GCr15 Bearing Steel 51400 Series Thrust Ball Bearings
Grade, hardness, corrosion behavior, service temperature and the full bore range for this material.
GCr15 Bearing Steel 51400 Series Thrust Ball Bearings are made from GCr15 (GB/T 18254) = 100Cr6 (1.3505) = SAE 52100, through-hardened to 58–64 HRC. Corrosion behavior: none of its own — the ground surfaces are bare hardened steel and depend on the lubricant, the seals and the preservative for protection. The material is magnetic, and the usable service range is to about +120 °C as normally heat stabilized; stabilized rings (S1, S2 and above) extend the limit in steps to around +250 °C. In practice this material is the default material for the rings and rolling elements of virtually every standard rolling bearing.
None of its own — the ground surfaces are bare hardened steel and depend on the lubricant, the seals and the preservative for protection
Magnetic response
Magnetic
Service temperature
to about +120 °C as normally heat stabilized; stabilized rings (S1, S2 and above) extend the limit in steps to around +250 °C
Property figures are typical for the material. In an assembled bearing the lubricant, the seals and the cage frequently reach their limits before the material does, so check all four against the duty. Material certification is available on request for production orders.
GCr15 Bearing Steel is the steel of the rings and, in most designs, of the rolling elements — the default material for the rings and rolling elements of virtually every standard rolling bearing. On a 51400 series thrust ball bearings that matters because none of its own — the ground surfaces are bare hardened steel and depend on the lubricant, the seals and the preservative for protection. The property data, the comparison against the alternatives and the size table are below.
Why GCr15 Bearing Steel for 51400 Series Thrust Ball Bearings
The default material for the rings and rolling elements of virtually every standard rolling bearing. In a 51400 series thrust ball bearings it is the steel of the rings and, in most designs, of the rolling elements.
Through-hardened high-carbon chromium steel is what a raceway is: hard enough to resist the rolling contact stress, clean enough after modern vacuum degassing that the inclusions which start fatigue cracks are rare, and dimensionally stable after tempering so the ground bore stays the size it was ground to.
To about +120 °C as normally heat stabilized; stabilized rings (S1, S2 and above) extend the limit in steps to around +250 °C
Corrosion characteristic
None of its own — the ground surfaces are bare hardened steel and depend on the lubricant, the seals and the preservative for protection
Service Limits
The limit that catches people is dimensional stability, not hardness: a standard bearing is heat stabilized for use to about +120 °C, and running it hotter lets the rings grow and lose their fit. Above that a stabilized ring — S1, S2 and upward — is ordered specifically, and it comes with a small reduction in hardness and therefore in rating. The steel also has no corrosion resistance of its own: the preservative it ships with is not a coating, and a bearing stored in a damp store rusts on its raceways before it is ever fitted.
Alternatives and When to Switch
Move to case-hardened steel where the ring section is heavy or the load is shocked; to 440C where the environment is wet or the part must not rust; and to a hybrid bearing with ceramic balls where the speed, the electrical environment or the lubrication regime is beyond what a steel ball will tolerate.
Sizes of 51400 Series Thrust Ball Bearings Available in GCr15 Bearing Steel
Designation
Bore d (mm)
Outer diameter D (mm)
Height H (mm)
Chamfer r min (mm)
51405
25
60
24
1
51406
30
70
28
1
51407
35
80
32
1.1
51408
40
90
36
1.1
51409
45
100
39
1.1
51410
50
110
43
1.5
51411
55
120
48
1.5
51412
60
130
51
1.5
51413
65
140
56
2
51414
70
150
60
2
51415
75
160
65
2
51416
80
170
68
2.1
51417
85
180
72
2.1
51418
90
190
77
2.1
51420
100
210
85
3
Other ways to specify the 51400 Series Thrust Ball Bearings
Customize the parameters below — every spec field is editable, and the drawing redraws to match the values you choose. Changing the designation snaps the other fields to that size's standard values; you can then override any individual value.
Sends the selected values to the quote form below.
Our facility
Where these dimensions are actually made
Ring forging, heat treatment, raceway grinding and superfinishing all happen under one roof, so a bore tolerance and a clearance group are set by processes we control and can evidence, not by whichever supplier had stock.
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The form below follows the current technical drawing configuration. Change the drawing values above and the request details update automatically.
Dimensions & Specifications (ISO 104 / DIN 711 / GB/T 301)
Designation
Bore d (mm)
Outer diameter D (mm)
Height H (mm)
Chamfer r min (mm)
51405
25
60
24
1
51406
30
70
28
1
51407
35
80
32
1.1
51408
40
90
36
1.1
51409
45
100
39
1.1
51410
50
110
43
1.5
51411
55
120
48
1.5
51412
60
130
51
1.5
51413
65
140
56
2
51414
70
150
60
2
51415
75
160
65
2
51416
80
170
68
2.1
51417
85
180
72
2.1
51418
90
190
77
2.1
51420
100
210
85
3
Video: GCr15 Bearing Steel 51400 Series Thrust Ball Bearings
Third-party video, selected automatically for this topic. It is not produced by Bushing Bearings and is not a specification source — use the tables on this page for dimensional data.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I use instead of GCr15 Bearing Steel?
Move to case-hardened steel where the ring section is heavy or the load is shocked; to 440C where the environment is wet or the part must not rust; and to a hybrid bearing with ceramic balls where the speed, the electrical environment or the lubrication regime is beyond what a steel ball will tolerate.
Does GCr15 Bearing Steel change the dimensions or the rating?
The material does not change the envelope: the bore, the outside diameter, the width and the corner radius stay exactly as the boundary dimension standard fixes them, so the bearing is interchangeable with any other bearing of the same designation. What it changes is what happens inside the contact — the fatigue behavior, the tolerance of shock, and the temperature at which the ring stops being dimensionally stable.
What hardness are bearing rings?
A through-hardened bearing ring is typically 58–64 HRC, and a case-hardened one reaches the same hardness at the surface over a much softer, tougher core. Below about 58 HRC a raceway starts to deform under rolling contact rather than to resist it.
Can a standard bearing run above 120 °C?
Not without being ordered for it. Standard rings are heat stabilized for use to about +120 °C; above that they grow and lose their fit unless a stabilized version is specified. The grease, the seals and a polymer cage usually reach their limits at or below that temperature too.
How do I request a quotation?
Use the technical drawing on this page to pick the exact configuration, then submit it with the quote form. We respond within one business day.
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