6203-RSR bearing: complete specifications & equivalents
The 6203-RSR is a ISO 15 radial bearing sized 17 x 40 x 12 mm (bore x OD x width) with RSR sealing. Verify dimensions against the official catalog before ordering.
Specification table
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | SKF |
| Bore diameter d | 17 mm |
| Outer diameter D | 40 mm |
| Width B | 12 mm |
| Material | GCr15 |
| Seal / shield | RSR |
| Internal clearance | CN / C3 available |
| Tolerance class | P0 |
| Cage | steel, stamped ribbon (J-type) |
| Basic dynamic load rating C | 9.95 kN |
| Basic static load rating C0 | 4.75 kN |
| Fatigue load limit Pu | 0.2 kN |
| Reference speed (thermal) | 38000 rpm |
| Limiting speed (mechanical) | 19000 rpm |
| Operating temperature | -30 to +120 °C |
| Mass | 67 g |
| Manufacturer designation | SKF 6203-2RSL |
| Standard | ISO 15 |
| Catalog version | SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018) |
| Last verified | 2026-09-25 |
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.
Dimensions in inches & 6200-series range
| Bore d | 0.669 in |
|---|---|
| Outer diameter D | 1.575 in |
| Width B | 0.472 in |
| ISO bore code | 03 |
| Radial section height (D−d)/2 | 11.5 mm |
| Smallest bore in 6200-series | 3 mm |
| Largest outer diameter in 6200-series | 540 mm |
| Width range across 6200-series | 2.5–85 mm |
| Bore position in 6200-series (smallest first) | 10 of 45 |
| Bore above smallest 6200-series size | 14 mm |
Mounting, lubrication & life for 6203-RSR
Recommended fits & mounting
- Rotating inner ring on a 17 mm shaft: j5; housing bore H7 for normal stationary-load outer rings. Reverse the logic if the outer ring rotates.
- Fit by induction heating (max 120 °C) where practical — never drive the ring home through the rolling elements.
- Keep shaft and housing fillet radii below the bearing chamfer so the 12 mm-wide ring seats square on its shoulder.
Lubrication strategy
Non-contact low-drag seal lips retain the factory grease but are not liquid-tight. Treat as grease-for-life in light, dry duty; in dirty or wet positions plan replacement around contamination rather than fatigue.
Worked L10 life example (illustrative duty)
For ball bearings, L10h = (C/P)3 · 106 / (60·n). Taking an example radial equivalent load P = 3 kN at n = 1,500 r/min (a small belted motor duty — substitute the real equivalent load from the application calculation):
C = 9.9 kN → L10h ≈ 405 hours — a warning that this section is lightly rated for a 3 kN load; a heavier section at the same 17 mm bore is the usual fix
Choosing a section at the same 17 mm bore
| Series | Open execution | OD × width | C (kN) | Limiting speed (r/min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60xx | 6003-FAG | 35 × 10 | 6.4 | 31,000 |
| 62xx | 6203-FAG | 40 × 12 | 11.0 | 29,000 |
| 63xx | 6303-FAG | 47 × 14 | 15.8 | 24,500 |
| 64xx | 6403-FAG | 62 × 17 | 23.8 | 16,200 |
| 618xx | 61803-FAG | 26 × 5 | 2.2 | 41,500 |
| 619xx | 61903-FAG | 30 × 7 | 4.6 | 34,500 |
| 160xx | 16003 | 35 × 8 | 6.0 | 31,000 |
A larger section is not a drop-in swap — OD and width change — and same-envelope seal variants are compared on the 17×40×12 envelope page. Match meaning, not the size chart alone: see what the cross-reference levels mean.
Cross references & equivalents
| Equivalent model | Brand | Match level | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6203-2RS-FAG | FAG | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 17×40×12 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs 2RS) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6203-FAG | FAG | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 17×40×12 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs OPEN) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6203-ZZ-FAG | FAG | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 17×40×12 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs ZZ) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6203 | ISO 15 | verify Commonly quoted cross reference; confirm against the target catalog before ordering. | ISO 15 boundary-dimension envelope; seal suffix convention varies by brand (2RS / DDU / LLU / 2RSR) — verify seal design and temperature range before substituting. |
| 6203-2RS-NSK | NSK | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 17×40×12 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs 2RS) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6203-NSK | NSK | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 17×40×12 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs OPEN) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6203-RSR-NSK | NSK | full Dimensions and internal design equivalent — standard interchange. | Identical ISO 15 envelope, seal and ratings band — standard interchange; re-verify precision class and clearance per supplier. |
| 6203-ZZ-NSK | NSK | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 17×40×12 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs ZZ) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6203-2RS-NTN | NTN | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 17×40×12 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs 2RS) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6203-NTN | NTN | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 17×40×12 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs OPEN) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6203-RSR-NTN | NTN | full Dimensions and internal design equivalent — standard interchange. | Identical ISO 15 envelope, seal and ratings band — standard interchange; re-verify precision class and clearance per supplier. |
| 6203-ZZ-NTN | NTN | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 17×40×12 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs ZZ) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 7203 | SKF | verify Commonly quoted cross reference; confirm against the target catalog before ordering. | — |
| W6203-2RS | SKF | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | SKF stainless execution W 6203-2RS1 shares the 17×40×12 mm envelope but rates differently (9.95/4.75 kN vs 8.06/4.75 kN) — not a load-rating equivalent. |
| W6203-ZZ | SKF | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | SKF stainless execution W 6203-2Z shares the 17×40×12 mm envelope but rates differently (9.95/4.75 kN vs 8.06/4.75 kN) — not a load-rating equivalent. |
| W6203 | SKF | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | SKF stainless execution W 6203 shares the 17×40×12 mm envelope but rates differently (9.95/4.75 kN vs 8.06/4.75 kN) — not a load-rating equivalent. |
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 6203-RSR model number is decoded
6203-RSR uses two non-contact elastomer lips with very low drag; coarse debris stays out, but the bearing is not liquid-tight. Within the light 62xx section (diameter series 2 of ISO 15), its bore code 03 comes from the 10/12/15/17 mm exception table, giving a 17 mm bore; the 40 mm outside diameter and 12 mm width follow the same boundary-dimension plan. For a rotating inner ring on a 17 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. SKF's low-friction seal suffix is 2RSL/2RZ (this page's industry-neutral spelling is -RSR); catalogue number 6203-2RSL.
Typical equipment & failure modes
Common applications
- instrument drives
- fractional-horsepower electric motors
- domestic appliances
- power tools
Known failure patterns
- ingress of fine dust or moisture past the non-contact lip in dirty or wet duty (RSR is not liquid-tight)
- lip-lubricant starvation if the bearing runs dry for extended periods
- edge loading from shaft deflection or housing misalignment
- rolling-contact fatigue spalling after the rated L10 life is exceeded
Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute
- Bore codes 00–03 use the exception table: 6203 fits a 17 mm shaft — the code × 5 mnemonic does not apply below code 04 (it would imply 0 mm for code 00).
- At 17 mm bore the 62xx light series is the workhorse section; its 40×12 mm envelope is what most motor and gearbox seats are machined for, so any alternative section must be checked against both this OD and this width, not the bore alone.
- RSR low-friction seals on 6203-RSR run faster than contact-seal 6203-2RS but let fine dust and moisture past the non-contact lip; in dirty or wet duty specify 6203-2RS instead.
- The non-contact lip of 6203-RSR does not retain a lifetime grease fill the way a contact seal does; confirm the regreasing interval for the 17 mm bore position before relying on it as sealed-for-life.
- Grease compatibility is not guaranteed between fills: mixing lithium and polyurea thickeners in a 6200-series position can soften the mixture and leak — clean out the old fill before switching grease types.
- Suffixes stack in a defined order — clearance follows the seal code, e.g. 6203-C3. No clearance suffix means normal CN clearance.
- SKF catalogues the low-friction seal as 6203-2RSL (suffix -2RSL or -2RZ): a non-contact elastomer lip that runs near the open 19000 r/min limiting speed, closer to the open bearing's 38000 r/min reference than the contact-seal version. It keeps coarse debris out without the drag of a contact seal, but is not liquid-tight — use 2RSH for wet or fine-dust positions.
- The 9.95/4.75 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.
Frequently asked questions
What are the dimensions of a 6203-RSR bearing?
A 6203-RSR deep-groove ball bearing has a 17 mm bore, 40 mm outer diameter and 12 mm width (0.669 × 1.575 × 0.472 in), per ISO 15 boundary dimensions. It is fitted with two low-friction non-contact rubber seals.
How should 6203-RSR be mounted?
Apply the mounting force to the ring being fitted: on a 17 mm shaft seat the press load must pass through the inner-ring face only. A fitting sleeve and an arbor press are normally sufficient at this size. Never strike the outer ring, the cage or the seals.
What lubrication does 6203-RSR need?
6203-RSR is supplied pre-greased for life and is not designed to be opened for relubrication; where a relubrication path is required, specify the open 6203 with a housing grease fitting instead.
Why does 6203 not follow the bore-code × 5 rule?
Codes 00–03 use the exception table (10, 12, 15 and 17 mm): 6203 with code 03 has a 17 mm bore. The code × 5 convention starts at code 04 (20 mm).
What is the SKF designation and catalogue data for 6203-RSR?
In the SKF Rolling Bearings catalogue this size is listed as 6203-2RSL — two low-friction non-contact elastomer seals, 17×40×12 mm per ISO 15. Quoted values: C 9.95 kN, C0 4.75 kN, Pu 0.2 kN, limiting speed 19000 r/min, mass 67 g. Brand suffixes (2Z, 2RSH, 2RSL) differ from the industry-neutral spelling 6203-RSR.
Reviewed & verified by the MPN Base engineering desk against source catalog SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018) on 2026-09-25. Read our editorial & correction policy.