DIY PILLOW BLOCKS

bike4life

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I saw that pillow blocks were like 8 dollars each off amazon. This was waaaay over budget. So I made my own for less than 2 dollars. You take a standard 5/8 bearing and measure the circumference. Get a hunk of scrap 1,75” tube and cut off a sliver. Then mark out the circumference of the bearing on the sliver. Shade this region in. cut off the unshaded section. Then take a vise and press the sliver around the bearing and weld it up. Done. The first one took 2 hours. The second one took less than 20minites to make. Harness the power of the learning curve!!! The angle iron thing was a fail as it is weaker than the 2 presses bearings plus the 10 commandments say thall shall not weld bearings. To finish the pilllow block, weld a scrap steel underneath the pipe sliver and drill 2 holes.
 

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LOL! You are prolly going to destroy more bearings then the coast of pillow blocks in the long run.........Curt
 
LOL! You are prolly going to destroy more bearings then the coast of pillow blocks in the long run.........Curt
Hell NOOOOOOO. What r u talking about. The bearings are pressed around the pipe. THEY CANNOT MOVE. I coudl even place a small tack weld or construction adhesive them in. THE BEARINGS MOVE REALLY FREE no resistance. The angle iron thing is Trash disregard it. And plus its worth it. at 16, I don't have a steady job and at 2 dollars is a lot better than the cost of a pillow block.
 
Aren't you one the second set of bearings? When i was your age i built a jack shaft using crank bearings, the bearing cups fit inside pipe, one cone is 7/8" and one is 3/4". so a 3/4 bolt will work for a shaft. This was old one piece cranks, and back in the 50's..............Curt
 
Aren't you one the second set of bearings? When i was your age i built a jack shaft using crank bearings, the bearing cups fit inside pipe, one cone is 7/8" and one is 3/4". so a 3/4 bolt will work for a shaft. This was old one piece cranks, and back in the 50's..............Curt
No no. The angle iron thing was a prototype that failed. I don’t really know what a crank bearing is or the cones but thx anyway. I am gonna weld the 2 lil bearings pressed in the pipe to my jack shaft plate and run the 5/8 axle through.
 
Every old bike and new has pedal cranks, LOL take one apart. Except new has 3 piece, not sure how it would work. Just remember left side left hand thread, clock wise to come off...............Curt
When i was 16 built my own motor bike 1 1/2 hp Briggs, with that jack shaft. Supper fun about 25 mph.
 
No no. The angle iron thing was a prototype that failed. I don’t really know what a crank bearing is or the cones but thx anyway. I am gonna weld the 2 lil bearings pressed in the pipe to my jack shaft plate and run the 5/8 axle through.
You don't need to tack them in if they are press fit into the pipe and square your good,you can now make a sleeve to go between the bearings on the inside so that when you put the spacer's and gears on they hold everything in place without offsetting the the inner race.I made a jackshaft simularly found tube that was close in dia for bearing to press in,had to turn it for fit but it work's!
 

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ok thx street rider. I assume i could drill a hole in the axle and tap it and then add a set screw for the sleaves? sleaves make sure the shaft doesnt shift from left to right? Is that correct!!!
 
ok thx street rider. I assume i could drill a hole in the axle and tap it and then add a set screw for the sleaves? sleaves make sure the shaft doesnt shift from left to right? Is that correct!!!
The sleeve just insures that the inner races don't get misaligned,and that it all turns smoothly.
 
What da ya guuuuys think??!! Btw are sleeves lock collars?? Plus my welder started to crap out as I tried to run it with the OC light, arc was weak and had to run 3/32 rod at 170a instead of 90. Also jbwelded the bearings into the pipe.
 

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