7301-BEP bearing: complete specifications & equivalents

The 7301-BEP is a ISO 15 radial bearing sized 12 x 37 x 12 mm (bore x OD x width). Verify dimensions against the official catalog before ordering.

Bearing dimension schematic Front view shows outer diameter D and bore d; side section shows width B. D = 37 mm d = 12 B = 12 mm side section front view
Principal dimensions: bore d 12 mm, outer diameter D 37 mm, width B 12 mm. Schematic, not to scale.

Specification table

ParameterValue
Brand SKF
Bore diameter d 12 mm
Outer diameter D 37 mm
Width B 12 mm
Material GCr15
Seal / shield open
Internal clearance CN
Tolerance class P0
Cage polymer (PA66 glass-fibre reinforced)
Basic dynamic load rating C 10.6 kN
Basic static load rating C0 5 kN
Fatigue load limit Pu 0.208 kN
Reference speed (thermal) 26000 rpm
Limiting speed (mechanical) 24000 rpm
Operating temperature -40 to +120 °C
Mass 60 g
Manufacturer designation 7301 BEP
Standard ISO 15
Catalog version SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018)
Last verified 2026-09-27

Source: catalog reference (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018)) · extracted 2026-09-27

Parameters extracted from the official SKF Rolling Bearings catalogue (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018)); SKF® and SKF Explorer® are trademarks of AB SKF, used here for identification only — mpnbase is not an authorized SKF distributor. Boundary dimensions are ISO 15 interchangeable; current production values may differ, verify at skf.com.

Dimensions in inches & 7300-series range

Bore d0.472 in
Outer diameter D1.457 in
Width B0.472 in
ISO bore code01
Radial section height (D−d)/212.5 mm
Smallest bore in 7300-series10 mm
Largest outer diameter in 7300-series420 mm
Width range across 7300-series11–80 mm
Bore position in 7300-series (smallest first)2 of 32
Bore above smallest 7300-series size2 mm

Cross references & equivalents

Equivalent modelBrandMatch levelNote
7301-NTN NTN partial
Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ.
Same 12×37×12 mm envelope per ISO 15; catalogue load ratings differ by >10% — re-rate the application before substituting.
7301-BE-2RZP SKF full
Dimensions and internal design equivalent — standard interchange.
Same 12×37×12 mm envelope with catalogue ratings within 10 %; 7301 BE-2RZP is the glass-fibre PA66 cage, non-contact NBR seals (-2RZ) execution of this size — boundary dimensions interchangeable, execution differs.
7301 SKF full
Dimensions and internal design equivalent — standard interchange.
SKF SKF 7301 BEP is the basic 12×37×12 mm angular-contact page with ratings within 10 % of this execution — same boundary dimensions, verify execution details.

Interchange levels: full standard interchange · partial verify parameters · verify manual confirmation required. Links resolve to the equivalent model's specification page where available.

How the 7301-BEP model number is decoded

7301 BEP is SKF's 12 mm-bore single-row angular-contact ball bearing in the 7300 series, nominal 40° (B) contact angle, 12×37×12 mm to the ISO dimension plan. 40° contact angle (suffix B): the steep standard single-row angle, giving the highest axial capacity at the cost of speed, with a recommended load ratio Fa/Fr ≥ 1. E marks the optimized internal design with an enhanced ball complement and race geometry. glass-fibre reinforced PA66 cage, ball-centred (suffix P), with a 120 °C continuous-temperature ceiling. The plain BEP is a basic single bearing: its faces are not ground for universal matching, so defined pairs require the BECBP execution rather than two arbitrary BEP units.. Envelope 12×37×12 mm (0.472×1.457×0.472 in), 12.5 mm radial section height, C 10.6 kN, C0 5 kN, Pu 0.208 kN.reference speed 26,000 r/min (thermal) and limiting speed 24,000 r/min (mechanical), catalogue mass 60 g. Sizing arithmetic on the 12 mm bore: 10.6 kN C divided by the 12.5 mm radial section height gives 0.8 kN per section millimetre; the 60 g mass and 2 % Pu/C share frame the light-load floor for the adjusted-life check. The 0.208 kN fatigue load limit is the equivalent-load floor for long-life adjustment; with 10.6/5 kN ratings and 60 g mass this execution carries about 0.88 kN of C per millimetre of bore. Bore-to-OD planning: OD 37 over bore 12 is a 3.08× step for this size, and the 12 mm width gives a bore/width ratio of 1.00; use these ratios when housing space around the 12 mm shaft is the first constraint. Basic polymer-cage execution: BEP is delivered as an individual open bearing with the 40-degree optimized internals and a glass-fibre PA66 ball-centred cage; it is not ground on the side faces for arbitrary pairing, so a reversing-thrust position should order BECBP for a set rather than mounting two unmatched BEP units.

Typical equipment & failure modes

Common applications

  • textile and wire-guide spindles
  • small gear and metering pumps
  • encoder and resolver mountings

Known failure patterns

  • ball skidding when the induced axial load unloads the inactive bearing of a pair
  • preload loss as a loosely clamped set runs slack and the balls smear the raceways
  • raceway smearing under minimum-axial-load starvation at light load and high speed
  • PA66 cage creep or embrittlement when the non-universal single bearing is run above 120 °C
  • fretting corrosion on a loose rotating shaft seat
  • electrical pitting on VFD-driven shafts without grounding protection

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

  • Assign interference to the rotating ring — roughly j5 on a 12 mm rotating shaft with an H7 housing — and let the stationary ring slide for axial setting; reverse the logic if the outer ring rotates.
  • Do not mix execution classes inside one set: a universally matchable BEP unit is ground for arbitrary pairing, a basic execution is not.
  • Do not mix execution classes inside one set: a universally matchable BEP unit is ground for arbitrary pairing, a basic execution is not.
  • Mount by induction-heating the inner ring to max 120 °C — the PA66 cage sets the ceiling, not the steel; driving the bearing home through the outer ring or balls brinells the asymmetric raceway.
  • The steep 40° angle of 7301-BEP favours thrust-heavy combined loads; for a predominantly radial high-speed position the 25° ACCBM execution of the same size is the alternative order number.
  • Catalogue ratings are SKF PUB BU/P1 17000 figures for 7301 BEP as the single basic pa66 execution; the other order numbers of the 7301 size are different products and may carry different ratings — always quote the full designation when purchasing.

Frequently asked questions

What are the dimensions and catalogue data of 7301-BEP?

7301 BEP measures 12 mm bore × 37 mm OD × 12 mm width (0.472 × 1.457 × 0.472 in), mass about 60 g. SKF 17000 ratings: C 10.6 kN, C0 5 kN, Pu 0.208 kN, reference speed 26,000 r/min (thermal) and limiting speed 24,000 r/min (mechanical).

What does the BEP suffix mean?

40° contact angle (suffix B): the steep standard single-row angle, giving the highest axial capacity at the cost of speed, with a recommended load ratio Fa/Fr ≥ 1. E marks the optimized internal design with an enhanced ball complement and race geometry. glass-fibre reinforced PA66 cage, ball-centred (suffix P), with a 120 °C continuous-temperature ceiling. The plain BEP is a basic single bearing: its faces are not ground for universal matching, so defined pairs require the BECBP execution rather than two arbitrary BEP units..

Which grease and fill for 7301-BEP?

A premium mineral-oil grease with polyurea or lithium complex thickener and NLGI 2 consistency suits normal operating temperature; fill roughly 25–35 % of the free volume, and stay within the — the PA66 cage sets the ceiling, not the steel. Oil-air or oil-jet lubrication is the choice near the 24,000 r/min ceiling.

What do the reference and limiting speeds mean for 7301-BEP?

The 26,000 r/min reference (thermal) and 24,000 r/min limiting (mechanical) speeds are catalogue conditions; preload, lubrication and heat removal move the permissible value, so re-calculate for the actual arrangement.

Reviewed & verified by the MPN Base engineering desk against source catalog SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018) on 2026-09-27. Read our editorial & correction policy.