Patent ID: 7104699

Claim:
A thrust bearing with needle rollers, the thrust bearing configured to support axial loading between two components, the thrust bearing comprising: a first race component made of a first sheet metal material comprising high carbon steel and including a flat, circular raceway portion and a flat, circular supporting portion, each defined about an axis, and an axially extending lip portion; a plurality of needle rollers arranged radially with respect to the axis for rolling contact with the flat raceway portion of the first race component; a bearing cage retaining the needle rollers and piloting on the lip portion of the first component; and a second race component made of a second sheet metal material that is more ductile and equal to or greater in thickness than the first race component, the second race component including a flat portion in contact with the supporting portion of the first race component along substantially an entire portion of the supporting portion and, also, including a lip portion extending axially and radially from the flat portion and beyond the lip portion of the first race component such that the second race component is engageable by the bearing cage to hold the first race component, the second race component and the bearing cage together as an assembly distinct from the two components between which axial loading is supported by the thrust bearing.