Thordon Bearings' RiverTough tailshaft system surpasses 500 workboat installations

Thordon Bearings has announced that its RiverTough tailshaft bearing system has now exceeded 500 installations across the global workboat sector, marking a major milestone for the company.

Originally developed as a retrofit option for vessels operating in muddy and abrasive coastal and inland waterways, RiverTough has increasingly been specified for newbuilds. When paired with Thordon’s nickel-chrome-boron (NiCrB) hard-coated shaft sleeves, the bearing has proven to last at least twice as long as traditional rubber bearings, even under the harsh conditions of the Mississippi River. Operators there report minimal wear of just 0.07–0.1mm over 6,000–7,000 operating hours annually.

RiverTough’s durability significantly reduces maintenance and associated costs, making it an attractive option for tow- and tugboat operators. With over 400 installations in the U.S. alone, supported by warehouses in New Orleans and Paducah, the system has also seen strong uptake in South America.

In addition to its long service life, RiverTough offers easier machining, installation and alignment. Its 3:1 length-to-diameter ratio also promotes better water flow and minimises edge loading compared with rubber alternatives.

“This is a notable milestone for RiverTough tailshaft bearings, and for Thordon, and part of a growing market acknowledgement that using RiverTough tailshaft bearings leads to reduced maintenance requirements, allowing owners to keep boats working longer, moving their cargo with less downtime,” said Jason Perry, Thordon regional manager, North America.

“We are responding to customer needs, and that has allowed us to continue ‘Thordonising’ the workboat fleet, by growing RiverTough and NiCrB Thordon shaft sleeve numbers but also by serving increasing demand for durable TG100 mechanical shaft seals, ThorPlas-Blue and SXL rudder bearings, Thordon pucker seals, and ThorPlas-Blue steering linkage bearings,” he added.