Bushings are designed to reduce friction, isolate vibration, and cushion moving parts like control arms and some non-moving components like strut mounts and compare bushing vs ball bearings.
However, automotive bushings, reamer bushings, drill bushings, press-fit bushings, and other bushing types can only serve their purpose well when you’ve chosen the correct size.
Below, you can learn about how to measure metric bushings, how to install them, and even where to download a free metric bushing size chart so that you can stand the best chance of success.
Measuring a bushing to gain an accurate bushing size is a multi-step process that requires complete accuracy. The more precise you are with your measurements like the inside diameter (ID), the higher your chance of perfecting the spacing and fitting the bushing properly.
If you’re measuring a flange bushing, which is a sleeve-type bearing with a flange on one end, you’ll see that it has five distinct parts. These include the ID, which is essentially the hole size, outside diameter (OD), the overall length of the bushing (OAL), flange OD, and flange thickness (FLTH).
Start by measuring the standard ID down to the decimal on your bushing type, then the OD. You can then measure the outer diameter of the flange, followed by the flange thickness. All of these measurements are generally standard sizes, so you’ll find it easy to purchase a new standard metric bushing from your suppliers or manufacturers of choice.
Standard Metric Size Chart, Metric Bushing Size Chart - Reid Supply.pdf
When you have all the technical information for your required bushing and workpiece and have purchased the right one, you can then move on to installing it.
Lubrication is one of the most important things to remember as you get the bushing installation process underway, regardless of the metric sizes you ended up with. Lubricate the bolt to reduce friction which subsequently reduces heat and allows the metal, like stainless steel, to remain strong.
Don’t forget to also lubricate the housing. Lube can reduce friction associated with having the bushing slide in and protect any polished metal from corrosion.
As strange as it sounds, freezing your bushing is an excellent idea. Do this for 24 hours before installation so that the metal can contract in the cold. This can allow for the slightest reduction in the bushing diameter to help it move into place much easier.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re working on industrial equipment, a car, machinery, or even a standard drill with a flange or plain bearing, you’ll need the right tools for the job. These include a pair of vice grips or a wrench to hold the nuts tight, along with a wrench to torque the other nut.
You don’t even need to use a press since the opposite socket works as a brace and presses the bushing into the housing.
When the time comes to replace worn bushings with brand new ones from a reputable distributor, consider doing your research to make sure you purchase the right products to ensure the right fit! Why not download our metric bushing size chart that outlines helpful information on ID ranges, ID tolerances, bushing OD, spacing, standard sizes, and more?
You can then take a look at our catalogs to learn more about other products like clamp pads, clamping levers, and counterbored spacers, find the part number you need, and be armed with the bushings, washers, and other products you need to hit the ground running.
Metric |
Fraction Inch |
Decimal Inch |
Number/Letter |
.35mm |
0 |
0.0138 |
|
.38mm |
0 |
0.015 |
|
.40mm |
0 |
0.0157 |
|
.42mm |
0 |
0.0165 |
|
.45mm |
0 |
0.0177 |
|
.48mm |
0 |
0.0189 |
|
.50mm |
0 |
0.0197 |
|
.55mm |
0 |
0.0217 |
|
.60mm |
0 |
0.0236 |
|
.65mm |
0 |
0.0256 |
|
.70mm |
0 |
0.0276 |
|
.75mm |
0 |
0.0295 |
|
.80mm |
1/16 |
0.0315 |
|
.85mm |
1/16 |
0.0335 |
|
.90mm |
1/16 |
0.0354 |
|
.95mm |
1/16 |
0.0374 |
|
1.00mm |
1/16 |
0.0394 |
|
1.05mm |
1/16 |
0.0413 |
|
1.10mm |
1/16 |
0.0433 |
|
1.15mm |
1/16 |
0.0453 |
|
1.20mm |
1/16 |
0.0472 |
|
1.25mm |
1/16 |
0.0492 |
|
1.30mm |
1/16 |
0.0512 |
|
1.35mm |
1/16 |
0.0531 |
|
1.40mm |
1/16 |
0.0551 |
|
1.45mm |
1/16 |
0.0571 |
|
1.50mm |
1/16 |
0.0591 |
|
1.55mm |
1/16 |
0.061 |
|
1.60mm |
1/16 |
0.063 |
|
1.65mm |
1/16 |
0.065 |
|
1.70mm |
1/16 |
0.0669 |
|
1.75mm |
1/16 |
0.0689 |
|
1.80mm |
1/16 |
0.0709 |
|
1.85mm |
1/16 |
0.0728 |
|
1.90mm |
1/16 |
0.0748 |
|
1.95mm |
1/16 |
0.0768 |
|
2.00mm |
1/16 |
0.0787 |
|
2.05mm |
1/16 |
0.0807 |
|
2.10mm |
1/16 |
0.0827 |
|
2.15mm |
1/16 |
0.0846 |
|
2.20mm |
1/16 |
0.0866 |
|
2.25mm |
1/16 |
0.0886 |
|
2.30mm |
1/16 |
0.0906 |
|
2.35mm |
1/16 |
0.0925 |
|
2.40mm |
2/16 |
0.0945 |
|
2.45mm |
2/16 |
0.0965 |
|
2.50mm |
2/16 |
0.0984 |
|
2.55mm |
2/16 |
0.1004 |
|
2.60mm |
2/16 |
0.1024 |
|
2.65mm |
2/16 |
0.1043 |
|
2.70mm |
2/16 |
0.1063 |
|
2.75mm |
2/16 |
0.1083 |
|
2.80mm |
2/16 |
0.1102 |
|
2.90mm |
2/16 |
0.1142 |
|
3.00mm |
2/16 |
0.1181 |
|
3.10mm |
2/16 |
0.122 |
|
3.20mm |
2/16 |
0.126 |
|
3.25mm |
2/16 |
0.128 |
|
3.30mm |
2/16 |
0.1299 |
|
3.40mm |
2/16 |
0.1339 |
|
3.50mm |
2/16 |
0.1378 |
|
3.60mm |
2/16 |
0.1417 |
|
3.70mm |
2/16 |
0.1457 |
|
3.75mm |
2/16 |
0.1476 |
|
3.80mm |
2/16 |
0.1496 |
|
3.90mm |
2/16 |
0.1535 |
|
4.00mm |
3/16 |
0.1575 |
|
4.10mm |
3/16 |
0.1614 |
|
4.20mm |
3/16 |
0.1654 |
|
4.25mm |
3/16 |
0.1673 |
|
4.30mm |
3/16 |
0.1693 |
|
4.40mm |
3/16 |
0.1732 |
|
4.50mm |
3/16 |
0.1772 |
|
4.60mm |
3/16 |
0.1811 |
|
4.70mm |
3/16 |
0.185 |
#13 |
4.75mm |
3/16 |
0.187 |
|
4.90mm |
3/16 |
0.1929 |
|
5.00mm |
3/16 |
0.1969 |
|
5.10mm |
3/16 |
0.2008 |
|
5.20mm |
3/16 |
0.2047 |
|
5.25mm |
3/16 |
0.2067 |
|
5.30mm |
3/16 |
0.2087 |
|
5.40mm |
3/16 |
0.2126 |
|
5.50mm |
3/16 |
0.2165 |
|
5.60mm |
4/16 |
0.2205 |
|
5.70mm |
4/16 |
0.2244 |
|
5.75mm |
4/16 |
0.2264 |
|
5.80mm |
4/16 |
0.2283 |
|
5.90mm |
4/16 |
0.2323 |
|
6.00mm |
4/16 |
0.2362 |
|
6.10mm |
4/16 |
0.2402 |
|
6.20mm |
4/16 |
0.2441 |
|
6.25mm |
4/16 |
0.2461 |
|
6.30mm |
4/16 |
0.248 |
|
6.40mm |
4/16 |
0.252 |
|
6.50mm |
4/16 |
0.2559 |
|
6.60mm |
4/16 |
0.2598 |
|
6.70mm |
4/16 |
0.2638 |
|
6.75mm |
4/16 |
0.2657 |
|
6.80mm |
4/16 |
0.2677 |
|
6.90mm |
4/16 |
0.2717 |
|
7.00mm |
4/16 |
0.2756 |
|
7.10mm |
4/16 |
0.2795 |
|
7.20mm |
5/16 |
0.2835 |
|
7.25mm |
5/16 |
0.2854 |
|
7.30mm |
5/16 |
0.2874 |
|
7.40mm |
5/16 |
0.2913 |
|
7.50mm |
5/16 |
0.2953 |
|
7.60mm |
5/16 |
0.2992 |
|
7.70mm |
5/16 |
0.3031 |
|
7.75mm |
5/16 |
0.3051 |
|
7.80mm |
5/16 |
0.3071 |
|
7.90mm |
5/16 |
0.311 |
|
8.00mm |
5/16 |
0.315 |
|
8.10mm |
5/16 |
0.3189 |
|
8.20mm |
5/16 |
0.3228 |
|
8.25mm |
5/16 |
0.3248 |
|
8.30mm |
5/16 |
0.3268 |
|
8.40mm |
5/16 |
0.3307 |
|
8.50mm |
5/16 |
0.3346 |
|
8.60mm |
5/16 |
0.3386 |
|
8.70mm |
5/16 |
0.3425 |
|
8.75mm |
6/16 |
0.3445 |
|
8.80mm |
6/16 |
0.3465 |
|
8.90mm |
6/16 |
0.3504 |
|
9.00mm |
6/16 |
0.3543 |
|
9.10mm |
6/16 |
0.3583 |
|
9.20mm |
6/16 |
0.3622 |
|
9.25mm |
6/16 |
0.3642 |
|
9.30mm |
6/16 |
0.3661 |
|
9.40mm |
6/16 |
0.3701 |
|
9.50mm |
6/16 |
0.374 |
|
9.60mm |
6/16 |
0.378 |
|
9.70mm |
6/16 |
0.3819 |
|
9.75mm |
6/16 |
0.3839 |
|
9.80mm |
6/16 |
0.3858 |
|
9.90mm |
6/16 |
0.3898 |
|
10.00mm |
6/16 |
0.3937 |
|
10.20mm |
6/16 |
0.4016 |
|
10.50mm |
7/16 |
0.4134 |
|
10.80mm |
7/16 |
0.4252 |
|
11.00mm |
7/16 |
0.4331 |
|
11.20mm |
7/16 |
0.4409 |
|
11.50mm |
7/16 |
0.4528 |
|
11.80mm |
7/16 |
0.4646 |
|
12.00mm |
8/16 |
0.4724 |
|
12.20mm |
8/16 |
0.4803 |
|
12.50mm |
8/16 |
0.4921 |
|
13.00mm |
8/16 |
0.5118 |
|
13.50mm |
9/16 |
0.5315 |
|
14.00mm |
9/16 |
0.5512 |
|
14.50mm |
9/16 |
0.5709 |
|
15.00mm |
9/16 |
0.5906 |
|
15.50mm |
10/16 |
0.6102 |
|
16.00mm |
10/16 |
0.6299 |
|
16.50mm |
10/16 |
0.6496 |
|
17.00mm |
11/16 |
0.6693 |
|
17.50mm |
11/16 |
0.689 |
|
18.00mm |
11/16 |
0.7087 |
|
18.50mm |
12/16 |
0.7283 |
|
19.00mm |
12/16 |
0.748 |
|
19.50mm |
12/16 |
0.7677 |
|
20.00mm |
13/16 |
0.7874 |
|
20.50mm |
13/16 |
0.8071 |
|
21.00mm |
13/16 |
0.8268 |
|
21.50mm |
14/16 |
0.8465 |
|
22.00mm |
14/16 |
0.8661 |
|
22.50mm |
14/16 |
0.8858 |
|
23.00mm |
14/16 |
0.9055 |
|
23.50mm |
15/16 |
0.9252 |
|
24.00mm |
15/16 |
0.9449 |
|
24.50mm |
15/16 |
0.9646 |
|
25.00mm |
1 |
0.9843 |
|
26.00mm |
1 |
1.0236 |
|
27.00mm |
1 1/16 |
1.063 |
|
28.00mm |
1 2/16 |
1.1024 |
|
29.00mm |
1 2/16 |
1.1417 |
|
30.00mm |
1 3/16 |
1.1811 |
|
31.00mm |
1 4/16 |
1.2205 |
|
32.00mm |
1 4/16 |
1.2598 |
|
33.00mm |
1 5/16 |
1.2992 |
|
34.00mm |
1 5/16 |
1.3386 |
|
35.00mm |
1 6/16 |
1.378 |
|
36.00mm |
1 7/16 |
1.4173 |
|
37.00mm |
1 7/16 |
1.4567 |
|
38.00mm |
1 8/16 |
1.4961 |
|
39.00mm |
1 9/16 |
1.5354 |
|
40.00mm |
1 9/16 |
1.5748 |
|
41.00mm |
1 10/16 |
1.6142 |
|
42.00mm |
1 10/16 |
1.6535 |
|
43.00mm |
1 11/16 |
1.6929 |
|
44.00mm |
1 12/16 |
1.7323 |
|
45.00mm |
1 12/16 |
1.7717 |
|
46.00mm |
1 13/16 |
1.811 |
|
47.00mm |
1 14/16 |
1.8504 |
|
48.00mm |
1 14/16 |
1.8898 |
|
50.00mm |
1 15/16 |
1.9685 |
|
55.00mm |
2 3/16 |
2.1654 |
|
60.00mm |
2 6/16 |
2.3622 |
|
65.00mm |
2 9/16 |
2.5591 |
|
70.00mm |
2 12/16 |
2.7559 |
|
75.00mm |
2 15/16 |
2.9528 |
|
80.00mm |
3 2/16 |
3.1496 |
|
85.00mm |
3 6/16 |
3.3465 |
|
90.00mm |
3 9/16 |
3.5433 |
|
95.00mm |
3 12/16 |
3.7402 |
|
100.00mm |
3 15/16 |
3.937 |
|
105.00mm |
4 2/16 |
4.1339 |
|