In a rotating shaft machine, the rotating shaft is usually equipped with a thrust collar which cooperates with stationary thrust bearings on either side of the thrust collar to prevent excessive axial movement of the rotating shaft. Lubrication is furnished to each bearing to protect the bearing as the shaft migrates toward that bearing. Prior art lubrication systems provided either equal amounts of lubrication fluid to equal sized bearings or a lesser amount of lubrication fluid to a smaller thrust bearing. It has been discovered that the total flow requirement for lubrication fluid can be reduced by using a lubrication fluid distribution means which tracks the position of the thrust collar and provides lubrication in response to the position of the thrust collar relative to the thrust bearings.