HK1512 bearing: complete specifications & equivalents
The HK1512 is a ISO 3245 radial bearing sized 15 x 21 x 12 mm (bore x OD x width). Verify dimensions against the official catalog before ordering.
Specification table
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | SKF |
| Bore diameter d | 15 mm |
| Outer diameter D | 21 mm |
| Width B | 12 mm |
| Material | GCr15 |
| Seal / shield | open |
| Internal clearance | CN |
| Tolerance class | P0 |
| Cage | none |
| Basic dynamic load rating C | 7.65 kN |
| Basic static load rating C0 | 9.5 kN |
| Fatigue load limit Pu | 1.08 kN |
| Reference speed (thermal) | 15000 rpm |
| Limiting speed (mechanical) | 16000 rpm |
| Operating temperature | -40 to +120 °C |
| Mass | 11 g |
| Manufacturer designation | HK 1512 |
| 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 | 0.591 in |
|---|---|
| Outer diameter D | 0.827 in |
| Width B | 0.472 in |
| ISO bore code | 12 |
| 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) | 12 of 26 |
| Bore above smallest HK-series size | 12 mm |
Cross references & equivalents
| Equivalent model | Brand | Match level | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| HK1512 | ISO 15 | full Dimensions and internal design equivalent — standard interchange. | ISO 15 boundary-dimension envelope; standard interchange — confirm clearance class and precision with the supplier. |
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 HK1512 model number is decoded
Ordering number HK 1512 in SKF catalogue PUB BU/P1 17000 is an open-end HK drawn cup needle roller bearing: nominal code 15 for the 15 mm under-roller diameter and 12 for the 12 mm width. In HK 1512, Fw = 15 mm names the shaft that becomes the inner raceway and B = 12 mm the cup width; the shell outside diameter 21 mm is fixed by the boundary plan, so the housing bore needs only a press-fit tolerance. Open caged execution: the standard HK drawn cup with steel cage, relubricable through the shaft where the housing allows. The suffix TN denotes the glass fibre reinforced PA66 cage; the 2RS execution adds rubber contact seals on both faces, retaining factory grease for life-lubricated pivots. Selection arithmetic: C 7.65 kN against C0 9.5 kN gives a C0/C ratio of 1.24, and the 1.08 kN fatigue load limit Pu sets the floor for the adjusted-life calculation at contaminated lubrication. Mounting: press the cup in with a shouldered mandrel against the stamped end face only — through-the-rollers pressing brinells both raceways; the housing bore takes a firm press fit and the shaft slides in after.
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
- rolling-contact fatigue spalling after the rated L10 life
Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute
- On a 15 mm seat the housing bore quality dominates life: a bore 0.02 mm out of round pinches the 21 mm ring or cup into a lobed shape, and the rollers then trace the housing's geometry error, not the design load.
- Do not interchange envelope-identical needle families blindly: HK 1512 shares its 15×21×12 mm outline with inner-ring and sealed siblings whose ratings differ — the family letters are part of the specification, not decoration.
- Reference and limiting speeds are different limits: the 15,000 r/min reference is the thermal criterion under load, The limiting value is mechanical; the reference value is thermal under load, and grease choice moves it substantially.
- The 7.65/9.5 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
How is the HK 1512 designation read?
HK = open-end drawn cup needle roller bearing (ISO 3245); the first two digits give Fw 15 mm, the last two the width 12 mm, the shell OD 21 mm follows the plan. 2RS adds both-side contact seals, TN the polymer cage.
Can the HK 1512 run on an unhardened shaft?
No. In this execution the 15 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 1512 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.
What limits the service life of a HK 1512?
Beyond the L10 rating, the practical limits are journal/raceway hardness for the 15 mm seat, lubricant condition at the roller ends, and contamination through open ends — the 3.0 mm radial section leaves no reserve once a raceway is dented or ribboned.
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.