16004 bearing: complete specifications & equivalents

Specification table

Source: catalog reference (HR 1 Rolling Bearings (Jan 2020)) · extracted 2026-09-25

Parameters extracted from the official FAG Rolling Bearings catalogue (HR 1 Rolling Bearings (Jan 2020)); FAG® is a trademark of Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, used here for identification only — mpnbase is not an authorized FAG/Schaeffler distributor. Boundary dimensions are ISO 15 interchangeable; current production values may differ, verify at schaeffler.com.

Cross references & equivalents

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 16004 model number is decoded

In the 16000-series (the narrow extra-light section of ISO 15) the last two digits encode the bore: 16004 carries bore code 04 = 20 mm. Outside diameter 42 mm and width 8 mm come from the ISO 15 boundary-dimensions general plan. With no seal suffix the bearing is open: no shields or seals are fitted and lubrication is supplied by the application. For normal-load mounting with a rotating inner ring on a 20 mm shaft, typical catalogue practice is a k5 shaft seat with an H7 housing bore — verify against the actual load direction and magnitude. In the Schaeffler HR 1 catalogue this open execution carries the bare designation; protected variants are ordered separately with suffixes 2Z (steel shields), 2RZ (non-contact rubber seals) and 2RSR (lip-contact rubber seals).

Typical equipment & failure modes

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

• A 20 mm shaft for 16004 should be finished to Ra ≤ 1.6 µm with square seating faces; at this bore a scored or oval journal shows up directly as running noise and early raceway damage.
• Because the 160xx narrow section shares the 42 mm OD of the 6004 at 20 mm bore but is only 8 mm wide, a housing machined for the wider bearing needs a spacer or relocated circlip — never assume width interchangeability.
• The open 16004 has no lubricant retention: grease escapes and contaminants migrate straight into the 20×42×8 mm raceway, so specify a sealed arrangement for dusty or washdown duty.
• Storage matters for open bearings: 16004 leaves the factory with rust preventive only, so clean it and apply the service grease at assembly even if the rings look oily from the wrapper.
• Axial location must clamp the ring face, not the seal area: a shoulder or circlip bearing on the seal side of the 8 mm-wide ring of 16004 drags the lip and overheats it.
• Vibration during standstill brinells the raceways of a 20 mm bearing at ball spacing; if the machine sits idle next to running equipment, turn the shaft over periodically or isolate the arrangement.
• The open 16004 has no integral sealing; in the Schaeffler HR 1 catalogue the protected variants carry suffixes 2Z (two steel shields), 2RZ (two non-contact rubber seals) and 2RSR (two lip-contact rubber seals). Do not confuse FAG's 2RZ with a contact seal — the RZ lip does not touch the inner ring, which is why its speed capability stays close to the open bearing.
• The 26000 r/min mechanical limiting speed puts 16004 at the top of the HR 1 deep-groove speed range (thermal reference speed 13800 r/min); at these speeds cage design and grease shear dominate — run open with oil-mist or air-over-oil lubrication and verify the thermal reference speed for the actual load before committing.
• The 20 mm bore puts 16004 in Schaeffler's light industrial range; the standard cage and CN clearance cover most fractional-horsepower motor and small-pump duty, and FAG's X-life generation of these sizes carries higher ratings than legacy HR 1 printings — check the current eKatalog listing before reordering.
• FAG rates 16004 at 7.91 kN dynamic (C) and 4.48 kN static (C0); this light-to-medium rating suits fractional-horsepower drives and instruments — verify the equivalent dynamic load stays well below C for conveying or gearbox duty with shock.
• At only 48 g, 16004 is a lightweight FAG bearing that can be handled by hand; still press it onto the shaft with a sleeve against the inner ring — never through the balls or outer ring.
• The 20×42×8 mm envelope of 16004 gives a D/d ratio of 2.10 and 11.0 mm radial section height — a heavy FAG section for high-load, lower-speed duty; specifying it in a high-rpm motor generates excess heat and shortens grease life, so prefer a 62/63-series there.
• The 7.91/4.48 kN load ratings, mass 48 g here are Schaeffler HR 1 Rolling Bearings (Jan 2020) catalogue figures for 16004 on the 20×42×8 mm ISO 15 envelope; internal geometry and ratings legitimately differ between brands, so re-verify before substituting another manufacturer's 16004 in a rated drive. Where FAG has since released an X-life version of this size, its expanded C/C0 ratings supersede the HR 1 print values quoted here.
• FAG sealed units arrive greased for life with a lithium-soap fill; Schaeffler quotes a shelf life for greased bearings and recommends running stock first-in-first-out rather than re-greasing aged sealed units.
• Schaeffler has moved many HR 1 sizes to the X-life generation with higher C/C0 ratings; the designation is unchanged, so a current eKatalog listing for 16004 may quote higher values than the HR 1 print figures on this page — the envelope is identical either way.