Bearing system for a turbocharger

A bearing assembly comprising:

• a bearing housing (16) having a bore (38) extending therethrough;
• a shaft (26) extending through said bore (38) and adapted to rotate at high speed with respect to said housing (16) and being subjected to axial thrust forces applied thereto in both axial directions;
• a pair of floating journal bearings (44,46) rotatably mounted within said bore (38) and rotationally supporting said shaft, each journal bearing having an inner surface in proximity to and encompassing a shaft portion and an outer surface in proximity to said bore (38), each journal bearing (44, 46) further having an inboard end and an outboard end;
• and
• a generally cylindrical bearing spacer axially interposed between said journal bearings, the inner diameter of said spacer being greater than the outer diameter of said shaft, and the outer diameter of said spacer being smaller than the inner diameter of said bore (38);
• wherein the outer surface area of each journal bearing is greater than the inner surface area, and
• wherein said inboard end of each journal bearing includes an axial recess for receiving an outboard end of said bearing spacer, the bearing spacer thereby axially locating said journal bearings, and the journal bearings radially locating said bearing spacer.