61901-ZZ-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 61901-ZZ-FAG model number is decoded

61901-ZZ carries two non-contact sheet-steel shields that hold the factory grease in and keep coarse debris out; they do not seal against liquids. Within the thin 619xx section (diameter series 9 of ISO 15), multiplying bore code 12 by five gives the 12 mm bore; the 24 mm outside diameter and 6 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. Schaeffler HR 1 catalogue order number: 61901-2Z (FAG suffix 2Z), two non-contact steel shields, mapped here from the industry-neutral -ZZ spelling.

Typical equipment & failure modes

Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute

• Interference on a 12 mm shaft plus running heat consumes radial clearance: where the shaft runs hot or the fit is tight, order 61901 with C3 clearance and re-check the residual value after mounting.
• The 619xx thin section at 12 mm bore (6.0 mm section height) cannot shrug off the misalignment a standard section tolerates; keep the housing bores round and aligned, or edge contact will spall the raceways early.
• ZZ shields are non-contact: 61901-ZZ-FAG blocks chips and coarse dust but is not waterproof — do not install it expecting a pressure-wash seal, step up to 61901-2RS for that.
• Shielded 61901-ZZ-FAG units are typically greased for life; prying the shields out for regreasing usually bends them and leaves a gap that throws grease in service.
• Do not quieten a noisy bearing by preloading it: the 61900-series is a deep-groove design, not angular-contact; axial preload raises temperature and shortens grease life.
• Suffixes stack in a defined order — clearance follows the seal code, e.g. 61901-ZZ-FAG-C3. No clearance suffix means normal CN clearance.
• Schaeffler HR 1 lists the shielded version as 61901-2Z — FAG suffix 2Z, two non-contact steel shields. The industry-neutral page spelling is -ZZ; quote the FAG order number when buying through a Schaeffler channel.
• The 38000 r/min mechanical limiting speed puts 61901 at the top of the HR 1 deep-groove speed range (thermal reference speed 23300 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 12 mm bore the 61901 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 2.89 kN dynamic load rating (C) and 1.46 kN static (C0), 61901 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 12 g, 61901 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 12×24×6 mm envelope of 61901 gives a D/d ratio of 2.00 and 6.0 mm radial section height — a heavy FAG section 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 2.89/1.46 kN load ratings, mass 12 g here are Schaeffler HR 1 Rolling Bearings (Jan 2020) catalogue figures for 61901-2Z on the 12×24×6 mm ISO 15 envelope; internal geometry and ratings legitimately differ between brands, so re-verify before substituting another manufacturer's 61901 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.
• For hot shafts above roughly 100 °C continuous, consult Schaeffler about seal material and grease options for the 2RSR execution of 61901; the standard NBR lip is the economical general-duty choice, not the high-temperature one.
• Mixing old and new FAG generations of the same designation in one arrangement is dimensionally acceptable, but where ratings matter — preloaded or matched sets — order both positions from the same generation and lot.