Graphite-Plugged Bronze Thrust Washers with Oil Grooves & Mounting Holes

Grooved Bronze Thrust Plates for Axial Sliding Contact

For a fixed thrust plate, identify the rotating or oscillating component that contacts the bearing face. Provide the axial load and the actual swept contact area. The nominal outside diameter does not describe the working pressure where the mating part contacts only a smaller annular or local region.

Define the lubricant route

If oil or grease is supplied to the assembly, show the feed passage and its connection to the face grooves on the drawing. Specify groove width, depth and ends. Confirm whether the small central opening is a feed, a clearance feature or another drawing-defined detail. The graphite pattern and supplemental lubrication arrangement should be reviewed together for the actual service conditions.

Material and mounting confirmation

State the copper alloy grade and graphite specification. If comparing a tin-bronze option with a high-tensile brass option, include load, sliding speed, temperature and mating material so the options can be reviewed against the same requirements. No fixed performance limit is implied by the material family name.

For a bolt-on bronze thrust plate quote, send the drawing, contact footprint, groove and oil-feed details, fasteners, quantity and duty cycle. For an annular washer geometry, review our graphite-plugged thrust washers. For a rectangular guide surface, review our countersunk slide plates.

Graphite-Plugged Bronze Thrust Washers and Plates

This is a metal bearing component for a specified sliding or thrust contact. The copper-alloy body supports the intended contact load, while embedded graphite provides solid lubrication at the working surface. It is a bearing washer or thrust plate, rather than a soft graphite sealing gasket.

Potential enquiries include machinery thrust faces, tooling support surfaces and pivot or slide assemblies requiring a fixed bearing plate. Suitability depends on the actual load, contact area, sliding motion, mating surface and environment. The photograph illustrates the construction; dimensions, load ratings and alloy grades are confirmed separately.

Confirm whether your assembly needs a disc-style thrust plate, a washer with a larger central bore, or another outline. The small central opening shown in the photograph should be assigned a function and dimensions on the drawing rather than assumed to be a shaft bore or oil inlet.

Oil Grooves and Mounting Holes

The cross-pattern grooves are machining features in the bearing face. Their width, depth, end positions and connection to any lubricant supply must be specified for the application. Where supplemental lubrication is required, the groove arrangement must match the approved supply and maintenance plan.

Graphite plugs and oil grooves serve different purposes within the bearing design. The presence of graphite does not establish whether added oil or grease is required, and the presence of grooves does not by itself establish a complete lubrication system. Confirm the intended operating mode before ordering.

The illustrated part has four mounting holes. Specify the hole centres, diameters, recess geometry and mating fasteners from clear datums. Confirm the installed fastener-head position and clearance from the moving component. Grooves, plugs and fixing holes must remain compatible with the working contact area and supporting structure.

For other geometries, see our graphite-plugged thrust washers and graphite-plugged bronze wear plates.

Dimensions and Quotation Checklist

Provide a dimensioned drawing, required quantity and working conditions. Identify the working face, mounting datum and lubrication connections.

The shown cross-groove and four-hole layout is an example. BONIU reviews your drawing before confirming custom groove patterns, mounting arrangements and manufacturing requirements.

Installation and Lubrication Checks

Clean and deburr the mounting face, holes and mating component. Ensure that the plate receives the intended even support and that dirt or burrs cannot create local high spots. Protect the graphite plugs and groove edges during handling and installation.

Use the specified fasteners and tightening sequence. Check that screw heads remain clear of the sliding path and that tightening does not distort the bearing face. Verify the intended axial clearance, alignment and contact area after assembly.

If the design uses an oil feed, confirm that the feed passage and grooves align and remain unobstructed. Use only the approved lubricant and supply method. Review running-in, lubrication and inspection requirements for the specific alloy, graphite construction and service conditions.

Self-lubricating construction still requires assessment of wear, contamination, heat and corrosion. Avoid machining new grooves, enlarging fixing holes or altering the graphite pattern without reviewing the effect on the approved bearing design.

Frequently Asked Questions