Thrust bearing

A thrust bearing comprising:

• a first bearing washer having an integral cylindrical flange formed as a single piece with said first bearing washer by bending an outer peripheral edge of a circular seat plate having a flat track into an L-letter shape, an outer cylindrical surface of said cylindrical flange having a substantially constant radius over the entire length of said cylindrical flange in an axial direction thereof;
• a second bearing washer comprising a circular seat flat plate which has a flat track so as to face a track of said first bearing washer;
• a plurality of rolling elements juxtaposed between said tracks;
• and
• a circular cage that holds and guides said rolling elements,
• said thrust bearing comprising a single constitutive unit which is assembled by inserting said cage holding said rolling elements and said second bearing washer into said cylindrical flange of said first bearing washer,
• wherein an outer circumferential surface of said second bearing washer has a stepped notch portion,
• a leading edge of said cylindrical flange of said first bearing washer has a wall thickness thinner than said cylindrical flange, and is inserted into said notch portion in a state of being bent over the entire circumference thereof with a slight clearance without projecting from an outer seat surface of said second bearing washer,
• said second bearing washer has a wall thickness thicker than said first bearing washer, and
• said cage is formed by bending a circular steel plate, and a cylindrical surface of a bent inner peripheral edge of said cage has substantially the same inner diameter as said first and second bearing washers, said cage being provided between said tracks.