Any plastic with a hardness in the Shore D system or rockwell value of 90+ should do for what you need (low cycle bearing). Polyethelenes are cheap and cheerful but can expand with water penetration and seize. Engineering nylons are inexpensive too and again can swell and shrink depending on environmental conditions.
If you want the best high-load low wear material then PEEK is going to be the obvious choice as it is self lubricating. Derlin is good but it can shatter and is what 90% of gearbox thrust bearing are made from. The best performing plastic I have ever used is vesconite and you could easily pick up an old component of this from a shipyard say for nothing and machine your own part from it.
If your really stuck then a good hardwood can also make an excellent bearing particularly if you go across the grain and line it with grease.
If you want the best high-load low wear material then PEEK is going to be the obvious choice as it is self lubricating. Derlin is good but it can shatter and is what 90% of gearbox thrust bearing are made from. The best performing plastic I have ever used is vesconite and you could easily pick up an old component of this from a shipyard say for nothing and machine your own part from it.
If your really stuck then a good hardwood can also make an excellent bearing particularly if you go across the grain and line it with grease.
