Is stainless steel available in all series?

Yes, stainless steel is available across the 6000, 6200, 6300, 6800/6900, and 16000 series with the same bore, outer diameter, and width as the standard chrome steel version.

Product Category

Stainless Steel Deep Groove Ball Bearings

Q: What's the difference between a stainless and a standard deep groove ball bearing?

They share the same bore, outer diameter, width, and ball layout. Stainless steel resists rust and mild chemical exposure but has somewhat lower hardness and load capacity than standard chrome bearing steel.

Q: Which stainless grade should I choose, 440C or 304/316?

440C is the default choice for most washdown, marine, and wet-environment applications with load capacity close to a standard bearing. 304/316 suits aggressive chemical exposure or strict hygiene requirements at the cost of lower load capacity.

Q: Do stainless bearings cross-reference to SKF, NSK, NTN, or FAG?

Yes, all series follow ISO dimensional standards, so bore, outer diameter, and width are interchangeable with equivalent stainless parts from major bearing brands.

Corrosion-resistant versions of our full deep groove ball bearing range — 6000, 6200, 6300, 6800/6900, and 16000 series — available in stainless steel for washdown, humid, marine, or chemically exposed environments where a standard chrome steel bearing would corrode. Same bore, OD, and width as the standard-grade bearing in every series.

Get a Quote Browse by Series

Food & Beverage Engineers

Equipment exposed to washdown or moisture

Corrosion resistance for conveyors, mixers, and packaging equipment subject to regular washdown, steam, or humidity.

Marine & Outdoor Equipment OEMs

Designing for salt air or wet environments

Bearings that resist rust in marine hardware, outdoor machinery, and equipment stored or operated in humid conditions.

Maintenance & MRO Buyers

Replacing a corroded bearing

Match bore, OD, and width to the standard bearing you're replacing, upgraded to stainless for a corrosive environment.

Category overview

What Is a Stainless Steel Deep Groove Ball Bearing?

Stainless steel deep groove ball bearing components

Same Bearing, Corrosion-Resistant Material

A stainless steel deep groove ball bearing is dimensionally the same as its standard chrome steel counterpart — same bore, outer diameter, width, and ball complement — but the rings, balls, and often the cage are made from a corrosion-resistant stainless alloy instead of standard bearing steel. This trades some hardness and load capacity for the ability to withstand moisture, washdown chemicals, humidity, or mild salt exposure without rusting.

Because it shares its envelope dimensions with the standard-grade bearing, a stainless version can usually be swapped into an existing housing without redesigning the assembly.

Available across all 6 of our series: 6000, 6200, 6300, 6800/6900, and 16000
Same bore, OD, and width as the standard chrome steel version
Open, ZZ, or RS/2RS sealing options, same as standard bearings
Common in food processing, marine, medical, and chemical-exposure applications

Why choose stainless

Key Advantages

Corrosion Resistance

Resists rust from moisture, washdown, humidity, and mild chemical exposure that would corrode standard bearing steel.

Drop-In Replacement

Shares bore, OD, and width with the standard-grade bearing in the same series, so it fits the same housing.

Full Series Coverage

Available across all six of our series, from the standard 6000 to the extra-thin 16000.

Washdown & Hygiene Friendly

A common choice where equipment must be regularly washed down or meet food-contact hygiene expectations.

Familiar Seal Options

Open, ZZ, or RS/2RS sealing is available, the same as the standard chrome steel range.

Full Inspection & Traceability

Every batch is dimensionally inspected, with material certification available on request.

Product range

Browse by Series

Stainless steel is available across our full range. Pick the series that matches your bore size and envelope, then request a quote with your material grade preference.

6000 Series — Stainless

Bore 10–500mm · Standard

The general-purpose baseline series in corrosion-resistant stainless steel.

View 6000 Series

6200 Series — Stainless

Bore 10–200mm · Medium duty

Larger balls and higher load rating than 6000 series, in stainless steel.

View 6200 Series

6300 Series — Stainless

Bore 10–200mm · Heavy duty

Wider width and larger balls for higher load capacity, in stainless steel.

View 6300 Series

6800 / 6900 Series — Stainless

Bore 5–110mm · Thin section

Slimmer ring cross-section for space-constrained housings, in stainless steel.

View 6800/6900 Series

16000 Series — Stainless

Bore 12–100mm · Extra-thin section

The slimmest ring section relative to bore in the family, in stainless steel.

View 16000 Series

Custom stainless steel deep groove ball bearing manufacturing

Custom / Non-Standard

Drawing-based

Non-catalog bore, OD, or width in stainless steel, produced to your drawing or sample.

Request Custom Quote

Material options

Stainless Grades: 440C vs. 304/316

440C Martensitic Stainless

The standard choice for most stainless deep groove ball bearings. Hardenable to near bearing-steel levels, giving load and wear performance close to a standard chrome steel bearing while resisting moisture and mild chemical exposure.

Best all-round choice for load capacity + corrosion resistance
Suitable for food processing, marine hardware, and general wet environments
Default grade unless a specific chemical resistance requirement calls for 304/316

304 / 316 Austenitic Stainless

Higher corrosion resistance than 440C, particularly against stronger acids, chlorides, and aggressive cleaning chemicals, but softer and non-hardenable, so load capacity is reduced.

Best for aggressive chemical exposure or the strictest hygiene requirements
Common in pharmaceutical, chemical processing, and marine splash-zone equipment
Trade-off: lower load rating than 440C at the same bore size

Note: 440C is our default stainless grade across all series. 304/316 is available on request where chemical resistance matters more than load capacity — tell us your operating environment and we'll confirm the right grade.

Where these are used

Applications by Industry

Food Processing

Marine Equipment

Medical Devices

Chemical Processing

Custom & OEM Capability

Non-standard bore, OD, or width in stainless steel to your drawing
Choice of 440C or 304/316 stainless per application
Food-grade or water-resistant grease options
Custom sealing (ZZ, RS/2RS) for wash-down or submerged use
Private-label packaging and branding for distributors

Quality Assurance

ISO 9001-certified manufacturing process
100% dimensional inspection before packing
Material certificates confirming stainless grade on request
Salt-spray / corrosion resistance testing available on request
Export-grade anti-rust packaging for sea and air freight

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between a stainless and a standard deep groove ball bearing?

They share the same bore, OD, width, and ball layout. The difference is the material: stainless steel resists rust and mild chemical exposure, at the cost of somewhat lower hardness and load capacity compared to standard chrome bearing steel.

Which stainless grade should I choose, 440C or 304/316?

440C is our default and suits most washdown, marine, and general wet-environment applications, with load capacity close to a standard bearing. Choose 304/316 only if you have aggressive chemical exposure or a strict hygiene requirement where lower load capacity is an acceptable trade-off.

Is stainless steel available in all your series?

Yes. All six of our series — 6000, 6200, 6300, 6800/6900, and 16000 — are available in stainless steel with the same bore, OD, and width as the standard chrome steel version.

Does a stainless bearing have a lower load rating than a standard one?

Generally yes, especially with 304/316 grade, since austenitic stainless is softer than hardened bearing steel. 440C comes closer to standard load ratings because it can be heat-treated to a higher hardness.

What sealing options are available on stainless bearings?

The same options as our standard range: open, Z/ZZ metal shields, or RS/2RS rubber seals. For washdown or submerged applications, 2RS is the most common choice.

Can stainless bearings be customized?

Yes — non-standard bore/OD/width, choice of stainless grade, food-grade grease, and custom sealing are all available on a drawing or sample basis.

What are your MOQ and lead times?

Standard stainless catalog sizes are produced on a continuous rolling schedule with no strict minimum order quantity for trial batches, typically shipping within about 10–15 days.

Do your stainless bearings cross-reference to SKF, NSK, NTN, or FAG?

Yes. All series follow ISO dimensional standards, so bore, OD, and width are interchangeable with equivalent stainless parts from major bearing brands. Send your current part number and we'll confirm the cross-reference.

Need Help Choosing a Grade or Getting a Quote?

Send us your bore size, operating environment, and any chemical exposure details, and we'll recommend the right series and stainless grade.

Get a Quote