There are several varieties of tin-based Babbitt in common, among which the mass proportion of Cu element in SnSb11Cu6 is around 6%. The effect of increasing Cu content on mechanical performance of tin-based Babbitt is investigated in this paper. Several new Babbitt samples are remolded by adding Cu powder into molten SnSb11Cu6 Babbitt, and the mass proportions of Cu in the four new samples are 7%, 8%, 9% and 10%. Metallographic analysis, high-temperature compression experiment, friction-wear test and high temperature hardness test are conducted to study the performance of new samples and determine a Cu content to realize the optimal performance. The research results indicate that: 1) the influence of increasing Cu content on metallographic structure is quite significant. Hard Cu6Sn5 phase would increase and α Solid Solution (Sn) would decrease. The proportion of β phase (SnSb) doesn’t change a lot and the grain size enlarges slightly. 2) With the increasing of Cu adding content, compressive yield strength increase at first, and then decreases. When the adding content of Cu powder is around 1%~2%, maximum compressive force and compressive yield strength are larger. 3) The increasing of Cu content doesn’t make an obvious change in friction coefficient of Babbitt alloy. However, anti-wear performance under dry friction is weakened. 4) The softening temperature and hardness under high temperature (90℃) are enhanced by increasing the mass proportions of Cu to around 7%~8%. As the compressive yield strength and the friction-wear performances are not obviously decreased, So the conclusion is that this tin-based Babbitt alloy with the 7%~8% mass proportions of Cu can be used well in sliding bearing, especially in heavy bearing.