Abstract: An ice maker having an auger which rotates within a cylindrical body on the inner surface of which ice crystals are formed to scrape the crystals off the surface and advance them upwardly in to the extruding passage of an extruding head above the auger to form hard bodies of ice which are broken into pieces and stored in a reservoir surrounding the head. A thrust bearing disposed between the head and a portion of the auger shaft extending above the head is made up of two thin disks of different low friction materials both of which are hygroscopic. The bearing assembly operates in the moist atmosphere of the housing so that the hygroscopic elements absorb moisture which produces dimensional changes in the disks to compensate for material lost by frictional wear.