// Reference · ISO 286 · Hole Basis

Limits & Fits: Tolerance Chart + Fit Calculator

Type a size, pick a fit, read the limits — H7/g6 sliding to H7/s6 press, 1–250 mm, per ISO 286. Real HTML tables (not screenshots), a free PDF, and the machining notes the textbook leaves out. Jump to:

Compiled and reviewed by the EKINSUN engineering team — an ISO 9001:2015 certified precision machining manufacturer. Tolerance values per ISO 286-2. Fits shown are hole-basis preferred fits; verify critical fits against your assembly spec. Last reviewed 17 Jul 2026.

// Fit Calculator — nominal size · hole · shaft

Hole limits25.000 / 25.021
Shaft limits24.980 / 24.993
Resulting fit+7 to +41 µm

CLEARANCE FIT — sliding

Hole-basis system, ISO 286-2 values, sizes 1–250 mm. s6 offered to 50 mm — above that, drive fits split sub-ranges: ask us. Limits in mm; fit range in µm (positive = clearance, negative = interference).

How to Read a Fit Like 25 H7/g6

Three parts: the nominal size (25 mm), the hole tolerance (capital letter + grade: H7 = bore at 25.000/+0.021), and the shaft tolerance (lowercase: g6 = shaft at 24.993/−0.013 below nominal). The letter sets where the tolerance zone sits relative to nominal; the number (IT grade) sets how wide it is. Because the H hole always starts exactly at nominal and shaft families range from loose (d) to heavy interference (s), one standard H7 bore can produce every fit type just by changing the shaft grade — which is why hole basis is the industry default and the system this page uses.

Preferred Fits — Quick Selection Table

These eight hole-basis combinations cover almost every job we machine. The example column is computed at Ø25 mm — use the calculator above for your exact size.

FitTypeTypical useExample at Ø25 mm
H9/d9Loose runningVery free rotation, dirt-tolerant — agricultural shafts, loose pulleysclearance +65 to +169 µm
H8/f7Close runningGeneral rotating shafts in plain bushings, gearbox shaftsclearance +20 to +74 µm
H7/g6SlidingAccurate sliding and guiding — spool valves, sliding gears, guide pinsclearance +7 to +41 µm
H7/h6Locational clearanceParts that assemble by hand and stay put — spigots, locating ringsclearance +0 to +34 µm
H7/k6Locational transitionSnug, light press — pulleys, gears keyed to shafts, bearing seats15 µm interference to 19 µm clearance
H7/n6Transition (tight)Rigid location, press assembled, transmits light loads with a key28 µm interference to 6 µm clearance
H7/p6Locational interferenceTrue press fit — bushings into housings, bearing ringsinterference 1 to 35 µm
H7/s6Medium drive (≤50 mm)Permanent assembly, transmits torque by friction — press + heatinterference 14 to 48 µm

Clearance, Transition, Interference — What Actually Changes

Clearance fits (shaft always smaller)

The shaft's largest allowed diameter is still below the hole's smallest. Motion is guaranteed; the question is how much play you can accept. On sliding spool valves and guide pins we machine to H7/g6; for rotating shafts in bronze or POM bushings, H8/f7 leaves room for an oil film. A typical build we see weekly: a hardened 304 stainless pin sliding in a bored 6061 housing — free after anodizing because we allowed for the coating growth up front.

Transition fits (could be either)

H7/k6 and H7/n6 straddle the line: depending on where each part lands inside its tolerance, you get a light press or a snug slip. That's the point — near-zero play for accurate location, but still assemblable with a mallet and removable for service. Bearing seats and keyed pulleys live here. If your assembly must never loosen under vibration, step up to interference rather than hoping k6 lands tight.

Interference fits (shaft always larger)

H7/p6 presses a bushing into a housing so it stays put; H7/s6 transmits real torque by friction alone. Practical machining notes: interference values assume similar materials — pressing steel into a 7075 aluminum housing needs less interference than steel-into-steel because aluminum yields first, and thin-wall bushings can close their bore when pressed, so we verify the installed ID, not just the free-state ID. This is the detail that separates a chart from a part that works.

Standard Tolerance Grades (IT6–IT11)

The IT grade is the total tolerance width in micrometres for a given size range — IT6 is precision grinding territory, IT7 a reamed or precision-bored hole, IT9 routine turning, IT11 rough work. Values per ISO 286:

Tolerance width in µm · nominal size ranges in mm
Grade>1–3>3–6>6–10>10–18>18–30>30–50>50–80>80–120>120–180>180–250
IT668911131619222529
IT710121518212530354046
IT814182227333946546372
IT92530364352627487100115
IT11607590110130160190220250290

Quick Answers by Size — H7 Bore With g6, h6 and p6 Shafts

The three fits that cover most work, worked out in millimetres for the sizes people actually ask about. Hole is H7 in every row; pick the shaft that gives the behaviour you need. Values follow from the ISO 286 deviation tables further down this page.

NominalH7 bore (mm)g6 shaft — slidingClearanceh6 shaft — locationalp6 shaft — pressInterference
Ø66.000–6.0125.988–5.9964–24 µm5.992–6.0006.012–6.0200–20 µm
Ø88.000–8.0157.986–7.9955–29 µm7.991–8.0008.015–8.0240–24 µm
Ø1010.000–10.0159.986–9.9955–29 µm9.991–10.00010.015–10.0240–24 µm
Ø1212.000–12.01811.983–11.9946–35 µm11.989–12.00012.018–12.0290–29 µm
Ø1616.000–16.01815.983–15.9946–35 µm15.989–16.00016.018–16.0290–29 µm
Ø2020.000–20.02119.980–19.9937–41 µm19.987–20.00020.022–20.0351–35 µm
Ø2525.000–25.02124.980–24.9937–41 µm24.987–25.00025.022–25.0351–35 µm
Ø3030.000–30.02129.980–29.9937–41 µm29.987–30.00030.022–30.0351–35 µm
Ø4040.000–40.02539.975–39.9919–50 µm39.984–40.00040.026–40.0421–42 µm
Ø5050.000–50.02549.975–49.9919–50 µm49.984–50.00050.026–50.0421–42 µm

A fit is only half the specification — the surface it runs on is the other half. A sliding pair calculated at 7 µm of clearance will not behave as calculated if the shaft is left rough, so the surface roughness chart gives the Ra that belongs with each of these fits.

Reading a row: at Ø20, an H7 bore measures 20.000 to 20.021 mm. A g6 shaft at 19.980–19.993 leaves 7 to 41 µm of clearance and slides freely; an h6 shaft at 19.987–20.000 assembles by hand with no perceptible shake; a p6 shaft at 20.022–20.035 has to be pressed in and holds 1 to 35 µm of interference. Nothing here is a size we cannot cut — EKINSUN machines shafts, bores and bushings to any of these fits from one piece.

What a fits table cannot tell you — and what we machine to

A fit is only meaningful once both halves exist. EKINSUN LTD is a custom parts manufacturer in Guangdong, China and machines shafts, bores, bushings and pins to these ISO 286 fits on request: state the fit rather than a bare dimension and the mating pair is cut to match. From one piece, quote within 12 hours.

SituationIn the table?How we handle it
A standard shaft or bush in a catalogue size and fitYes — buy itA bearing or bush distributor will be cheaper, and the tolerance is already held. Honest recommendation
The bore is already worn oversize and cannot be re-machinedNo — the table assumes nominalBore measured as it actually is, and the shaft or bushing turned to that real dimension, keeping the fit you specified
A fit on one section only — h6 at the bearing seat, general tolerance elsewhereConfigurators apply one tolerance to the whole partMachined section by section, so precision is paid for only where it works
Aluminium housing, steel shaft, wide temperature rangeISO 286 is stated at 20 °CFit chosen for the hot condition — the difference in thermal expansion can consume the whole clearance
A press fit that must still be removableH7/p6 is the value, not the methodExtraction thread, jacking flats or a shouldered puller face designed into the part
An imperial shaft into a metric bore, or the reverseTwo different systems, no single tableEach feature cut and gauged to its own standard on the same part

Hole Deviations (H7, H8, H9, H11)

H holes are the easy ones: lower limit = nominal exactly, upper limit = nominal + IT grade. Cells show ES over EI in µm:

Hole>1–3>3–6>6–10>10–18>18–30>30–50>50–80>80–120>120–180>180–250
H7+10
0
+12
0
+15
0
+18
0
+21
0
+25
0
+30
0
+35
0
+40
0
+46
0
H8+14
0
+18
0
+22
0
+27
0
+33
0
+39
0
+46
0
+54
0
+63
0
+72
0
H9+25
0
+30
0
+36
0
+43
0
+52
0
+62
0
+74
0
+87
0
+100
0
+115
0
H11+60
0
+75
0
+90
0
+110
0
+130
0
+160
0
+190
0
+220
0
+250
0
+290
0

Shaft Deviations (d9 → s6)

Cells show upper deviation (es) over lower deviation (ei) in µm. Negative = below nominal (clearance families d–h), positive = above nominal (transition and interference grades k6–s6):

Shaft>1–3>3–6>6–10>10–18>18–30>30–50>50–80>80–120>120–180>180–250
d9-20
-45
-30
-60
-40
-76
-50
-93
-65
-117
-80
-142
-100
-174
-120
-207
-145
-245
-170
-285
e8-14
-28
-20
-38
-25
-47
-32
-59
-40
-73
-50
-89
-60
-106
-72
-126
-85
-148
-100
-172
f7-6
-16
-10
-22
-13
-28
-16
-34
-20
-41
-25
-50
-30
-60
-36
-71
-43
-83
-50
-96
g6-2
-8
-4
-12
-5
-14
-6
-17
-7
-20
-9
-25
-10
-29
-12
-34
-14
-39
-15
-44
h6+0
-6
+0
-8
+0
-9
+0
-11
+0
-13
+0
-16
+0
-19
+0
-22
+0
-25
+0
-29
h7+0
-10
+0
-12
+0
-15
+0
-18
+0
-21
+0
-25
+0
-30
+0
-35
+0
-40
+0
-46
h9+0
-25
+0
-30
+0
-36
+0
-43
+0
-52
+0
-62
+0
-74
+0
-87
+0
-100
+0
-115
h11+0
-60
+0
-75
+0
-90
+0
-110
+0
-130
+0
-160
+0
-190
+0
-220
+0
-250
+0
-290
k6+6
+0
+9
+1
+10
+1
+12
+1
+15
+2
+18
+2
+21
+2
+25
+3
+28
+3
+33
+4
n6+10
+4
+16
+8
+19
+10
+23
+12
+28
+15
+33
+17
+39
+20
+45
+23
+52
+27
+60
+31
p6+12
+6
+20
+12
+24
+15
+29
+18
+35
+22
+42
+26
+51
+32
+59
+37
+68
+43
+79
+50
s6+20
+14
+27
+19
+32
+23
+39
+28
+48
+35
+59
+43

Hitting the Fit: How These Numbers Get Machined

A tolerance chart tells you the target; holding it is process. H7 bores under Ø20 we ream; larger ones we single-point bore and measure with three-point mics. Precision shafts to g6/h6 come off CNC turning with in-process gauging, ground where the drawing demands it. Every toleranced feature can ship with a dimensional report from our inspection department — and if your part is a worn shaft or a bushing with no drawing at all, reverse engineering recovers the original fit before we machine the replacement. The parts these fits live on are exactly what we build daily: custom shafts, spacers and bushings, and press-fit components — even without CAD.

Fit trouble on an existing assembly? Send the mating part or its measurements. We'll machine the new component to restore the original fit — sliding, located or pressed — with the fit class stated on the quote so you know exactly what you're getting. MOQ 1. For torque specs on the fasteners holding it together, see our metric bolt torque chart.

When this table stops being enough: The numbers above assume both parts are still nominal. Four situations break that, and they are the ones that reach us: the mating part already exists and is worn oval, so 25 mm is no longer 25 mm and the fit has to be cut to the bore that is actually there; a shaft sits in a housing with no drawing, so the fit must be derived from the housing rather than looked up; steel is being fitted into an aluminium housing, where aluminium expands roughly twice as much and a clean H7/s6 at 20 °C is a different fit at 90 °C; and anything tighter than IT6, which leaves turning territory and needs grinding plus a measurement record. In all four the standard does not decide the number - measuring the real part does. We machine the part that the table cannot describe — we measure your sample and turn the counterpart, obsolete parts with no drawing, or a shaft cut to a housing you already have. From one piece, quoted within 12 hours.

Limits & Fits FAQ

A hole whose lower limit sits exactly on nominal, IT7 wide. A 25 H7 bore measures 25.000–25.021 mm. It's the standard precision bore because it pairs with g6, h6, k6 or p6 shafts to make any fit type.

Capitals are holes, lowercase are shafts. 25 H7 = 25.000/+0.021 bore; 25 h7 = 25.000/−0.021 shaft. Swapping them on a drawing reverses the fit.

H7/g6 — at Ø25 it gives 7–41 µm clearance: smooth travel, no perceptible shake. Faster rotation in bushings: H8/f7. Hand assembly with accurate location: H7/h6.

H7/p6 gives ~1–35 µm at Ø25 — a firm arbor-press fit for bushings and bearing rings. Torque-carrying drive fits (H7/s6, 14–48 µm) usually need heat or hydraulics to assemble.

Hole basis by default: holes come from fixed-size tools (reamers), shafts are easy to turn to any diameter. Shaft basis suits standard drawn shafting that must take several fits along one bar.

Yes — spec the fit (30 H7 bore, 30 g6 shaft) or describe what the joint must do and we'll choose it. Toleranced features measured, dimensional report available, MOQ 1 piece.

Case matters: capital H7 is a hole (25.000/+0.021), lowercase h7 is a shaft (25.000/−0.021). Both touch the nominal size but on opposite sides. Mixing them up on a drawing reverses the fit — a common and expensive mistake.

Need the Part, Not Just the Fit?

Shafts, bushings and precision bores machined to H7/g6, H7/p6 or any fit you name — MOQ 1, quote in 12 hours.

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