Alignment with Laser | Marine Bearings

MARINE BEARINGS

Thordon Bearings offers a range of water-lubricated bearings designed to replace traditional oil and grease-lubricated systems in marine applications. These environmentally-friendly bearings are particularly suited for industries where pollution control and regulatory compliance are critical. By using water as the lubricant, Thordon helps reduce the environmental impact and mitigate the risk of legal, reputational, and operational issues associated with oil or grease leaks into aquatic environments.

THORDON PROPELLER SHAFT BEARING

Thordon Bearings offers a range of propeller shaft bearing solutions designed for open seawater-lubricated systems. With more than 35 years of experience and over 2,000 successful marine propeller shaft bearing applications, Thordon provides proven, reliable, and cost-effective bearing solutions for repairs, conversions, and new builds.

THORDON COMPAC PROPELLER SHAFT BEARINGS

Thordon COMPAC is a high-performance, water-lubricated bearing system designed for blue water conditions, offering reliable, pollution-free lubrication in marine applications. It features a low coefficient of friction to reduce start-up wear and eliminate stick-slip, ensuring smooth, continuous operation. The bearing promotes early formation of a hydrodynamic film at low shaft speeds, minimizing friction and wear, especially during start-ups. Its design includes a smooth lower portion for efficient shaft contact and water grooves in the upper half to lubricate and cool the bearing, ensuring consistent performance and preventing overheating in harsh environments.

THORDON RIVERTOUGH PROPELLER SHAFT BEARINGS

Thordon RiverTough bearings are engineered for highly abrasive and dirty water conditions, making them ideal for applications like river boat propeller shafts and suction cutter head bearings on dredges. Specially formulated for durability, RiverTough bearings deliver twice the wear life of rubber bearings in extreme environments, offering enhanced performance and extended service life in challenging conditions.

THORDON SXL PROPELLER SHAFT BEARINGS

Thordon SXL features a lower coefficient of friction, resulting in reduced break-away torque and smoother operation at lower shaft speeds. It also offers increased resistance to third-particle abrasive wear and provides a longer wear life compared to Thordon XL, making it an ideal choice for demanding applications requiring enhanced durability and performance.

THORDON XL PROPELLER SHAFT BEARINGS

Thordon XL is a general-purpose propeller shaft bearing known for its superior performance compared to many other common bearings. It offers long wear life, a low coefficient of friction, reasonable abrasion resistance, and cost-effectiveness, making it an ideal choice for a wide range of propeller shaft applications.

THORDON TG100 SEAL

The Thordon TG100 is a mechanical seal designed for propeller shafts ranging from 88mm (3.5”) to 305mm (12”) on vessels like workboats, dredgers, tugs, yachts, patrol craft, and other coastal vessels operating in both clean and abrasive-laden water. Built for long wear life and reduced maintenance costs, the TG100 features elastomeric bellows that accommodate both axial and radial shaft movement, compensating for alignment issues. Its emergency seal enables safe, standalone operation, allowing vessels to return to port without damaging the seal. The wedge “lock” design ensures the rotary face remains perfectly square to the shaft for optimal sealing performance.

THORDON SXL RUDDER BEARINGS

Thordon Rudder Bearings are designed for long-lasting, reliable performance in harsh marine environments. Offering a range of water-lubricated bearings, Thordon provides the ideal solution for rudder systems on workboats, tugs, cargo ships, and pleasure yachts. These bearings perform well in both clean and abrasive-laden water, making them suitable for diverse marine conditions.

Thordon SXL Rudder Bearings offer low friction, the ability to handle operating pressures up to 12 MPa (1,740 psi), and eliminate the need for grease or greasing systems, effectively reducing the risk of pollution. Additionally, Thordon SXL is designed to withstand high shock loads and edge loading, ensuring durability even in demanding conditions.

With an impressive list of satisfied customers, Thordon SXL is a proven choice, delivering guaranteed performance and environmental protection for vessels in need of reliable, low-maintenance, and eco-friendly rudder bearings.

SXL RUDDER BEARING GUARANTEE

Thordon guarantees that SXL rudder bearings will deliver 15 years of reliable performance in newbuilds, or double the lifespan of your old non-Thordon bearing (up to 10 years for repairs). If these benchmarks aren’t met, we’ll replace your bearing with a new one, free of charge—ensuring peace of mind and unmatched reliability.

THORPLAS-BLUE STEERING & LINKAGE BEARINGS

ThorPlas-Blue is a high-performance engineered thermoplastic designed for high-pressure applications up to 45 MPa (6,527 psi). It operates efficiently in both wet and dry conditions and offers extremely low wear in non-abrasive environments. This lifetime-lubricated polymer never requires grease or oil, making it a reliable, eco-friendly choice for demanding steering and linkage systems.

HIGH PERFORMANCE

In addition to SXL rudder pintle, stock, and carrier disc bearings, SXL TRAXL and ThorPlas-Blue can be specified grease-free for steering systems, linkage applications, and fin stabilizers. For workboats, ThorPlas-Blue is ideal for the highly loaded bushings in tiller arms and jockey-bar linkages. Both materials offer the benefit of grease-free operation, saving you time, reducing maintenance costs, and eliminating the risk of pollution.

THORPLAS-BLUE FOR DECK MACHINERY

Maintaining reliable operation of deck machinery and steering gear is a constant challenge for ship crews. These bearings typically require frequent maintenance and grease lubrication, and neglecting routine upkeep can lead to costly consequences for ship owners—seized bearings can cause expensive rope replacement, safety risks from manual greasing, and vibration-induced damage to pistons and cylinders.

ThorPlas-Blue offers a maintenance-free solution, completely eliminating the need for grease and reducing pollution risks. This proprietary engineered thermoplastic can withstand pressures up to 45 MPa (6,527 psi), with higher pressures achievable upon review by Thordon Engineering. ThorPlas-Blue is designed to easily retrofit into any application where greased bronze is currently used, making it an ideal, cost-effective upgrade.