McGill Bearings: Types, Model Codes and Buying Guide
When purchasing McGill bearings, the bearing number is more than a product name. It helps buyers identify the bearing family, mounting method, outside diameter style, seal option, metric or inch design. For distributors, maintenance teams, engineers, OEM buyers, and users, this reduces ordering mistakes and improves replacement discussion.
This guide explains the main McGill bearing types and shows how buyers can read common model-code signals during procurement. It is for customers who need to check stock, compare an existing bearing, or discuss a replacement option when an original model is difficult to source.
Main McGill Bearing Types and Their Typical Advantages
McGill is widely known for cam follower and specialty roller bearing designs. In purchasing communication, the first step is to identify the bearing family before comparing size or suffix letters.
CAMROL Cam Follower Bearings
CAMROL cam follower bearings are used as cam followers, track rollers, guide rollers, and support rollers where an outer ring runs against a cam, rail, or track surface. Common groups include standard stud type, heavy stud type, yoke type cam rollers, bushing type designs, and metric cam followers.
For purchasing, buyers should confirm stud type or yoke type mounting, sealed or unsealed design, and crowned or cylindrical outside diameter. These details affect installation and replacement, even when the outside diameter looks similar.
TRAKROL Track Roller Bearings
TRAKROL bearings are designed for track roller and guide applications. Plain, V-groove, U-groove, or flanged outside diameter forms may look similar in size but work differently. Buyers should check the track shape, load direction, mounting space, lubrication method, and rail contact form.
CAGEROL and GUIDEROL Needle Roller Bearings
CAGEROL and GUIDEROL bearings are often selected where compact radial space and guided rolling contact are important. Some designs use inner rings; others operate directly on a prepared shaft. Without an inner ring, shaft hardness, shaft finish, and correct fit become more important.
Before ordering, buyers should confirm inner ring use, integral seals, contamination, shock load, and oscillating movement.
SPHERE-ROL Spherical Roller Bearings
SPHERE-ROL spherical roller bearings are used where misalignment or shaft deflection may be present. Some designs include sealing systems for contaminated environments. However, buyers should not assume that any spherical roller bearing can be replaced only by matching bore and outside diameter. Bore type, seal style, sleeve requirement, clearance, load, speed, and operating environment should be checked.
Aircraft and Special Engineered Bearings
McGill also covers aircraft bearings and engineered-to-application special bearings. These products usually require closer technical confirmation, including drawings, old part numbers, samples, temperature, load, lubrication, and application environment.
How to Read McGill Bearing Model Numbers During Purchasing
A McGill bearing model number should be read from left to right. The prefix gives the first clue to the bearing family, numbers help identify size or dimensional group, and suffix letters may show seals, special construction, matching, or mounting features. The exact meaning must be checked against the complete model and application.
1. Product Prefix: Identify the Bearing Family First
The prefix is often the most useful starting point. For example, CF usually points to a stud type CAMROL cam follower, while CFH indicates a heavy stud version. CYR is commonly associated with yoke type cam rollers. Metric CAMROL designs may use prefixes such as MCF, MCFR, MCYR, or MCYRR.
TRAKROL products may use prefixes such as PCF, VCF, UCF, or FCF, which relate to different outside diameter forms. For needle roller style products, MR and SMR can appear in CAGEROL families, while MT and SG can appear in GUIDEROL-related designs. SB is commonly associated with SPHERE-ROL spherical roller bearings.
2. Numbers: Check Size, Series and Dimensional Group
The number section of a McGill bearing model is normally connected with size, series, or dimensional group. However, the same number in different families does not mean the same product. A stud type cam follower, a yoke roller, and a track roller may share similar outside diameter values but use different mounting structures.
For purchasing, buyers should confirm bore size, outside diameter, width, stud diameter, thread, shoulder dimensions, and mounting space. For metric models, also confirm metric thread and mounting dimensions.
3. Suffix Letters: Do Not Ignore the Last Part of the Model
Suffix letters can change the bearing supplied. In cam follower bearings, suffixes may indicate sealed versions, special outside diameter forms, eccentric stud options, or other design features. In matched arrangements, DS can indicate special matching requirements. In spherical roller bearings, suffixes can relate to bore form, sealing, sleeve use, or lubrication features.
A missing suffix may lead to a bearing with a different seal, fit, mounting method, or operating capability. Therefore, buyers should send the complete model number, not only the front part.
4. Application Conditions: Must Be Checked Before Replacement
McGill bearing selection is affected by load, speed, lubrication, contamination, moisture, temperature, shaft and housing fits, vibration, and misalignment. Shock loads or oscillating motion may require a different design from a standard bearing.
Before using a replacement option, buyers should review the actual working conditions, especially for repair projects where the old bearing has failed and the failure reason is not clear.
McGill Bearings Model List and Main Parameters
| UNSEALED BRG. NO. |
SEALED BRG. NO. |
ROLLER DIA. (RD) |
ROLLER WIDTH (W) |
STUD DIA. (SD) |
STUD L’GTH. (SL) |
MIN. THR’D L’GTH. (TL) |
FINE THR’DS. |
MIN. BOSS DIA. |
MAX. STATIC CAPACITY LBS. |
BASIC DYN. RATING LBS. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CF-1/2-N-B | CF-12-N-SB | .500 | .344 | .190 | 1/2 | 1/4 | 10-32 | 19/64 | 720 | 620 |
| CF-1/2-B | CF-1/2-SB | .500 | .375 | .190 | 5/8 | 1/4 | 10-32 | 19/64 | 790 | 680 |
| CF-9/16-B | CF-9/16-SB | .5625 | .375 | .190 | 5/8 | 1/4 | 10-32 | 19/64 | 790 | 680 |
| CF-5/8-N-B | CF-5/8-N-SB | .625 | .406 | .250 | 5/8 | 5/16 | 1/4-28 | 23/64 | 1085 | 930 |
| CF-5/8-B | CF-5/8-SB | .625 | .4375 | .250 | 3/4 | 5/16 | 1/4-28 | 23/64 | 1215 | 955 |
| CF-11/16-B | CF-11/16-SB | .6875 | .4375 | .250 | 3/4 | 5/16 | 1/4-28 | 23/64 | 1215 | 955 |
| CF-314-B | CF-3/4-SB | .750 | .500 | .375 | 7/8 | 3/8 | 3/8-24 | 1/2 | 2065 | 1660 |
| CF-718-B | CF-718-SB | .875 | .500 | .375 | 7/8 | 3/8 | 3/8-24 | 1/2 | 2065 | 1660 |
| CF-1-B | CF-1-SB | 1.000 | .625 | .4375 | 1 | 1/2 | 7/16-20 | 41/64 | 3060 | 2225 |
| CF-11/8-B | CF-11/8-SB | 1.125 | .625 | .4375 | 1 | 1/2 | 7/16-20 | 41/64 | 3060 | 2225 |
| CF-11/4-B | CF-11/4-SB | 1.250 | .750 | .500 | 1 1/4 | 5/8 | 1/2-20 | 49/64 | 4250 | 3930 |
| CF-13/8-B | CF-13/8-SB | 1.375 | .750 | .500 | 1 1/4 | 5/8 | 1/2-20 | 49/64 | 4250 | 3930 |
| CF-11/2-B | CF-11/2-SB | 1.500 | .875 | .625 | 1 1/2 | 3/4 | 5/8-18 | 57/64 | 5640 | 4840 |
| CF-15/8-B | CF-15/8-SB | 1.625 | .875 | .625 | 1 1/2 | 3/4 | 5/8-18 | 57/64 | 5640 | 4840 |
| CF-13/4-B | CF-13/4-SB | 1.750 | 1.000 | .750 | 1 3/4 | 7/8 | 3/4-16 | 1 3/64 | 7920 | 6385 |
| CF-17/8-B | CF-17/8-SB | 1.875 | 1.000 | .750 | 1 3/4 | 7/8 | 3/4-16 | 1 3/64 | 7920 | 6385 |
| CF-2-B | CF-2-SB | 2.000 | 1.250 | .875 | 2 | 1 | 7/8-14 | 1 13/64 | 10570 | 8090 |
| CF-21/4-B | CF-21/4-SB | 2.250 | 1.250 | .875 | 2 | 1 | 7/8-14 | 1 13/64 | 10570 | 8090 |
| CF-21/2-B | CF-21/2-SB | 2.500 | 1.500 | 1.000 | 2 1/4 | 1 1/8 | 1-14 | 1 5/16 | 16450 | 11720 |
| CF-23/4-B | CF-23/4-SB | 2.750 | 1.500 | 1.000 | 2 1/4 | 1 1/8 | 1-14 | 1 5/16 | 16450 | 11720 |
| CF-3-B | CF-3-SB | 3.000 | 1.750 | 1.250 | 2 1/2 | 1 1/4 | 1 1/4-12 | 1 3/4 | 24910 | 15720 |
| CF-31/4-B | CF-31/4-SB | 3.250 | 1.750 | 1.250 | 2 1/2 | 1 1/4 | 1 1/4-12 | 1 3/4 | 24910 | 15720 |
| CF-31/2-B | CF-31/2-SB | 3.500 | 2.000 | 1.375 | 2 3/4 | 1 3/8 | 1 3/8-12 | 1 59/64 | 31625 | 22800 |
| CF-4-B | CF-4-SB | 4.000 | 2.250 | 1.500 | 3 1/2 | 1 1/2 | 1 1/2-12 | 2 9/32 | 44770 | 29985 |
How HSN Supports Buyers Looking for McGill Bearing Alternatives
HSN Bearing Group supports industrial buyers who need stock search, model confirmation, and replacement discussion for McGill bearing references and other bearing types. HSN is an independent bearing supplier and technical service provider, not an official McGill distributor.
Stock Search and Model Confirmation
If you have a complete McGill bearing number, HSN can help check whether a similar type or available stock option can be discussed. If the model is old or incomplete, please also provide photos, dimensions, drawings, and the application position.
Replacement Discussion Based on Technical Details
For replacement projects, HSN reviews the model reference, bearing structure, dimensions, mounting method, load direction, seal requirement, and working conditions before discussing an alternative solution.
Inspection Before Shipment
Before shipment, HSN focuses on dimensional tolerance, hardness, and clearance. Additional checks, such as rotation accuracy, vibration range, noise range, appearance, or packaging, can be discussed according to the order requirements.
What Information Should Buyers Provide for Inquiry?
To receive a faster and more accurate reply, please send the following information when possible:
- Full McGill bearing number, including all suffix letters
- Bearing type or series if known
- Dimensions, drawing, or sample photo
- Stud type, yoke type, inner ring, or track roller structure
- Seal requirement and lubrication method
- Load, speed, temperature, vibration, and contamination conditions
- Application equipment and installation position
- Quantity, delivery time requirement, and inspection requirements
Remarks
For detailed McGill bearing models not listed above, please contact HSN for model confirmation and supply discussion. For other types of bearings, you can also send your model number, drawing, sample photo, or working condition for review.
This article is based on independent analysis of publicly available technical information and industry understanding for knowledge sharing. All brand names and trademarks mentioned belong to their respective owners. HSN Bearing Group is an independent bearing supplier and technical service provider.
Have a Question?
Need hard-to-find bearing models in China? Contact HSN for stock search, model confirmation, replacement discussion, and inspection support before shipment.