A rolling thrust bearing construction is constituted of a pair of bearing plates with opposing faces disposed in a spaced alignment with a rolling ball assembly positioned between the opposing faces to support relative movement between the bearing plates. The rolling thrust bearing is mounted to the open end of the skirt of a piston disposed in a cylinder to compensate for non-axial motion relative to the cylinder axis due to the articulating motions of connecting elements or any structural misalignments within an engine drive train assembly.
