Abstract: A heavy-duty composite radial journal bearing and a method to produce it is described. A pattern of openings is formed through a bearing sleeve representing, for instance, axially aligned metal bars. The openings are subsequently filled wth a metal dissimilar to the sleeve. Filling may be done with the sleeve in place either on a journal or in a housing, in which case the bearing becomes integral to that member by fusion. Alternately, the sleeve may be filled upon a nonwettable mandrel and subsequently used as a floating ring or as a bushing. Final finish machining reveals a pattern which exists throughout the bearing of alternating areas of relatively hard metal and a softer antigalling metal.