6204-RSR bearing: complete specifications & equivalents
The 6204-RSR is a ISO 15 radial bearing sized 20 x 47 x 14 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 | 20 mm |
| Outer diameter D | 47 mm |
| Width B | 14 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 | 13.5 kN |
| Basic static load rating C0 | 6.55 kN |
| Fatigue load limit Pu | 0.28 kN |
| Reference speed (thermal) | 32000 rpm |
| Limiting speed (mechanical) | 17000 rpm |
| Operating temperature | -30 to +120 °C |
| Mass | 110 g |
| Manufacturer designation | SKF 6204-2RSL |
| 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 | 0.787 in |
|---|---|
| Outer diameter D | 1.85 in |
| Width B | 0.551 in |
| ISO bore code | 04 |
| Radial section height (D−d)/2 | 13.5 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) | 11 of 45 |
| Bore above smallest 6200-series size | 17 mm |
Mounting, lubrication & life for 6204-RSR
Recommended fits & mounting
- Rotating inner ring on a 20 mm shaft: k5; 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 14 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 = 13.5 kN → L10h ≈ 1,013 hours — a warning that this section is lightly rated for a 3 kN load; a heavier section at the same 20 mm bore is the usual fix
Choosing a section at the same 20 mm bore
| Series | Open execution | OD × width | C (kN) | Limiting speed (r/min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60xx | 6004-FAG | 42 × 12 | 10.6 | 27,500 |
| 62xx | 6204-FAG | 47 × 14 | 14.7 | 24,300 |
| 63xx | 6304-FAG | 52 × 15 | 16.9 | 19,800 |
| 64xx | 6404-FAG | 72 × 19 | 30.5 | 14,000 |
| 618xx | 61804-FAG | 32 × 7 | 4.0 | 33,500 |
| 619xx | 61904-FAG | 37 × 9 | 6.4 | 28,500 |
| 160xx | 16004 | 42 × 8 | 7.9 | 26,000 |
A larger section is not a drop-in swap — OD and width change — and same-envelope seal variants are compared on the 20×47×14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6204-2RS-FAG | FAG | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 20×47×14 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs 2RS) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6204-FAG | FAG | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 20×47×14 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs OPEN) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6204-ZZ-FAG | FAG | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 20×47×14 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs ZZ) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6204 | 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. |
| 6204-2RS-NSK | NSK | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 20×47×14 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs 2RS) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6204-NSK | NSK | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 20×47×14 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs OPEN) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6204-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. |
| 6204-ZZ-NSK | NSK | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 20×47×14 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs ZZ) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6204-2RS-NTN | NTN | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 20×47×14 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs 2RS) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6204-NTN | NTN | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 20×47×14 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs OPEN) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 6204-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. |
| 6204-ZZ-NTN | NTN | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | Same 20×47×14 mm envelope per ISO 15; seal variant differs (RSR vs ZZ) — confirm sealing suits the duty. |
| 7204 | SKF | verify Commonly quoted cross reference; confirm against the target catalog before ordering. | — |
| NU204 | SKF | verify Commonly quoted cross reference; confirm against the target catalog before ordering. | — |
| W6204-2RS | SKF | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | SKF stainless execution W 6204-2RS1 shares the 20×47×14 mm envelope but rates differently (13.5/6.55 kN vs 10.8/6.55 kN) — not a load-rating equivalent. |
| W6204-ZZ | SKF | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | SKF stainless execution W 6204-2Z shares the 20×47×14 mm envelope but rates differently (13.5/6.55 kN vs 10.8/6.55 kN) — not a load-rating equivalent. |
| W6204 | SKF | partial Main dimensions match; tolerances, seals or internal clearance differ. | SKF stainless execution W 6204 shares the 20×47×14 mm envelope but rates differently (13.5/6.55 kN vs 10.8/6.55 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 6204-RSR model number is decoded
6204-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), multiplying bore code 04 by five gives the 20 mm bore; the 47 mm outside diameter and 14 mm width follow the same boundary-dimension plan. For a rotating inner ring on a 20 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 low-friction seal suffix is 2RSL/2RZ (this page's industry-neutral spelling is -RSR); catalogue number 6204-2RSL.
Typical equipment & failure modes
Common applications
- small gearboxes
- conveyors and drives
- agricultural equipment
- fans and blowers
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
- At a 20 mm bore, a shaft-seat burr or an overtight setscrew can score the thin inner ring of 6204-RSR; check shaft finish and runout (target Ra ≤ 1.6 µm) before pressing it home.
- At 20 mm bore the 62xx light series is the workhorse section; its 47×14 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.
- The low-drag lip of 6204-RSR barely touches the inner ring; after long shelf storage the grease can separate, so rotate the rings by hand and confirm smooth, silent running before fitting.
- The non-contact lip of 6204-RSR does not retain a lifetime grease fill the way a contact seal does; confirm the regreasing interval for the 20 mm bore position before relying on it as sealed-for-life.
- 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.
- Suffixes stack in a defined order — clearance follows the seal code, e.g. 6204-C3. No clearance suffix means normal CN clearance.
- SKF catalogues the low-friction seal as 6204-2RSL (suffix -2RSL or -2RZ): a non-contact elastomer lip that runs near the open 17000 r/min limiting speed, closer to the open bearing's 32000 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 13.5/6.55 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 6204-RSR bearing?
A 6204-RSR deep-groove ball bearing has a 20 mm bore, 47 mm outer diameter and 14 mm width (0.787 × 1.85 × 0.551 in), per ISO 15 boundary dimensions. It is fitted with two low-friction non-contact rubber seals.
How does the 6200 compare with other series at the same 20 mm bore?
The '2' is the light diameter series: 47×14 mm with a 13.5 mm radial section at 20 mm bore. A 6304 on the same bore is larger and higher-rated; a 6004 is smaller and lower-rated.
Are 6204 bearings from different brands interchangeable?
For boundary dimensions, yes: every brand's 6204 uses the same ISO 15 envelope (20×47×14 mm). Load ratings, limiting speeds, clearance, precision class and sealing design can differ, so verify those in the supplier catalogue when substituting. Seal suffixes also differ by brand (2RS, DDU, LLU, 2RSL and similar).
What internal clearance does 6204-RSR have?
Unless a clearance suffix says otherwise, 6204-RSR is manufactured to normal (CN) radial internal clearance. Tight fits and hot shafts consume clearance in service — for those conditions order the C3 execution of 6204 and verify the residual clearance after mounting.
What is the SKF designation and catalogue data for 6204-RSR?
In the SKF Rolling Bearings catalogue this size is listed as 6204-2RSL — two low-friction non-contact elastomer seals, 20×47×14 mm per ISO 15. Quoted values: C 13.5 kN, C0 6.55 kN, Pu 0.28 kN, limiting speed 17000 r/min, mass 110 g. Brand suffixes (2Z, 2RSH, 2RSL) differ from the industry-neutral spelling 6204-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.