Cheap bearing extensions, think this will work?

[kgrant]

Think this will work or help at all??

I just have it mocked up on the machine. Those are 1 3/4" coupling nuts. Drilled the flanges out so i can use 1/2" bolts.

So what do you guys think.....am I wasting my time?

[jpswift1]

Wow, that's such a great idea!!! It's cheap, easy, and it looks like would work pretty well, especially if you were to weld a couple pieces of steel to reinforce it. This is definitley the next mod on my Hustler BIGFOOT, especially since I'm running those huge Vampire ASX tires. Thanks for posting this!

[kgrant]

I don't think it would be enough if you were going to run tracks. But it should help out what I think is a very undersized bearing for the application. We're asking that bearing to do alot, now it has a friend to help it.

Would be easy to add a bar to tie the axles together too.

I don't think that cross bracing it would help much, but I'll see if they work loose. If the nuts were any longer cross braces would be necessary.

I'm going to use tap bolts and going all the way through the nut, instead of using two short bolts. Will be more difficult get everything lined up and tight, but stronger.

There isn't much room between the two bearings with the wide inner races.

Thanks jpswift1, making me feel a bit better tonight, especially after I just figured out I got the wrong inner bearings....

[brushcutter]

Really Really good thinking Kgrant: more strength, simple design, not to heavy...I like it!!! Do you think pillow blocks and square tubing would make a simple axle to axle tie? The bearings could possibly be offset toward the rim, if the rim was big enough. Might really help reduce the stress that tracks put on the bearings. Just a thought.

[boncrshr]

Good idea....I was thinking about the cross-bracing too....let us know how your testing comes out. But I think you are right, it should definitely be stronger as is. What I like as well is that it adds some axle protection also.

BTW, I have not had any bearing failures to date...and I have basically no water coming in through the bearings. The only thing I can attribute this too, could possibly be Buffalo Bearings, and I used the procedures listed in the Max II bearing replacement article on this site. The 3M strip caulk works VERY well, and it is much easier to prep the surface when you go to re-seal. I used RTV the first time, and it did not seal and was hard to remove completely.

[LarryW]

I think that is a great idea. Seems like it would work to me. Looks great.

[LarryW]

My brain started rotating a little from last post. May be you could find some pipe or steel tubing just a tad smaller then the bearing flange and weld the nut extenders inside of it. Or even flat stock welded to the nuts making a triangle shape?

May not be needed but that would increase the stength of it Im sure.

Great work!!!

[kgrant]

Brushcutter, good idea on the pillow blocks and square tubing. Somebody should try it!

Pillow Blocks

Larry, I thought about putting pipe around the flanges too. But the thinnest wall pipe, in 5" diameter I could find was like 5/16" thick, and more $$ and weight than i wanted to put into it. The pipe would also make the outer bearing a seal, which would be good untill it started leaking. Then you would need a drain plug. And then you couldn't grease the inner bearing.

I think with the 1/2" bolts, it will be strong enough. The stock bolts were 3/8" I think.

Wish I would have seen they make heavy duty (thicker) flanges (0.134") before I ordered the standard flanges (0.104").

Flanges

With the bearing extenders that Max sells, don't they install an extra brace plate on the frame as well? But they're planning on running tracks with their kits.

I just think that having that extra bearing like i've setup would have to extend the outer bearing life. On my machine the outer bearing is all that locates the axle in the machine, that's a lot of thrust load on the bearing, which this style of bearing isn't designed to handle. And the axle deflection should be less, so it will be harder for contaminants to get past the seals during operation. But we'll see what happens!

[LarryW]

The thinnest wall pipe, in 5" diameter I could find was like 5/16" thick, and more $$ and weight than i wanted to put into it. The pipe would also make the outer bearing a seal, which would be good untill it started leaking. Then you would need a drain plug. And then you couldn't grease the inner bearing.

I think with the 1/2" bolts, it will be strong enough. The stock bolts were 3/8" I think.

Your probably right with it being strong enough. Though you could drill 4 big holes in it around the piping. One near the grease jerk. Others so it would be free flowing and non sealed housing. But the more money thing would still be there. But like you said, its strong enough like it is. Great design.

[kgrant]

Hmmm, was just thinking that if you used a 4 bolt flange, you could easily mount 2 pieces of flat bar or square tube or angle, ect. to tie the axles together. I'm not going to do it, but I bet it would work.

[Maniac]

Looks OK. I think your idea of threading one long bolt through would be the best bet. It would be like a double nut. I think 2 short bolts might work loose as the axle flexes or vibrates. If you don't thread it through the extension nut it might work loose as well. Let us know after the season how it works. I'm doing the bearings on the front axle now but I'm thinking I might have to do the center and back axles later. Good luck