A roll journal assembly for use in a molten bath environment having roll arms supporting a clamp , the clamp having an inner wall defining a substantially cylindrical passage therethrough for receiving a roll journal rotatable about a central longitudinal axis, said axis defining the center of two roll ends of the rotatable roll journal , the roll journal assembly comprising: - a plurality of semi-cylindrical slots extending longitudinally along the inner wall of the clamp and extending along the whole length of the cylindrical passage ; - a plurality of corresponding cylindrical ceramic bars having a body and two ends , said cylindrical ceramic bars installed into said semi-cylindrical slots characterized in that : - the rotatable roll journal is surrounded by a journal sleeve , - said cylindrical ceramic bars are installed into said semi-cylindrical slots so that at least a portion of said body of the cylindrical ceramic bars extends into said passage for registration with the journal sleeve ; - the roll arms further have a thrust bearing insert mounted within an aperture in the roll arm for dampening side thrusts of the roll journal during rotation, each end of the roll journal being in registration with the thrust bearing insert , and the thrust bearing insert comprises: - a thrust sleeve having an open flanged end and a closed other end defining a cylindrical interior cavity ; - said thrust sleeve inserted into the aperture of the roll arm so that the cylindrical interior cavity axially aligns with the central longitudinal axis of the roll arm and said flanged end faces the roll journal for limiting lateral movement of said thrust sleeve away from the roll journal ; - a thrust cylindrical ceramic bar of substantially the same length as said cylindrical interior cavity of the sleeve and having a first end receivable in said sleeve and a second end for registration with the roll journal ; and - an insert protection cover installed over the closed other end of the thrust sleeve for limiting the flow of molten material onto the thrust sleeve . - a plurality of semi-cylindrical slots extending longitudinally along the inner wall of the clamp and extending along the whole length of the cylindrical passage ; - a plurality of corresponding cylindrical ceramic bars having a body and two ends , said cylindrical ceramic bars installed into said semi-cylindrical slots - the rotatable roll journal is surrounded by a journal sleeve , - said cylindrical ceramic bars are installed into said semi-cylindrical slots so that at least a portion of said body of the cylindrical ceramic bars extends into said passage for registration with the journal sleeve ; - the roll arms further have a thrust bearing insert mounted within an aperture in the roll arm for dampening side thrusts of the roll journal during rotation, each end of the roll journal being in registration with the thrust bearing insert , - a thrust sleeve having an open flanged end and a closed other end defining a cylindrical interior cavity ; - said thrust sleeve inserted into the aperture of the roll arm so that the cylindrical interior cavity axially aligns with the central longitudinal axis of the roll arm and said flanged end faces the roll journal for limiting lateral movement of said thrust sleeve away from the roll journal ; - a thrust cylindrical ceramic bar of substantially the same length as said cylindrical interior cavity of the sleeve and having a first end receivable in said sleeve and a second end for registration with the roll journal ; and - an insert protection cover installed over the closed other end of the thrust sleeve for limiting the flow of molten material onto the thrust sleeve . <EOS>