HK1216-2RS bearing: complete specifications & equivalents
The HK1216-2RS is a ISO 3245 radial bearing sized 12 x 18 x 16 mm (bore x OD x width) with 2RS sealing. Verify dimensions against the official catalog before ordering.
Specification table
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | SKF |
| Bore diameter d | 12 mm |
| Outer diameter D | 18 mm |
| Width B | 16 mm |
| Material | GCr15 |
| Seal / shield | 2RS |
| Internal clearance | CN |
| Tolerance class | P0 |
| Cage | none |
| Basic dynamic load rating C | 6.27 kN |
| Basic static load rating C0 | 7.35 kN |
| Fatigue load limit Pu | 0.85 kN |
| Limiting speed (mechanical) | 10000 rpm |
| Operating temperature | -40 to +120 °C |
| Mass | 11 g |
| Manufacturer designation | HK 1216.2RS |
| Standard | ISO 3245 |
| Catalog version | SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018), ch. 7.2 drawn cup needle roller bearings |
| Last verified | 2026-09-26 |
Source: catalog reference (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018), ch. 7.2 drawn cup needle roller bearings) · extracted 2026-09-26
Parameters extracted from the official SKF Rolling Bearings catalogue (SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018), ch. 7.2 drawn cup needle roller bearings); 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 & HK-series range
| Bore d | 0.472 in |
|---|---|
| Outer diameter D | 0.709 in |
| Width B | 0.63 in |
| ISO bore code | 16 |
| Radial section height (D−d)/2 | 3 mm |
| Smallest bore in HK-series | 3 mm |
| Largest outer diameter in HK-series | 68 mm |
| Width range across HK-series | 6–38 mm |
| Bore position in HK-series (smallest first) | 9 of 26 |
| Bore above smallest HK-series size | 9 mm |
Cross references & equivalents
| Equivalent model | Brand | Match level | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| HK1216 | 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. |
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 HK1216-2RS model number is decoded
HK 1216.2RS is an open-end drawn cup needle roller bearing to ISO 3245: a hardened, thin-walled shell of 18 mm outside diameter carrying a caged needle roller set for a 12 mm shaft, listed by SKF in SKF catalogue PUB BU/P1 17000. In HK 1216, Fw = 12 mm names the shaft that becomes the inner raceway and B = 16 mm the cup width; the shell outside diameter 18 mm is fixed by the boundary plan, so the housing bore needs only a press-fit tolerance. Sealed 2RS execution: rubber contact seals on both cup faces, factory grease fill, and the slightly lower ratings of a sealed drawn cup — 6.27 kN C against the open bearing of the same code. The shell itself is the outer ring: hardened sheet steel, closed at neither end (open type), so the shaft can pass through and lubricant can be fed axially along the journal. Selection arithmetic: C 6.27 kN against C0 7.35 kN gives a C0/C ratio of 1.17, and the 0.85 kN fatigue load limit Pu sets the floor for the adjusted-life calculation at contaminated lubrication. The shell is intentionally thin: seat it square with a slow press stroke, support the housing wall behind the bore, and stop the moment the cup face meets the shoulder — hammer blows split drawn cups.
Typical equipment & failure modes
Common applications
- steering column and pedal-box pivots in passenger cars
- idler gears and pulleys in small appliance drives
- spindle clusters of drilling and tapping units
- auto steering gear rack supports
Known failure patterns
- raceway spalling once the catalogue L10 life is exceeded or after overload events
- drawn-cup shell distortion or splitting from a careless press-in without a seating mandrel
- grease starvation at the roller ends when relubrication intervals are stretched in dirty duty
- false brinelling of standby equipment under external vibration
Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute
- On a 12 mm seat the housing bore quality dominates life: a bore 0.02 mm out of round pinches the 18 mm ring or cup into a lobed shape, and the rollers then trace the housing's geometry error, not the design load.
- Oscillating pivots fail differently: rocking through a small angle concentrates wear in the same roller positions — inspect those zones, and consider rotating the assembly's clock position at service intervals.
- Contamination, not fatigue, kills most small needle bearings: with raceways this narrow, one hard particle dents a full-width line — seal the housing even when the bearing execution itself is open.
- The 6.27/7.35 kN ratings and 11 g mass are SKF catalogue values transcribed from ch. 7.2 of PUB BU/P1 17000 (PDF table page 620); combined-type axial ratings appear in the text above because the structured record carries radial values only.
Frequently asked questions
What are the dimensions and ratings of the HK 1216.2RS?
A HK 1216.2RS measures 12 mm bore/Fw × 18 mm outside diameter × 16 mm width (0.472 × 0.709 × 0.63 in). From SKF catalogue PUB BU/P1 17000: radial dynamic rating C 6.27 kN, static C0 7.35 kN, fatigue limit Pu 0.85 kN, limiting speed 10,000 r/min, mass about 11 g.
How is the HK 1216.2RS designation read?
HK = open-end drawn cup needle roller bearing (ISO 3245); the first two digits give Fw 12 mm, the last two the width 16 mm, the shell OD 18 mm follows the plan. 2RS adds both-side contact seals, TN the polymer cage.
Can the HK 1216.2RS run on an unhardened shaft?
No. In this execution the 12 mm shaft journal is the inner raceway: it must be ground and hardened to 58–64 HRC (with matching housing bore quality on the outside). If the shaft cannot meet that, order the inner-ring sibling (NKI/NA execution) plus its ground inner ring instead.
How should the HK 1216.2RS be mounted?
Press the cup in with a shouldered mandrel bearing on the stamped face, into a housing bore sized for a firm press fit; never hammer it or press through the rollers. Then slide the hardened shaft in. For 2RS executions the seals and grease are already in place — no additional sealing is needed.
Reviewed & verified by the MPN Base engineering desk against source catalog SKF PUB BU/P1 17000/1 EN (Oct 2018), ch. 7.2 drawn cup needle roller bearings on 2026-09-26. Read our editorial & correction policy.