8482.20.00 - Tapered roller bearings, including cone and tapered roller assemblies

This HTS category, 8482.20.00, specifically encompasses tapered roller bearings. These bearings are characterized by their conical rollers and races, designed to accommodate both radial and axial loads simultaneously. This includes complete units like cup and cone assemblies, as well as just the cone assemblies when entered separately. Their construction allows for adjusting the internal clearance, which is a key distinguishing feature for classification.

Within the broader group of ball or roller bearings, tapered roller bearings (8482.20.00) are distinct from other roller bearing types such as spherical roller bearings (8482.30.00), which have barrel-shaped rollers, and needle roller bearings (8482.40.00.00), which utilize long, thin cylindrical rollers. They also differ from cylindrical roller bearings (8482.50.00.00) that typically handle higher radial loads and have straight rollers.

The subcategories under 8482.20.00 further refine the classification of tapered roller bearings based on how they are presented. "Cup and cone assemblies entered as a set" refers to the complete bearing unit where both the outer race (cup) and the inner race with rollers (cone) are presented together. Conversely, "Cone assemblies entered separately" pertains to situations where only the inner race and its tapered rollers are imported without the outer race. This distinction is important for assessing import duties and trade statistics.