Designed for dirty, abrasive waters

RiverTough Tailshaft Bearings

Increased resilience compared to rubber bearings offers easier alignment and less edge loading (installation at 3:1 vs. 4:1 L/D ratio)

Long Bearing Wearlife in the Toughest Operating Conditions

RiverTough bearings run in combination with hard-coated NCB ThorSleeves routinely outlast rubber bearings by a factor of two or more in the most abrasive operating water conditions. Longer wear life has consistently been confirmed by owners of workboats, pushboats and tugs operating in the US Inland Waterways systems. But don’t take our word for it – Ask our users!

Save Money

It’s a fact. Workboats that operate with RiverTough tailshaft bearings are more reliable – they operate longer, require less maintenance and fewer drydockings. This means less money spent and more money earned!

ThorSleeve

Non-corrosive NCB-hardened ThorSleeves are designed to offer superior performance running in combination with Thordon RiverTough tailshaft and ThorPlas-Blue rudder bearings. Provides a longer wear life and reduced maintenance downtime over the life of the vessel.

TG100 Mechanical Seal 

A high-performance mechanical seal offers the best combination of strength/stiffness and flexibility/elasticity for vessels operating in dirty and abrasive waters.Safe Return to Port Emergency Seal

A unique feature of the TG100 is that the emergency seal allows you to return safely to the nearest port if your primary seal is ever damaged.

Maintenance-Free Shaft Seals

The TG100 seal is designed to operate without any need for spare parts or maintenance between vessel docking periods. The elastomeric bellows and emergency seal have an unlimited shelf life, further reducing any need for expensive overhaul kits in the future. Combine these features with the use of only silicon carbide faces for both the dynamic and stationary faces, TG100 takes the work and cost out of your Workboat.

ThorPlas-Blue Tiller Arm Bushings

ThorPlas-Blue is used to replace highly loaded greased bearings, capable of design pressures up to 6527psi (45MPa). Offers grease-free operation, eliminating the need for the crew to grease.

Reliable Operation

Ensuring reliable operation of all equipment installed above the waterline is a tough issue for any ship’s crew. Originally developed to replace greased bronze bearings, ThorPlas-Blue is lifetime lubricated – lubricants in the homogeneous polymer ensure a low, stable coefficient of friction, even as the bearing wears, while offering long bearing wear life with no maintenance.

High Load Capability
ThorPlas-Blue is used to replace highly loaded greased bearings, capable of design pressure up to 6527psi (45MPa).

SXL Rudder Bearings, Thorseals & SXL Thrust Washers

Thordon’s SXL rudder bearings operate without grease or oil lubrication, in dry or wet environments, and in all rudder bearing applications. Thorseals keep abrasives out of bearings and sleeves.

Thordon SXL thrust washers have a low coefficient of friction, which enables them to operate with no grease.

Grease-Free Operation

SXL offers low friction and long bearing wear life without the use of grease. There is no maintenance due to self-lubricating properties, ensuring smooth operation. The use of rudder Thorseals will keep abrasives away from bearing and sleeve surfaces.

Superior Performance

SXL rudder bearings offer low friction, operating pressures up to 12 N/mm² (1740 psi) and the complete elimination of grease and greasing systems, removing any risk of pollution. Thordon SXL can also withstand high shock loads and edge loading.

To learn more about Thordon Bearings’ solutions for workboats and tugs, visit: Learn more.