6001-2RS-NSK bearing: complete specifications & equivalents

Specification table

Source: catalog reference (NSK Rolling Bearings E1103 Part C) · extracted 2026-09-24

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 6001-2RS-NSK model number is decoded

6001-2RS is closed by two contacting elastomer lips over a lifetime grease fill; the lips add friction, so the speed ceiling sits below the open execution. Within the extra-light 60xx section (diameter series 0 of ISO 15), multiplying bore code 12 by five gives the 12 mm bore; the 28 mm outside diameter and 8 mm width follow the same boundary-dimension plan. For a rotating inner ring on a 12 mm shaft under normal load, catalogue practice seats it on a j5 shaft fit with an H7 housing bore — confirm against the actual load direction and magnitude before committing. NSK's contact-seal catalogue number is 6001DDU (suffix DDU), mapped here from the industry-neutral -2RS spelling; it is greased for life and the contacting lip lowers the speed ceiling versus the open bearing.

Typical equipment & failure modes

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

• At 12 mm bore, induction heating to roughly 80–100 °C is the clean mounting method; never exceed 120 °C, and hold 6001 against the shaft shoulder while it cools so the ring cannot creep back.
• The 60xx extra-light section at 12 mm bore uses a smaller 28 mm OD than a 6212; load ratings are lower, so do not replace a failed 62-series bearing with a 60-series without re-rating the load.
• Heat is the enemy of the sealed 6001-2RS: sustained running near the lip temperature limit hardens the rubber, after which grease escapes and dirt tracks in — watch the housing temperature in hot drives.
• Never wash a sealed 6001-2RS-NSK in solvent or press it home via the outer ring; solvent destroys the grease thickener and mounting force through the seal deforms the lip.
• Shaft and housing fillets must clear the bearing chamfer so the 8 mm-wide ring seats square; provide an undercut or withdrawal groove instead of relying on an oversized radius.
• Never mix components between two 6001-2RS-NSK units: rings, cage and balls are factory-matched and are not field-interchangeable, even between identical designations.
• NSK catalogues the contact-sealed version as 6001DDU (suffix DDU), mapped here from the industry-neutral -2RS spelling; it is greased for life and the contacting lip lowers the speed ceiling versus the open bearing. NSK's DDU lip design is single-lip contact, so grease life is longer than VV but drag torque is higher.
• At 12 mm bore the 6001 sits in NSK's small-bore range; NSK ships these sizes with a pressed-steel cage and P0 tolerance as standard, and NSK's EA (extra-precision) or P5 class is a special-order upgrade for spindle duty — do not assume catalogue P0 figures hold for instrument use without an NSK engineering check.
• NSK rates 6001 at 5.6 kN dynamic (C) and 2.37 kN static (C0); this light-to-medium rating suits fractional-horsepower drives and instruments — for conveying or gearbox duty with shock loads, verify the equivalent dynamic load stays well below C.
• At only 22 g, 6001 is a lightweight NSK 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 12×28×8 mm envelope of 6001 gives a D/d ratio of 2.33 and 8.0 mm radial section height — a heavy NSK section built 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 5.6/2.37 kN load ratings, mass 22 g here are NSK Rolling Bearings E1103 Part C catalogue figures for 6001DDU on the 12×28×8 mm ISO 15 envelope; internal geometry and ratings legitimately differ between brands, so re-verify before substituting another manufacturer's 6001 in a rated drive. NSK does not tabulate reference or limiting speeds in the E1103 Part C dimension tables used for this page — consult NSK's separate speed-rating tables before high-speed service.
• NSK supplies its sealed units pre-greased for general duty between roughly -10 and +110 °C; low-temperature, food-grade and high-temperature fills are special executions — ask at order time, because DDU/VV units are not designed to be opened and repacked.
• When replacing a failed unit, inspect the shaft and housing seats before fitting the new 6001 — a new bearing pressed onto a worn or oval seat reproduces the original failure mode in a fraction of its expected life.