Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward a disc drive actuator assembly including an e-block, a bearing, and a sleeve. The bearing includes an inner race, an outer race and a plurality of balls between the inner and outer races. The inner race being coupled to a pivot shaft of a disc drive, and the bearing being configured and arranged to facilitate rotation of the e-block around the pivot shaft. The sleeve coupling the outer race of the bearing to the e-block, and includes a groove along an inner diameter of the sleeve adjacent the outer race. The groove and outer race mitigate rotational torque changes due to thermal effects upon the disc drive actuator assembly by allowing the outer race of the bearing to deform into or away from the groove and therein mitigate or prevent the generation of certain forces in bearings.