6003-2RS-FAG 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 6003-2RS-FAG model number is decoded

6003-2RS 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 17 by five gives the 17 mm bore; the 35 mm outside diameter and 10 mm width follow the same boundary-dimension plan. For a rotating inner ring on a 17 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. Schaeffler HR 1 catalogues the lip-contact sealed version as 6003-2RSR (FAG suffix 2RSR), 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

• Mount this 17 mm bore bearing by heating the inner ring (induction heater, max 120 °C) — never drive it home through the outer ring or balls, that brinells the raceways.
• The 60xx extra-light section at 17 mm bore uses a smaller 35 mm OD than a 6217; load ratings are lower, so do not replace a failed 62-series bearing with a 60-series without re-rating the load.
• Contact seals add drag and heat: 6003-2RS-FAG runs slower and cooler-limited than the open 6003; rubber lips are generally limited to roughly 80–110 °C continuous depending on grease, and C3 clearance is the common hot-duty choice.
• Heat is the enemy of the sealed 6003-2RS: 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.
• Vibration during standstill brinells the raceways of a 17 mm bearing at ball spacing; if the machine sits idle next to running equipment, turn the shaft over periodically or isolate the arrangement.
• The housing bore for the 35 mm OD should be round within IT7; an oval bore pinches the outer ring of 6003-2RS-FAG and shows up later as two-point loaded raceway wear.
• Schaeffler HR 1 lists the lip-contact sealed version as 6003-2RSR (FAG suffix 2RSR), 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. FAG's RSR lip material is NBR as standard — above roughly 100 °C continuous, consult Schaeffler for higher-temperature seal options.
• At 11800 r/min mechanical limiting speed, 6003 covers general-purpose motor and pump duty; keep grease fill at 25–35% of free volume and verify the housing can dissipate the frictional heat at the thermal reference speed.
• At 17 mm bore the 6003 sits in Schaeffler's small-bore range; HR 1 ships these sizes with a pressed steel or plastic cage and P0 tolerance as standard — for instrument or spindle accuracy order the P6/P5 variant explicitly, since P0 runout figures will not hold.
• FAG rates 6003 at 6.4 kN dynamic (C) and 3.25 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 40 g, 6003 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 17×35×10 mm envelope of 6003 gives a D/d ratio of 2.06 and 9.0 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 6.4/3.25 kN load ratings, mass 40 g here are Schaeffler HR 1 Rolling Bearings (Jan 2020) catalogue figures for 6003-2RSR on the 17×35×10 mm ISO 15 envelope; internal geometry and ratings legitimately differ between brands, so re-verify before substituting another manufacturer's 6003 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.
• Schaeffler's medias/eKatalog is the live source for the current execution of 6003: cage material, seal lip design and ratings can be revised between catalogue generations without any designation change.
• Mixing old and new FAG generations of the same designation in one arrangement is dimensionally acceptable, but where ratings matter — preloaded or matched sets — order both positions from the same generation and lot.