On example of a rotorcraft bearing system includes a bearing housing attached to an elastomeric bearing on a longitudinal axis, an end surface of the elastomeric bearing attached to an end surface of the bearing housing. The rotorcraft bearing system also includes a sliding contact bearing having an end surface. The rotorcraft bearing system also includes an intermediate sliding contact bearing material layer. Under load on the longitudinal axis, the end surface of the sliding contact bearing is configured to contact an opposing end surface of the bearing housing through the intermediate sliding contact bearing material layer to form a rotational slip joint.