6301-2RS-NTN bearing: complete specifications & equivalents

Specification table

Source: catalog reference (NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E (2024)) · extracted 2026-09-25

Parameters extracted from the official NTN Ball and Roller Bearings catalogue (NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E (2024)); NTN® is a trademark of NTN Corporation, used here for identification only — mpnbase is not an authorized NTN distributor. Boundary dimensions are ISO 15 interchangeable; current production values may differ, verify at ntnglobal.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 6301-2RS-NTN model number is decoded

In the 6300-series (diameter series 3 of ISO 15) the last two digits encode the bore: 6301 carries bore code 12 = 12 mm. Outside diameter 37 mm and width 12 mm come from the ISO 15 boundary-dimensions general plan. Suffix -2RS denotes two contact-type elastomer seals over a lifetime grease fill; the sealing lips add drag compared with open or shielded versions. For normal-load mounting with a rotating inner ring on a 12 mm shaft, typical catalogue practice is a j5 shaft seat with an H7 housing bore — verify against the actual load direction and magnitude. NTN's contact-seal catalogue number is 6301LLU (suffix LLU, or LLH low-torque variant), mapped here from the industry-neutral -2RS spelling; the contacting lip lowers the speed ceiling versus the open bearing.

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 6301 with C3 clearance and re-check the residual value after mounting.
• The 63xx medium section at 12 mm bore gains dynamic rating through larger rolling elements on a 37 mm OD; the penalty is mass and a lower limiting speed than the 6212 — do not specify it for speed-critical shafts.
• Heat is the enemy of the sealed 6301-2RS: sustained running near the lip temperature limit hardens the rubber, after which grease escapes and dirt tracks in — watch the housing temperature in hot drives.
• Never wash a sealed 6301-2RS-NTN in solvent or press it home via the outer ring; solvent destroys the grease thickener and mounting force through the seal deforms the lip.
• Vibration during standstill brinells the raceways of a 12 mm bearing at ball spacing; if the machine sits idle next to running equipment, turn the shaft over periodically or isolate the arrangement.
• A 12 mm bore listing showing the right d/D/B but no standard or precision-class reference may be a loose-tolerance import; measure bore/OD spread before fitting it to a machined shaft.
• NTN catalogues the contact-sealed version as 6301LLU (suffix LLU), mapped here from the industry-neutral -2RS spelling; it is greased for life and the contacting lip lowers the speed ceiling versus the open bearing.
• At 12 mm bore the 6301 sits in NTN's small-bore range; ABEC-1/P0 runout is standard, and the pressed-steel cage is adequate up to the grease limiting speed — for higher accuracy (spindles, instruments) ask NTN for a P6 or P5 tolerance-class listing before relying on catalogue P0 figures.
• NTN rates 6301 at 15000 r/min grease limiting speed — this is an electric-motor range; keep the grease fill at 25–35% of the free bearing volume and avoid mixing grease thickener types if regreasing through the seal lip.
• NTN rates 6301 at 10.8 kN dynamic (C) and 4.2 kN static (C0), 0.33 kN fatigue load limit Cu; this light-to-medium rating suits fractional-horsepower drives and instruments — for conveying or gearbox duty with shock loads, verify the equivalent dynamic load stays well below C.
• At 60 g, 6301 is light enough for hand assembly but should be pressed on with a fitting sleeve against the inner ring; do not strike the outer ring or cage with a hammer.
• The 12×37×12 mm envelope of 6301 gives a D/d ratio of 3.08 and 12.5 mm radial section height — a heavy section built 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 10.8/4.2 kN load ratings, 0.33 kN fatigue load limit Cu NTN lists the grease limiting speed at 15000 r/min for this designation; oil-mist or jet lubrication raises the ceiling but requires a sealed-housing review. and 60 g mass here are NTN Ball and Roller Bearings CAT.No.2203-3/E figures for 6301LLU on the 12×37×12 mm ISO 15 envelope; internal geometry and ratings legitimately differ between brands, so re-verify before substituting another manufacturer's 6301 in a rated drive.
• Two NTN bearings of the same designation from different production lots can carry minor internal-geometry revisions; for paired or preloaded arrangements on one shaft, order a single lot through the NTN distributor.
• Order the C3 internal-clearance version (6301 with C3 after the seal code) when the shaft fit is tight or the shaft-to-housing temperature gradient exceeds roughly 10 °C — the residual clearance after mounting, not the catalogue CN figure, decides service life.