6003-RSR-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 6003-RSR-NSK model number is decoded

In the 6000-series (diameter series 0 of ISO 15) the last two digits encode the bore: 6003 carries bore code 17 = 17 mm. Outside diameter 35 mm and width 10 mm come from the ISO 15 boundary-dimensions general plan. Suffix -RSR denotes two low-friction non-contact elastomer seals; they keep coarse debris out with minimal drag but are not liquid-tight. For normal-load mounting with a rotating inner ring on a 17 mm shaft, typical catalogue practice is a j5 shaft seat with an H7 housing bore — verify against the actual load direction and magnitude. NSK's non-contact seal suffix is VV (catalogue number 6003VV), mapped here from the industry-neutral -RSR spelling; speed capability is close to the open bearing but VV is not liquid-tight.

Typical equipment & failure modes

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

• Large bores like the 17 mm of 6003-RSR-NSK demand clean, burr-free seats; one raised burr under a ring this size cocks the bearing and concentrates load at the raceway edge, cutting life drastically.
• 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.
• RSR low-friction seals on 6003-RSR-NSK run faster than contact-seal 6003-2RS but let fine dust and moisture past the non-contact lip; in dirty or wet duty specify 6003-2RS instead.
• The non-contact lip of 6003-RSR-NSK does not retain a lifetime grease fill the way a contact seal does; confirm the regreasing interval for the 17 mm bore position before relying on it as sealed-for-life.
• Assign fits by which ring rotates: an interference shaft fit for a rotating inner ring; if the outer ring rotates instead, reverse the logic — a loose rotating ring creeps and frets its seat.
• Axial location must clamp the ring face, not the seal area: a shoulder or circlip bearing on the seal side of the 10 mm-wide ring of 6003-RSR-NSK drags the lip and overheats it.
• NSK catalogues this low-friction non-contact seal as 6003VV (suffix VV), mapped here from the industry-neutral -RSR spelling. NSK rates its speed capability close to the open bearing, but VV is not liquid-tight — for wet or fine-dust duty step up to the DDU contact seal (industry-neutral -2RS).
• At 17 mm bore the 6003 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 6003 at 6.6 kN dynamic (C) and 3.25 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 41 g, 6003 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 17×35×10 mm envelope of 6003 gives a D/d ratio of 2.06 and 9.0 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 6.6/3.25 kN load ratings, mass 41 g here are NSK Rolling Bearings E1103 Part C catalogue figures for 6003VV 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. 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.
• Standard P0 runout from NSK is adequate up to the catalogue limiting speed on ground shaft seats; spindle or instrument positions should specify P6/P5 accuracy explicitly — it is a different order code, not a sorting of standard stock.
• 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.