How to Measure a Bearing

When the bearing number is worn off or the original part is missing, measure the three key dimensions to identify the replacement.

Tools needed

  • Digital caliper (recommended) or micrometer
  • Clean cloth to wipe the bearing

Three measurements

  1. Bore (inner diameter, ID) — Measure inside the inner ring. This is the shaft size. Measure in two places and average.

  2. Outside diameter (OD) — Measure across the outer ring. This is the housing bore size.

  3. Width (W) — Measure across the side faces. For tapered roller bearings, measure the overall width including both rings.

Common bearing dimension patterns

Deep groove ball bearings follow standard ISO series patterns:

SeriesID (mm) pattern
6000Last 2 digits x 5 = bore (6005 = 25mm)
6200Same rule (6205 = 25mm)
6300Same rule (6305 = 25mm)

For bore 20mm and above: multiply the last two digits by 5 to get the bore diameter. Example: 6208 = 08 x 5 = 40mm bore.

Send the measurements

When you send an RFQ to KIHOI with the three dimensions, we can identify the correct bearing series and offer the right replacement — even when the original part number is unreadable.