Detailed technical content
Single direction and double direction
Thrust ball bearings can be designed for axial load in one direction or both directions. A single-direction bearing locates the shaft in one direction; a double-direction bearing uses a washer arrangement that can accommodate load in both directions. This must be determined before selecting a designation.
This bearing type is not designed to carry significant radial load. If the shaft also has a radial load, the bearing system will normally require another bearing to provide the radial function.
Misalignment and sphered washers
Some configurations use a sphered housing washer together with an aligning seat washer to compensate for initial misalignment caused by machining or installation. This capability is not the same as the self-aligning mechanism of a spherical roller bearing and should not be used to accommodate significant dynamic shaft deflection.
When selecting a thrust ball bearing, check the load direction, the minimum load required at high speed, limiting speed, d/D/H dimensions and washer configuration. On a fast-rotating shaft, maintaining an appropriate load helps limit sliding of the balls on the raceways.
