There are three principal types of thrust bearing in common usage. All three are frequently used in conjunction with an associated journal bearing:

The simplest is the flat land thrust plate or washer, normally of babbitt on steel. This can carry loads in the order of 4MPa (50 psi) and is often used mainly for axial location.Taper-Land bearings increase capacity by machining taper-lands into the surface, providing a defined converging geometry that can increase the specific load capacity to approximately 1.72 MPa (250 psi).The highest load capability is offered by the tilting pad thrust bearing which uses steel pads with a symmetrically positioned support pivot. Tilting pad designs commonly carry loads up to 4 MPa (580 psi).

Waukesha Bearings also offers a full range of variations on the main thrust bearing types, including self-equalizing and non-equalizing products with various types of lubrication arrangements from fully flooded to Pocket Feed® and Directed Lubrication.
Begin the exploration of bearing types for your specific application with the help of our Bearing Application Questionnaire.