I think he meant the Torrington washer (the smooth race), not the Torrington thrust bearing (the thing with rollers). The washer is kind of thick for this application, facing the thrust surface of the gear in a lathe would be a good idea if you go that route?
Exactly. The washer is .030 thick and smooth enough to run a bearing on so is sure as hell won't harm either the gear or the bushing. I buy them at local bearing supply shops - an "off the shelf" item.
