The boundary dimensions of metric single row tapered roller bearings listed in the product tables conform to ISO 355-1977except for those bearings having a J in the designation prefix. These conform to the ANSI/ABMA Standard 19.1-1987.Inch Metric bearings .

The boundary dimensions of inch bearings conform to AFBMA Standard 19-1974 (ANSI B3.19-1975). ANSI/ABMA Standard 19.2-1994 has subsequently replaced this standard, but this later standard no longer includes dimensions.

Tapered roller bearings have tapered inner and outer ring raceways between which tapered rollers are arranged. The projection lines of all the tapered surfaces meet at a common point on the bearing axis. Their design makes tapered roller bearings particularly suitable for the accommodation of combined (radial and axial) loads. The axial load carrying capacity of the bearings is largely determined by the contact angle α (fig); the larger α, the higher the axial load carrying capacity (fig). An indication of the angle size is given by the calculation factor e; the larger the value of e, the larger the contact angle and the greater the suitability of the bearing for carrying axial loads.

Tapered roller bearings are generally separable, i.e. the cone, consisting of the inner ring with roller and cage assembly, can be mounted separately from the cup (outer ring).

For metric-design medium-angle and steep-angle tapered roller bearings, the respective contact angle symbol C or D is added after the bore number. For normal-angle tapered roller bearings, no contact angle symbol is used. Medium-angle tapered roller bearings are primarily used for the pinion shafts of differential gears of automobiles. Among those with high load capacity (HR series), some bearings have the basic number suffixed by J to conform to the specifications of ISO for the cup back face raceway diameter, cup width, and contact angle. Therefore, the cone assembly and cup of bearings with the same basic number suffixed by J are internationally interchangeable. Among metric-design tapered roller bearings specified by ISO 355, there are those having new dimensions that are different than the dimension series 3XX used in the past. Part of them are listed in the bearing tables. They conform to the specifications of ISO for the smaller end diameter of the cup and contact angle. The cone and cup assemblies are internationally interchangeable.