Thrust bearing starter apparatus

A thrust bearing assembly is provided which reduces initial axial loading on a shaft's thrust bearing in order to correspondingly reduce the required torque for rotational start-up. The shaft's bearing runner is forced in a direction away from its associated thrust bearing during initial start-up procedures by a suitable means for imparting a force on the bearing runner in a direction away from the thrust bearing. The force is provided by a piston and cylinder combination, in the preferred embodiment, which provides an axial force in a direction opposing the initial shaft loading force. An anti-friction guide bearing is used to transfer this force from the piston to the shaft and, in turn, to the bearing runner.