61801 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 61801 model number is decoded

61801 is supplied open, without shields or seals, so the arrangement around it must supply and retain the lubricant. Within the extra-thin 618xx section (diameter series 8 of ISO 15), its bore code 01 comes from the 10/12/15/17 mm exception table, giving a 12 mm bore; the 21 mm outside diameter and 5 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. In the SKF catalogue this open execution carries the bare designation; protected variants are ordered separately as -2Z and -2RSH.

Typical equipment & failure modes

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

• Codes 00–03 are the exception series: 61801 takes its 12 mm bore from the 10/12/15/17 mm table, so two designations only a few millimetres apart can read alike on paper — order by measured shaft size, not by code arithmetic.
• The 618xx thin section at 12 mm bore has only a 4.5 mm radial section height: it saves space but is highly sensitive to misalignment, shaft deflection and shock loads — verify shaft stiffness before choosing it over a 6201.
• Storage matters for open bearings: 61801 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.
• Open bearings tolerate the highest speeds in the 61800-series but need a defined regreasing interval; run-to-failure lubrication is the dominant cause of early failure in open 61801 units.
• 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.
• Deep-groove ball bearings tolerate only minutes of misalignment; if the 21 mm housing cannot be aligned, switch to a self-aligning type rather than shimming 61801.
• The open 61801 needs external sealing and application-supplied lubrication; in the SKF catalogue the protected variants are separate order numbers 61801-2Z (shields) and 61801-2RSH (contact seals), not suffix-free 61801.
• The 1.74/0.915 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.