Introduction: A 62/38 bearing measures 38 mm at the bore, 85 mm at the outer diameter, and 18 mm across the width, and its code, size, and structure work together as one identification system.
When a transmission comes apart, the bearing pulled from the shaft is often the only clue left. The part number may be worn off, the OEM listing may be discontinued, and the local distributor may not recognize the size at a glance. Reading the 62/38 code correctly, then confirming the 38x85x18 mm envelope and the single row deep groove category, is the fastest way to know what the part actually is. The sequence is straightforward: model code first, dimensions second, structure third, and the 2RS and C3 labels last.
A bearing designation is not a random string. The digits and the slash are doing specific work, and once you know which part of the code names the bore, the rest of the size follows from the standard series it belongs to. For the 62/38 code, the number after the slash is the giveaway: 38 refers to a 38 mm bore, not a 38 series or a load rating. In workshop practice, the bore is the first dimension anyone measures. Set a caliper inside the inner ring, and if it lands on 38 mm while the code ends in 38 after the slash, the two pieces of information confirm each other. That quick check separates a genuine 62/38 from a 62/28 or a 60/38, which have different bores and will not sit on the same shaft.
In most bearing standards, small bore codes use a short shuffle: 00 for 10 mm, 01 for 12 mm, 02 for 15 mm, 03 for 17 mm, and so on. Code 38 does not follow that pattern. It is a direct millimeter reading, and it names a bore diameter of 38 mm exactly. This direct-reading convention appears when the bore falls outside the standard small-bore table, which is common on transmission-shaft bearings built to a specific shaft journal rather than to a generic catalogue number. For a rebuilder, that means the number after the slash can be trusted as the bore size without running it through a lookup table. Pull the bearing, measure the inside of the inner ring, and if the caliper reads 38.00 mm, the model code lines up. A mismatch here is the first sign that the part in hand is not the part the paper trail claims it is, and further checking on outer diameter and width is worth the extra minute.
Bore alone does not identify a bearing, because the outer diameter and width decide whether it fits the housing and the shoulder spacing. For the 62/38, those two dimensions come from the 62 series: the 62 dimension series fixes the outer diameter at 85 mm and the width at 18 mm for this bore size. Put together, the boundary dimensions read as 38x85x18 mm, which is the full envelope a transmission housing must accept. Checking the outer diameter is the same action as checking the bore, just on the opposite ring, and the width is the third pass taken across the flat faces of the outer ring. When all three agree with 38 mm, 85 mm, and 18 mm, the bearing's physical identity is settled. The unit weight lands at about 0.40 kg for this size, which is a quick sanity check when a shipment arrives and someone wants to spot a mixed part without opening every box.
The "deep groove" part of the name describes the raceway shape, and that shape is what makes this bearing a general-purpose transmission component. Each ring has a curved groove that closely matches the ball radius, and the balls sit in that groove with contact on both the inner and outer raceway. The deep, conforming arc spreads the load across a wider contact patch than a shallow groove would, letting a single row deep groove bearing carry radial load, moderate axial load in either direction, and a combination of both. That behavior matches how a transmission shaft moves: gears push sideways, shafts flex slightly under torque, and the bearing keeps the shaft centered while those forces pass through. The single row of balls handles the medium loads and higher speeds typical of gearbox support positions, and the deep groove keeps the ball from climbing out of the raceway when axial thrust appears. Rebuilders see this as a bearing that tolerates ordinary shaft misalignment without the extra weight and friction of a second row. Compared with other bearing families, the difference is structural. A cylindrical roller bearing uses line contact and handles heavier radial load but does not take much axial thrust by itself. A double row ball bearing adds a second set of balls for higher load capacity in a wider package. The 62/38 stays single row because that is what the shaft support position calls for: a compact, round-bore, general duty bearing that fits the 38x85x18 mm envelope and keeps working under the mixed loads a gearbox produces. That is the category identity behind the code, and it explains why a rebuilder who matches only the bore size and ignores the deep groove structure can end up with a part that seats correctly but behaves differently under load.
The suffix on a transmission bearing carries information, but it is not a scoreboard. The 2RS label means the bearing has a rubber seal on both sides, with the seal lip riding against the inner ring to close the gap between the two rings. That closure keeps grease in and dust, coolant splash, and metal debris out. On a gearbox shaft, that protection matters because the internal lubrication is often shared or splashed, and a bearing that loses its grease or lets in grit will not last long. C3 is a clearance class, not a precision class. It tells you the internal radial clearance is larger than the standard group at the same bore size. In a transmission, that extra clearance gives the bearing room to expand as the shaft and housing warm up under load, which reduces the risk of the bearing binding when the rings grow at different rates. C3 does not mean the bearing is higher quality than a CN clearance part, and it does not promise longer life. It is a fit condition, chosen because the operating environment demands it. Reading 2RS and C3 correctly is part of the same identification routine as reading the bore. Pull the bearing, look at the seals, and check the suffix on the code. If the removed part reads 62/38-2RS/C3, the replacement should carry the same seal type and the same clearance class. Substituting a 2Z shielded bearing or a CN clearance part changes how the bearing behaves inside the gearbox, even though the 38x85x18 mm dimensions may look identical on a caliper. The label is not there to rank the part; it is there to tell the next technician what the part is built to do.
A 62/38 bearing is easier to work with once the code stops looking like a serial number and starts reading like a set of instructions. The 38 after the slash is the bore, the 62 series carries the 85 mm outer diameter and 18 mm width, and the deep groove, single row construction explains the load behavior. The 2RS and C3 suffixes turn the code into a full description by naming the seal type and the clearance class. For transmission repair, that reading order — code, dimensions, structure, labels — is enough to confirm that the part in hand is what it claims to be. Smart Bearing lists this model in a 38x85x18 mm single row deep groove format with 2RS sealing and C3 clearance, which makes it a useful baseline when matching a removed bearing against a documented part.
A：The 62/38 code names a single row deep groove ball bearing with a 38 mm bore. The "62" is the dimension series, which sets the outer diameter at 85 mm and the width at 18 mm, and the "38" after the slash is the bore size read directly in millimeters. The three numbers together give the boundary dimensions 38x85x18 mm.
A：Measure the bore, outer diameter, and width with a caliper and confirm they read 38 mm, 85 mm, and 18 mm. Then check the code on the bearing or the removal record, look at the seal type, and read the clearance suffix. If the shape is single row with a round bore and the dimensions match, the bearing is the same boundary size; the seal and clearance labels confirm it matches the operating condition as well.
A：2RS means the bearing has a rubber seal on both sides, which keeps grease inside and contamination out. C3 means the internal radial clearance is larger than standard, giving the bearing room to expand as the transmission warms up under load. Both are part of the bearing's identity and are listed alongside the dimensions because they describe how the part is built for the operating environment.
NIST SP 960-17: Rolling Element Bearings Technology and Applications
62/38-2RS/C3 Transmission Bearing - 62/38 Ball Bearing - Stock for Sale
