One-Piece Thrust Ball Bearings. In addition to handling higher loads than three-piece ball bearings, one-piece bearings are easier to handle. They have an outer band that holds the bearing together and acts as a shield against dust and other contaminants.

A ball thrust bearing is a particular type of rotary ball bearing. Like other ball bearings, they permit rotation between parts, but they are designed to support a high axial load while doing this (parallel to the shaft). Higher speed applications require oil lubrication.