6018-2RS bearing: complete specifications & equivalents

Specification table

Source: catalog reference (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018)) · extracted 2026-09-24

Parameters extracted from the official SKF Rolling Bearings catalogue (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018)); SKF® and SKF Explorer® are trademarks of AB SKF, used here for identification only — mpnbase is not an authorized SKF distributor. Boundary dimensions are ISO 15 interchangeable; current production values may differ, verify at skf.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 6018-2RS model number is decoded

6018-2RS 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 18 by five gives the 90 mm bore; the 140 mm outside diameter and 24 mm width follow the same boundary-dimension plan. For a rotating inner ring on a 90 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. SKF's contact-seal catalogue number is 6018-2RS1 (older text: -2RS1), mapped here from the industry-neutral -2RS spelling.

Typical equipment & failure modes

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

• Large bores like the 90 mm of 6018-2RS 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.
• Choosing the 60xx extra-light section saves radial space at 90 mm bore, but the trade-off is rating: if the drive sees shock or frequent start-stop cycles, re-check the L10 life against a 6218 before committing to the smaller envelope.
• Contact seals add drag and heat: 6018-2RS runs slower and cooler-limited than the open 6018; rubber lips are generally limited to roughly 80–110 °C continuous depending on grease, and C3 clearance is the common hot-duty choice.
• Never wash a sealed 6018-2RS in solvent or press it home via the outer ring; solvent destroys the grease thickener and mounting force through the seal deforms the lip.
• Axial location must clamp the ring face, not the seal area: a shoulder or circlip bearing on the seal side of the 24 mm-wide ring of 6018-2RS drags the lip and overheats it.
• Vibration during standstill brinells the raceways of a 90 mm bearing at ball spacing; if the machine sits idle next to running equipment, turn the shaft over periodically or isolate the arrangement.
• SKF catalogues the contact-sealed version as 6018-2RS1 (older printings may read -2RS1); it is shipped pre-greased and its 2800 r/min limiting speed is set by seal-lip drag and grease life versus the open bearing's 10000 r/min thermal reference speed. The single-seal catalogue number is 6018-RS1, used where one shaft side needs external relubrication.
• A one-seal execution 6018-RS1 exists for arrangements that lubricate through the open side; fitting 6018-2RS1 instead means lifetime grease and no external oil supply — mixing the two in the same shaft can starve the sealed position.
• The 60.5/50 kN ratings here are SKF Explorer-class figures from catalogue PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018); SKF can revise internal geometry and ratings without changing the designation, so treat the catalogue version and date as part of the specification and re-verify for critical drives.