A high speed and heavy load gas foil journal bearing test rig with cylinder loading device was designed and manufactured，and the three-pad gas foil journal bearing was tested. It is measured that both the lift-off speed and the lift-off torque of the bearing increase as the load increases. The bearing load capacity at the speed of 30 000， 40 000，50 000，60 000 r/min was measured by using temperature method. The test gas foil journal bearing can achieve 380，535，700，810 N respectively at these different speeds. During the test，the test rig can run up to 70 000 r/min，and 1 020 N was loaded at 51 000 r/min. The results showed that test rig was set up successfully.