Thrust Ball Bearing Thrust ball bearing consists of a shaft washer, a housing washer, and a steel ball with a cage. The shaft washer is used to fix the shaft, and the housing washer is used to fix the parts outside the shaft. Usually, the material of the two washers and balls is chromium steel, while the material of the cage is brass or stainless steel. Thrust ball bearings are widely used in crane hooks, vertical water pumps, vertical centrifuges, jacks, low-speed reducers, etc.