61803-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 61803-FAG model number is decoded

In the 61800-series (diameter series 8 of ISO 15) the last two digits encode the bore: 61803 carries bore code 17 = 17 mm. Outside diameter 26 mm and width 5 mm come from the ISO 15 boundary-dimensions general plan. With no seal suffix the bearing is open: no shields or seals are fitted and lubrication is supplied by the application. 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. In the Schaeffler HR 1 catalogue this open execution carries the bare designation; protected variants are ordered separately with suffixes 2Z (steel shields), 2RZ (non-contact rubber seals) and 2RSR (lip-contact rubber seals).

Typical equipment & failure modes

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

• At 17 mm bore the ring mass is significant: heat 61803 on an induction heater (max 120 °C), never over an open flame, and plan puller access or a withdrawal sleeve now for the day it has to come off again.
• Only 4.5 mm of radial section separates bore and OD on the 618xx series at 17 mm: ring flex from clamping or an oval housing bore transfers straight into raceway stress, so seat roundness matters more here than on a 6217.
• Storage matters for open bearings: 61803-FAG 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 61803 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.
• Never mix components between two 61803-FAG units: rings, cage and balls are factory-matched and are not field-interchangeable, even between identical designations.
• The open 61803 has no integral sealing; in the Schaeffler HR 1 catalogue the protected variants carry suffixes 2Z (two steel shields), 2RZ (two non-contact rubber seals) and 2RSR (two lip-contact rubber seals). Do not confuse FAG's 2RZ with a contact seal — the RZ lip does not touch the inner ring, which is why its speed capability stays close to the open bearing.
• The 41500 r/min mechanical limiting speed puts 61803 at the top of the HR 1 deep-groove speed range (thermal reference speed 17100 r/min); at these speeds cage design and grease shear dominate — run open with oil-mist or air-over-oil lubrication and verify the thermal reference speed for the actual load before committing.
• At 17 mm bore the 61803 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.
• At 2.23 kN dynamic load rating (C) and 1.46 kN static (C0), 61803 is a light-load FAG bearing: L10 life above a few kN of equivalent load is short, so size up to a 62-series on the same bore if the duty sees shock or frequent starts.
• At only 8 g, 61803 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 17×26×5 mm envelope of 61803 gives a D/d ratio of 1.53 and 4.5 mm radial section height — a thin FAG section that saves space but is sensitive to misalignment and shock; keep the housing round within IT7 and the shaft deflection below the raceway contact envelope.
• The 2.23/1.46 kN load ratings, mass 8 g here are Schaeffler HR 1 Rolling Bearings (Jan 2020) catalogue figures for 61803-FAG on the 17×26×5 mm ISO 15 envelope; internal geometry and ratings legitimately differ between brands, so re-verify before substituting another manufacturer's 61803 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 61803: cage material, seal lip design and ratings can be revised between catalogue generations without any designation change.
• For hot shafts above roughly 100 °C continuous, consult Schaeffler about seal material and grease options for the 2RSR execution of 61803; the standard NBR lip is the economical general-duty choice, not the high-temperature one.