W 104 T EX	Beko 6004NS
Ardo A 400		W 105 TX EX	Beko WB 6106 SD/XD
Ardo A 400 L

The design is of this type: radial ball and is designed to absorb radial loads and, to a very small extent, axial loads.

The bearing of this standard size is manufactured in both open and closed types. Bearing 80203 - closed on both sides with steel washers, bearing 60203 — closed on one side with a steel washer. Bearing 180203 — closed on both sides with rubber seals to protect against dust and leakage of grease added at the factory. The type of lubricant is indicated by a symbol to the right of the bearing number. The most commonly used are c9, c17 and c 30. Another type of this bearing is the number 50203 - this is an open bearing, differs from 203 by the presence of a locking groove for a retaining ring on the outer surface of the outer ring.

Bearing 203 and its modifications are produced by a large number of factories in the CIS - 8 GPZ (Kharkov), 3 GPZ (Saratov - included in the EPK, perhaps the best quality), 23 GPZ (Vologda - average quality category), 2 GPZ and SPZ-4 (Moscow and Samara, accordingly, is the cheapest, but also the least durable and of the highest quality). The cheapest ones, from Samara, cost a little more than 20 rubles.

There are also a lot of other brands of Chinese origin (CRAFT, KG, NXZ, CX) - it is not recommended to buy them.

Bearings of this type and size are very popular and are constantly produced in factories, so finding such a new high-quality bearing produced by a normal factory is not a problem. Bearings are produced mainly with 6 and zero accuracy class, but there are also 4 and 5. Finding the latter, however, is quite difficult, since they are currently produced according to ETU and for the average consumer such bearings are only available stolen or with some other muddy history (delivered from factory to factory).

Dimensions and specifications

Inner diameter – 17 mm;

Outer diameter – 40 mm;

Height – 12 mm;

Weight – 0.06 kg;

Number of balls - 7 pcs.;

Ball diameter - 7.144 mm;

Rated speed - 20,000 rpm;

Dynamic load capacity - 9.56 kN.

The imported analogue is designated as 6203 /Рх (where x is the accuracy class of the product) with additional designations of protective washers and plugs as Z (on one side), ZZ or 2RS (on both sides). There are many manufacturers, the prices of their products can vary many times, as well as the durability of the products and their characteristics. The cheapest of the imported bearings - FBJ - cost a little less than 40 rubles (if you are offered an “imported” bearing cheaper than this price, then this is a reason to doubt its quality and integrity of the seller), while the most expensive brands (FAG, SKF, KOYO and others) have the price is 120 - 150 rubles (while open modifications, of course, are somewhat cheaper than closed ones).

Single-row ball bearings of this size of various modifications are widely used in the domestic automotive industry. So, closed on both sides with steel washers 80203 are installed in the gearbox and fan of GAZ cars (including Gazelle and Sobol), in the gearbox of KaVZ buses. Bearings sealed on both sides with rubber plugs and having an additional thermal gap 76-180203 (analogue 6203 2RS-C3) stand in the Oka fan and VAZ cars (2103-2107).

Bearing closed on one side 60203 widely used in gearboxes of cars, trucks and buses of the following brands: BelAZ, GAZ, ErAZ, KavZ, PAZ, RAF, SAZ, UAZ.

Open bearing 203 widely used in various engine components of domestically produced trucks: KrAZ, MAZ, Ural, KamAZ, GAZ, ZIL and others.

Bearing diagram 203 (60203, 80203, 180203, 6203)

Where can I buy

To find a quality product, especially if bearings are needed in bulk, you should contact official representatives of the manufacturing plants (). You can see where to buy imported bearings (for each brand, representatives in our country are indicated, where prices are the lowest and quality is guaranteed).

Probably, after the wheel was invented, a bearing appeared, because it is an integral part of a part with a rotating part in supports. Of course, since ancient times, the materials of speed and technology have changed, but the essence remains, rotation or movement of parts relative to each other. In modern products, there are no important or unimportant parts in assemblies with rotating parts; only the complex will ensure operability. Here the direction of the load and its variable component, speed, environment and duration of work must be taken into account. For example, let's take bearings of sizes 203-204, as they are most used in mechanisms.

Manufacturers

One of the most successful foreign companies is the Swedish SKF, with its head office in Stockholm; the company has branches in 80 factories around the world. Products from Germany (Germany) and from America have also proven themselves well. Unfortunately, due to contradictions in politics, purchasing bearings from these factories in Russia becomes problematic.

This situation has pushed Russian factories to develop the production of high-quality products at the level of world brands. Among many, we can highlight Kursk (APZ-20), Samara ZAO; Volzhsky (VPZ). The logos are presented in Fig. 1. Products are available as radial, thrust, closed and self-aligning or universal. To understand which ones to use where, let’s look at their design, deciphering the encoding of size 203 bearings, operating conditions and lubrication. Also on the market, other enterprises provide their products and you can find out about their products on the websites of electronic resources or special reference books.

Device

First, let's analyze the design. A bearing is a complex product whose design looks simple: rings between which balls or cylindrical bodies roll. A device called a separator is used to hold these bodies. It solves several problems:

separation of the rolling elements from their contact with each other, this reduces wear and friction between the working elements;
fixing and holding the working bodies in the required position between themselves and the rings;
providing clearance for lubricant to enter the elements.

More complex designs may lack one or both rings, and for special devices, the separator. In this case, rolling objects move along grooves made on the shaft or in the housing. In this case, the body itself usually has a collapsible design.
As with all complex mechanisms, this has advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

little effort at the beginning of the movement;
complete standardization, with the help of which other products are selected to replace it;
small axial dimensions;
the maintenance technology is simple, the closed type bearing does not even require additional lubrication during operation for the entire service life;
low consumption of non-ferrous metal, hence the relatively low cost;
the ability to eliminate minor distortions and unbearable shafts.

Flaws:

large radial size;
increased contact forces on the rings from the rolling elements;
short resource at high rotation speeds;
sensitivity to vibration and shock loads.

Materials:

For ball bearings, special steel is made from chromium alloys. The steel grades are ShKh15, ShKh15SG. The number 15 means 0.15% chromium and a percentage of carbon up to 1.1%; manganese additives are additionally added to ShKh15SG steel. The rings are heat treated to harden them to 61-65 HRC. Parts that will be used when working at elevated temperatures are made of anti-corrosion and heat-resistant alloys.

The production of metal separators is carried out by stamping, so low-carbon mild steel of a boiling fraction of 0.8 kP is used.
For high-speed bearings, brass or bronze materials are used. In recent years, polymers have been increasingly used: textolite, fluoroplastic.
The balls are made of the same steel, but have a more rigid surface hardening, and are also processed in the form of polishing.

In the last ten years, ceramic bearings have begun to be used; the material for making parts is called silicon nitride Si 3 N 4. Such products operate at high temperatures and speeds, and the non-magnetic properties expand the range of application in diagnostic instruments and high-speed devices that operate at speeds of up to several thousand per minute.

SKF was the first to master the production of hybrid assemblies. Hybrid bearings are products whose prefabricated parts are made of ceramics: a metal ring, ceramic balls, or vice versa: ceramic rings, rolling elements - steel. Such products are used in special devices for which a long service life or revolutions are important, because ceramics are about three to four times more durable than steel, and are not so demanding on lubricants. To mark components made of ceramics from Russian manufacturers, the symbol “I” is placed to the right of the main designation. In bearings manufactured by SKF with silicon nitride rolling elements, HC5 is placed to the right of the main designation.

Designation of bearings from Russian manufacturers

The symbol of a product from Russia is standardized in accordance with GOST 3189-89 and can be supplemented with symbols installed by the manufacturer.

The digital and letter designation contains almost all the data about the material, operating conditions, type of bearing, manufacture and requirements for its use.

The designation consists of three groups:

Basic: consisting of seven digital characters (main) and additional characters that are applied to the left and right of the base. The characters on the left are separated by a dash. The characters on the right begin with the letter designation.
Information is read from right to left.

Table1. Symbol diagram

Basic designation

Let's consider products with an internal diameter for a shaft from 10 to 495 mm. The order of placement of the numbers of the main designation can be seen in Table 1. The indicated designation can contain from 7 to 2 digits, the order is from right to left. Any zeros that may appear to the left of the last significant digit are removed. The inner diameter of the shaft ring from 10 to 20 is indicated as follows:

Inner diameter (shaft), mm …….. .10 12 15 17

Designated by …………………………… 00 01 02 03

The internal size of the shaft ring from 20 to 495 is indicated by multiplying the last digit by 5:

For example, 203 will have a ring for a 17mm shaft, and 206 will have a 30mm ring.

Table Location of numbers in the main designation

With the same diameter of the landing shaft, depending on the type of load and operating conditions, the outer diameter of the ring and its width may be different. This explains the large number of different types of bearings produced. These differences are in the main designation: 3 - the number indicates the series, 7 - the width range.
The fifth sixth place on the right is coded for the design of the product. (protective washers, presence of channels for installing thrust rings on the outer race, contact angle of radial thrust products, collar or flange of the outer ring, type of installation: on bushings or holding devices, type of cage or its absence, taper of the inner ring).

Table Designation of width and height series

Table Bearing series designations

An example of the main designation of bearing 203 dimensions characteristics:

Ball radial - single row:

03 - diameter of the inner race for shaft 17.
2 - easy series
0 - type;
00 - design;
0 - narrow width series.

All digits after the last significant digit 2, indicating the type, design, width series, have a zero value - absent.

Product characteristics overview

Single row radial ball (o - type)

They are installed in most mechanisms. They are the cheapest and work with axial load. They can operate when the inner rings are skewed up to 3 degrees. Allows an increase in radial clearance up to 10%. However, any deviation from the standards sharply worsens the performance of the bearing. Due to the low rolling resistance of the balls, the product has a low starting torque. In addition to the classic design, they are produced with a groove on the outer ring for fixation on the shaft. Which simplifies installation. There is also a design with a thrust collar and flanges on the outer ring.

Table Symbol

The symbol 5 - 203 is the same as the bearing designation 203 in terms of size, characteristics and price.

Bearing 203 with protective washers

This type is launched in the especially light series light series 3 series main designation 6.000 with one outer washer with two protective washers on 2 sides. A distinctive feature of such products is that the lubricant is placed inside the chambers formed between the washers at the factory and does not require additional pressing. A drawing section can be seen in Fig. The size of the 203 closed type bearing is the same as the standard one. bearing 203 size and price.

Ball spherical (1 - type)

This type is designed to handle loads in the radial direction, but can accommodate axial loads exceeding no more than 20% of the rated radial load. The device is designed in such a way that the outer ring has a physical shape from the inside - this makes it possible to work with rings misaligned up to 3°. The rolling elements can be either double-row or single-row. In addition to the main design, they are produced with a conical hole in the cages for installation on a shaft or housing. The inner ring can have a flange collar and an external recess for installation. Main title 1000.

Roller radial (2 - type)

with cylindrical rollers.

Designed to operate under radial loads many times greater than radial loads can withstand. However, their speed is inferior to them. If ball products can withstand a misalignment of the cages of 3°, then for roller products a misalignment of 1° can already be disastrous.
The main type of this product is called 2000.

Roller with radial spherical rollers (3 - type)

oriented to work with loads much greater than with short rollers. The clips can take a longitudinal load not exceeding 25% of the vertical load. If the product is installed to work with a longitudinal load, then it should not exceed 20% of the nominal load, since the force is perceived by only one row of rollers.
The rotation frequency under load is significantly lower than that of products with short rollers, however, they cannot withstand a much greater load and can operate with distortions resulting from wear of the shaft or its bending. Name from 3000.

Cylindrical long rolling elements (type 4, type 5)

are intended only for the perception of radial directions of forces during operation.
Even a slight misalignment of the clips is not allowed. The name of standard designs starts with 4000.
A variation of these products is the standard model 5000 with twisted rollers. Thanks to the grooves in the rollers, they are better lubricated and absorb shock loads. Used in structures with non-critical components.

Angular contact balls (type 6)

Purpose: perception of combined radial-axial load. The force of the perceived load depends on the angle. This value is measured in degrees of the plane of the center of the ball along a straight line passing through the center of the ball and the middle of the contact area with the direction of rolling. A distinctive part is the presence of a corner groove on the outer ring. The axial load is perceived by such a bearing one-sidedly.

Case assembly UCP 203 dimensions

The assembly of the UCP203 unit consists of a housing product P230 and a ball product u.n 203, which can be used separately from each other. Housings of the P2... series are designed for normal operating conditions of bearing units. The prefabricated unit can take radial and axial loads. The housings are made of gray cast iron, but upon special order they can be made of:

stainless steel, plastic, thermosetting rubber, wood.
The outer ring for installation in the housing has a spherical shape and is self-centering. It is attached to the mechanism body using bolts and secured to the shaft with a clamping pin.

Typical dimensions of the USP case

The table shows the parameters of a 6203 mid-price single-row ball bearing of the closed type (the applicability of this is much higher), into the cavity of which plastic lubricant is already introduced at the factory. The open one has a higher maximum rotation speed if liquid mineral oil is used to lubricate it. See below for more information about various modifications.

Photo and drawing of bearing 6203 (6203ZZ, 6203-2RS)

Photo indoor	Photo outdoor	Drawing

Like most small-sized single-row radial ball bearings, this type can be open (no additional designations) or closed. In this case, there are additional symbols to the right of the number:

ZZ or 2Z - metal washers (straps) on both sides;

2RS, 2RS2, 2RSH, 2RS1, 2RSR, DD, UU, LLU, 2AS, 2NSE9 (depending on the manufacturer and minor features) - double-sided rubber seal reinforced with sheet steel (“rubber”). The groove for fastening the retaining ring is designated in the number by the letter N. Bearings with the indicated indices are no different from each other, are almost similar in characteristics and can often be interchanged. Single-sided imported bearings are not very common and are rarely on sale; the extension will be RS or Z by analogy.

An important feature of rolling bearings is the radial clearance group. If C3 or C4 is indicated, the gap is increased (“weak”), such modifications are used in units with high temperatures (the gap is needed because the steel expands and friction increases). If your usual ones are “burning”, it makes sense to try to buy and test products with an increased gap.

The separator can be metal (not reflected in the number) or, very rarely, brass (M on the right in the number), its material greatly affects the price (brass ones are significantly more expensive).

Analogs

According to the domestic designation system, the bearing has the numbers: 203 (open), 180203 (closed with rubber plugs), 80203 (closed with metal washers), 60203 (closed on one side), 50203 (with groove), produced in accordance with GOST (8338-75, 520-89, new 520-11). Now the line between imported, domestic and Chinese bearings is very blurred, so when choosing products it is better to focus on the reviews and reputation of a particular brand, rather than the country of origin. On sale you can usually find only Chinese-made products under a variety of markings, often indicating the allegedly domestic origin of the bearing. Operating Russian factories producing this standard size are listed in the cost comparison table below.

Prices from different manufacturers

The prices are indicative, in US dollars (to keep the information up-to-date with changing exchange rates), you can count on them if you plan to buy bearings in bulk for organizations (in almost any store it will be at least 30% more expensive, if it is not illiquid or counterfeit). Prices are given for a closed type bearing with a steel cage (more applicable than others). Open ones are cheaper than the prices presented by about 15 - 20%, since their price does not include lubricant and anthers, but they are used much less frequently.

It is better to be wary of brands not listed here, especially if they are positioned as “Russian”. There is a risk of purchasing a product of very low quality at a price that is several times higher.

Cheap stamps

Brand	DPI	Craft	AMS SZPK	CX	PDA (UBP)	GPZ (GPZ)	SPZ-4	HARP	VBF
A country	India	China Lithuania	China Russia	China Poland	Russia	China Russia	China Russia	Ukraine	Russia
Price, $	0,47	0,50	0,54	0,56	0,81	0,74	0,80	0,94	1,94

Quality brands

*To avoid purchasing counterfeits, buy imported bearings only in original personal packaging!

Brand	FBJ	ISB	NACHI	NKE	IBC	NSK	NTN	F.A.G.	SKF
A country	China Japan	China Italy	China Japan	China Austria	China Germany	Japan	Japan	Germany	Sweden
Price, $	1,3	1,4	2,9	3,3	4,4	3,3	3,3	4,0	4,1

Manufacturers are ranked in approximate order of increasing product quality (but some brands are more expensive due to a “big name”, for example, SKF, or because they are supposedly “imported”, for example, CX). Based on the unit in which the product is planned to be used and what the loads will be, you should decide on the brand. If the bearing must be as reliable as possible, it is best to choose from NKE to FAG, KOYO and SKF. If the speeds and loads are minimal, the cheapest ones will do. Bearing 6203 (2 RS, ZZ) is quite widespread and is often used, so buying it from stock will not be difficult, but it is important to select the optimal supplier (dealer, customer, importer) of a particular brand if the purchase volume is large.