Which of the following is designed to support axial loads among bearings?

• A. Ball Bearings
• B. Cylindrical Roller Bearings
• C. Thrust Bearings
• D. Needle Bearings

Answer: (C)

Axial loads are forces that act along the shaft’s axis. Bearings built to handle these thrust forces have raceways and rolling elements arranged to resist motion along that axis. Thrust bearings are designed specifically for this purpose, providing the necessary support for forces parallel to the shaft and preventing axial movement.

Ball bearings and cylindrical roller bearings are optimized for radial loads—forces perpendicular to the shaft. They can handle some axial load in certain designs, but their geometry is not intended to carry large thrust loads. Needle bearings likewise focus on radial support in a compact form, with little intrinsic capacity for axial loading.

So, when the requirement is to support axial (thrust) loads, thrust bearings are the appropriate choice.