5160 equivalent grades: ASTM, EN, JIS, GB, DIN
5160 is chromium spring steel, quenched and tempered specified in ASTM A29. Substitutes are collected here from 6 standard systems; the grading column says whether a certificate covers the swap or an engineer has to. The full 5160 data sheet carries the composition and mechanical tables.
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5160 is cross-certified with SUP9: the composition windows overlap closely enough that one certificate satisfies the other. 55Cr3, 51CrV4, 55CrMnA and 1 more differ on one limit only — a carbon ceiling, an impact temperature or a strength minimum. 9260, 1095, 4140 and 1 more serve the same purpose without being the same steel, so a substitution there needs the design re-checked rather than the certificate. Across systems that is 1 in JIS (Japan), 2 in EN (European), 1 in GB/T (China), 1 in GOST (Russia/CIS), 3 in AISI / SAE, 1 in IS (India).
Cross-reference table
| Grade | System | Match | Why / differences |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUP9 | JIS (Japan) | Identical | JIS G4801 SUP9: C 0.52–0.60, Si 0.15–0.35, Mn 0.65–0.95, Cr 0.65–0.95. SUP9A raises carbon to 0.56–0.64 and chromium to 0.70–1.00, which is the direct 5160 match. |
| 55Cr3 | EN (European) | Near | EN 10089 55Cr3 (1.7176): C 0.52–0.59, Si 0.25–0.50, Mn 0.70–1.00, Cr 0.60–0.90. The same chromium spring steel with slightly less carbon and, more importantly, phosphorus and sulphur capped at 0.025 % against 0.035/0.040 — plus a decarburisation limit that SAE 5160 does not carry. |
| 51CrV4 | EN (European) | Near | 1.8159: less carbon, more chromium, and 0.15 % vanadium. The vanadium pins the grain, so 51CrV4 survives hot forming and overheating far better and is tougher at the same hardness; it is the European default where 5160 is the North American one. |
| 55CrMnA | GB/T (China) | Near | GB/T 1222 55CrMnA: C 0.52–0.60, Mn 0.65–0.95, Cr 0.65–0.95; 60CrMnA with 0.56–0.64 % C is the closer match to 5160. |
| 50KhG | GOST (Russia/CIS) | Near | GOST 14959 50KhGA: C 0.46–0.54, Mn 0.70–1.00, Cr 0.90–1.20 — lower carbon, more chromium. 60S2KhA is the Russian grade closer in strength. |
| 9260 | AISI / SAE | Functional | The silicon spring steel: same carbon, 2 % silicon and no chromium. Higher elastic limit and better resistance to sag, but much shallower hardening — the choice for coil springs where 5160 goes into leaves. |
| 1095 | AISI / SAE | Functional | Plain high-carbon steel: harder edge, no hardenability. A 1095 leaf is hard at the surface and soft in the middle, which is why carbon spring steels are confined to thin strip and 5160 takes the thick sections. |
| 4140 | AISI / SAE | Functional | The general-purpose quenched and tempered engineering steel. Deeper hardening thanks to molybdenum but only 0.40 % carbon, so it tops out well below spring hardness and is used for shafts rather than springs. |
| 60Si7 | IS (India) | Functional | The chromium leaf-spring steel: deeper hardening and less decarburisation-sensitive, with a lower elastic limit at the same hardness. |
Identical, near and functional are defined once on the grade index; the reason column below says which limit differs in each case.
5160 in JIS (Japan)
- SUP9 — Identical JIS G4801 SUP9: C 0.52–0.60, Si 0.15–0.35, Mn 0.65–0.95, Cr 0.65–0.95. SUP9A raises carbon to 0.56–0.64 and chromium to 0.70–1.00, which is the direct 5160 match.
5160 in EN (European)
- 55Cr3 — Near EN 10089 55Cr3 (1.7176): C 0.52–0.59, Si 0.25–0.50, Mn 0.70–1.00, Cr 0.60–0.90. The same chromium spring steel with slightly less carbon and, more importantly, phosphorus and sulphur capped at 0.025 % against 0.035/0.040 — plus a decarburisation limit that SAE 5160 does not carry.
- 51CrV4 — Near 1.8159: less carbon, more chromium, and 0.15 % vanadium. The vanadium pins the grain, so 51CrV4 survives hot forming and overheating far better and is tougher at the same hardness; it is the European default where 5160 is the North American one.
5160 in GB/T (China)
- 55CrMnA — Near GB/T 1222 55CrMnA: C 0.52–0.60, Mn 0.65–0.95, Cr 0.65–0.95; 60CrMnA with 0.56–0.64 % C is the closer match to 5160.
5160 in GOST (Russia/CIS)
- 50KhG — Near GOST 14959 50KhGA: C 0.46–0.54, Mn 0.70–1.00, Cr 0.90–1.20 — lower carbon, more chromium. 60S2KhA is the Russian grade closer in strength.
5160 in AISI / SAE
- 9260 — Functional The silicon spring steel: same carbon, 2 % silicon and no chromium. Higher elastic limit and better resistance to sag, but much shallower hardening — the choice for coil springs where 5160 goes into leaves.
- 1095 — Functional Plain high-carbon steel: harder edge, no hardenability. A 1095 leaf is hard at the surface and soft in the middle, which is why carbon spring steels are confined to thin strip and 5160 takes the thick sections.
- 4140 — Functional The general-purpose quenched and tempered engineering steel. Deeper hardening thanks to molybdenum but only 0.40 % carbon, so it tops out well below spring hardness and is used for shafts rather than springs.
5160 in IS (India)
- 60Si7 — Functional The chromium leaf-spring steel: deeper hardening and less decarburisation-sensitive, with a lower elastic limit at the same hardness.
Superseded names for 5160
- 527A60 — BS 970 (withdrawn): The British chromium spring steel of the same class; 527H60 is the hardenability-guaranteed version.
- EN48 — BS 970:1955: The pre-1970 British designation of the 0.60 % C chromium spring steel.
- 55Cr3 — DIN 17221 (withdrawn): The German grade, carried into EN 10089 unchanged with number 1.7176.
- 9254 — SAE J404: Not the same steel — a silicon-chromium grade sometimes substituted in modern coil springs. It is listed here only because stockists occasionally offer it against a 5160 enquiry.
Key data for 5160
Tensile≈ 720–850 MPa
Carbon0.56 – 0.64 %
StandardASTM A29
Full composition, mechanical properties by thickness, heat treatment and applications for 5160 →
Verified against ASTM A29/A29M-23, SAE J404. Last checked: October 2026.