Hi everyone,

It seems very hard to find the correct info on bearing replacement options for idler pulleys, alternator pulleys.... PS... etc... If anyone is interested, the correct bearing for all Aspens (and many many other Chryslers and other makes also) is:


The OE bearing in my 07 is a J37FE (357) which crosses over with any of the following (and many more) --


6203DU (used in Dorman); 6203-88-20E (GBC - SKF's commercial end for auto/industrial); 6203LU (used in Continental Elite); or EP6203 (used in Gates)...

The LU or DU nomenclature isn't critical for this application although the LU I believe has a better grease contamination seal which operates at the slight expense of speed reduction/increased resistance (motor/accessory bearings aren't moving fast enough for this to matter either way).

Many of you will say that the replacement pulleys are cheap enough so we should just buy the whole unit. This may be true for most of us but for the rest of us that have experience or are not afraid to press out/replace bearings, I thought this might be helpful.

the 6203 bearing has a weight rating of 1080-2150lbs and a max rpm of 17-20k.... here's some nomenclature deciphered....

V : One Non-Contact Seal
VV : Two Non-Contact Seals
Z : One Shield
ZZ : Two Shields
DU : One Contact Seal
DDU : Two Contact Seals
NR : Snap Ring
M: Brass Cage
CO: Normal Internal Clearance
C3 : Greater Than Normal
E : Electric Motor Quality (the jury is out on this as it is defined as 'perceived to have better quality than standard ABEC-1)
EP: uses extreme pressure grease for high loads and dirty environments...
Can anyone confirm which pillow bearings are used in the alternator or that the pulley side is also a 6203??

If you want an idea of how universal this bearing is.... I have a Beaver/Delta table saw from the 60s that has the exact same ones on the arbour... My old 95 S10's idler used the same also.... I had spares from both and whalllah.... same ole' same ole'......


A.