6012-NTN bearing: complete specifications & equivalents

Specification table

Source: catalog reference (NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E (2024)) · extracted 2026-09-25

Parameters extracted from the official NTN Ball and Roller Bearings catalogue (NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E (2024)); NTN® is a trademark of NTN Corporation, used here for identification only — mpnbase is not an authorized NTN distributor. Boundary dimensions are ISO 15 interchangeable; current production values may differ, verify at ntnglobal.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 6012-NTN model number is decoded

6012 is supplied open, without shields or seals, so the arrangement around it must supply and retain the lubricant. Within the extra-light 60xx section (diameter series 0 of ISO 15), multiplying bore code 12 by five gives the 60 mm bore; the 95 mm outside diameter and 18 mm width follow the same boundary-dimension plan. For a rotating inner ring on a 60 mm shaft under normal load, catalogue practice seats it on a k5 shaft fit with an H7 housing bore — confirm against the actual load direction and magnitude before committing. In the NTN catalogue this open execution carries the bare designation; protected variants are ordered separately with suffixes ZZ (shields), LLB/LLF (non-contact seals), LLH (low-torque contact seal) and LLU (contact seal).

Typical equipment & failure modes

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

• At 60 mm bore, induction heating to roughly 80–100 °C is the clean mounting method; never exceed 120 °C, and hold 6012 against the shaft shoulder while it cools so the ring cannot creep back.
• The 60xx extra-light section at 60 mm bore uses a smaller 95 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.
• The open 6012-NTN has no lubricant retention: grease escapes and contaminants migrate straight into the 60×95×18 mm raceway, so specify a sealed arrangement for dusty or washdown duty.
• Storage matters for open bearings: 6012-NTN 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.
• Deep-groove ball bearings tolerate only minutes of misalignment; if the 95 mm housing cannot be aligned, switch to a self-aligning type rather than shimming 6012-NTN.
• Axial location must clamp the ring face, not the seal area: a shoulder or circlip bearing on the seal side of the 18 mm-wide ring of 6012-NTN drags the lip and overheats it.
• The open 6012 has no integral sealing; in the NTN 2203 catalogue the protected variants carry suffixes ZZ (non-contact steel shields), LLB/LLF (non-contact rubber seals), LLU (contact rubber seals) and LLH (a low-torque contact seal with higher speed capability than LLU). A JR or JRX suffix (printed for some thin-section sizes) denotes a pressed-steel cage, not a seal.
• At 60 mm bore 6012 is in NTN's upper general-purpose range; the pressed-steel cage is standard but mid-section 63xx sizes at this bore can be ordered with a machined brass cage (suffix M) for heavy-shock or very-low-speed duty — confirm cage material with the NTN channel if the application sees impact loads.
• At 7000 r/min the grease limiting speed for 6012 covers medium-duty industrial drives; the open or shielded execution can run continuously at this speed with standard lithium-soap grease.
• At 32.5 kN dynamic load rating (C) and 23.2 kN static (C0), 1.73 kN fatigue load limit Cu, 6012 is a medium-load bearing suitable for most electric-motor and pump duty; the C0/C0r ratio matters for preloaded or thrust-loaded arrangements, so confirm the static safety factor with the NTN catalogue.
• At 414 g, 6012 requires a soft-jaw vise or arbor press for mounting — never hammer it onto the shaft, and support the opposite ring to avoid brinelling the raceways.
• The 60×95×18 mm envelope of 6012 gives a D/d ratio of 1.58 and 17.5 mm radial section height — this thin section saves space but is sensitive to misalignment and shock; confirm the housing stays round within IT7 and the shaft does not deflect past the raceway contact angle under load.
• The 32.5/23.2 kN load ratings, 1.73 kN fatigue load limit Cu NTN lists the grease limiting speed at 7000 r/min for this designation; oil-mist or jet lubrication raises the ceiling but requires a sealed-housing review. and 414 g mass here are NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E figures for 6012 on the 60×95×18 mm ISO 15 envelope; internal geometry and ratings legitimately differ between brands, so re-verify before substituting another manufacturer's 6012 in a rated drive.
• NTN's pressed-steel cage (no cage suffix) is the quiet standard for this size; for sustained running close to the limiting speed or for heavy shock duty, ask the NTN channel whether a machined-cage execution of 6012 is listed.
• NTN date-codes its packaging; rotate stock first-in-first-out, because the grease inside sealed units ages on the shelf — after three to five years of storage, check the grease condition before putting the bearing into service.