WCD Bearing Blocks
 

I have a question regarding West Coast Drive bearing blocks.

Based on many of the pictures and CAD models I've seen, the "standard" way to create them is to cut a pocket all the way thru your 2 x 1 x 1/8 siderail, and then slide a bearing block into the pocket from the side. Once in place, the bearing block gets a plate bolted to it from both sides to hold the block captive in the slot while allowing it to slide front to back.

It seems a simpler approach would be to cut the same pocket in the siderail, but then slide a 1.75 x .75 bearing block in the siderail from the end. This would just fit inside the inside dimensions of the tube, and would eliminate the need for the sideplates and fasteners.

I can see a downside to the simpler approach, and that is that you need access to the end of the tube you're installing the block in. That doesn't seem like that big of a deal. I would think the two would be comparable from a weight standpoint. Is there another downside to this approach that I'm missing?

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

A long, long time ago (before my time even) 973 used to do this.

The problem is the inside of extruded tube is all over the place dimensionally, so this blocks end up being really finicky.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

Also, there is some benefit to having the bearings outboard of the 1" tube. Having both bearings only 3/4" apart to the outsides seems a bit narrow.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

Bearing blocks are probably the trickiest part to design and machine of a WCD. At this point, they've become pretty standard for various reasons. Many teams use something like this.

As Adam said, the relatively poor tolerances in tubing makes bearing blocks on the inside difficult. The tubing from McMaster-Carr has tolerances of .044" for the outside dimensions, and it's probably much worse for the inside.

One benefit of the standard method (linked above) is that you can put a CAM on the pointed ends for tensioning.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

The only CAM tensioners I've seen appear to be very difficult to machine on a manual mill and very custom. How do you approach the tensioner?

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

A cam could be square. Or you could sand a radius into it. It doesn't need to be as fancy as what we make, for example. You just need something with a non-constant radius. They don't even need to all be perfectly the same since you're not going to get the exact same tension across all your chain runs.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

For our chain tensioner cams we used a ~1/4" thick piece of 3/4" or 1" (I don't remember which) steel shaft with a hole close to the edge and welded a #10/32 socket head alan bolt into the hole.

Once you rotate the cam so the chains are properly tensioned, how do you lock the cam in that position?

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

We have a lock nut on the other side that is tightened down, but that is less important than tightening the bearing block together from what I've seen.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

The cam has a tapped hole in it. You just tighten it down and then tighten the bearing block.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

how often do you need to re-tighten the chains or does it typically stay in place all season after you tighten them the first time

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

we tightened ours whenever they felt loose, which occured often after a pushing match

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

The bearing blocks stay in place after properly tightening them and the cam, if that's what you're asking.

The only reason you would need to re-tension is to deal with the chain stretching slightly over time as it loosens up.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

Thanks for all the explanation. I never realized that the sideplates actually clamped the bearing block in place. The cam tensioners make a lot more sense now.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

Usually the side plates actually ARE the bearing blocks. The bearings are in the two side plates which fasten together from opposite sides of the tubing.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

It sounds like there are two common ways to create the bearing block assembly.

1. Use two sideplates and a block of aluminum. The bearings go in the aluminum block, the sideplates hold it all together and clamp it in place. The machining for this setup is relatively simple.
2. The two sideplates become the bearing block and are constrained coaxially with a short piece of thick walled tubing that connects them. The machining for this setup is comparatively complex.

Is that a fair statement? If so, what are the benefits to method #2?

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

I've never actually seen #1.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

The Team 221 "Universal Chassis" uses this design.

This is a neat concept along the same vein.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

We run #1. CAD in sig. 09 was unique, 10 and 11 were new design.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

Given that those already have to be CNC machined there's not a lot of benefit to doing it that way than the way we do ours.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

Jabba made one like this while mentoring for 931 several seasons back.

They refined the design and used it a couple of times since, I think.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

As a "customer" of 766, I can attest that these work well. We even discussed removing the cam after tensioning to save weight since the bearing blocks we use can grip the box tubing so well. The cam tensioner looks like a automotive Cam bolt. I could never find one small enough to work. I suppose this design could be improved by using an aluminum 1/4-20 bolt and a 1/4" thick piece of aluminum to save weight. I don't think the loads are high enough to wear out the aluminum bolt. Plus it is nice to have more area to weld to.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

I like these a lot.

If you created the center block with a single through hole and made the side plates with a larger hole in them to accommodate for the flange then you could make these without flipping the stock.

And if you have a drill bit at 1.125 and 1.25, you could do it without CNC work.

Re: WCD Bearing Blocks
 

The biggest benefit to #2 is weight. We've gone both routes(2012 #1 using sponsors because we didn't have a mill in house, 2013 #2 buying from WCP). If you have a CNC #2 is fine, but it isn't necessary by any means. You can do #1 super simply. When we did it, we didn't even do chamfers on the center block and our sideplates could have been made with a chopsaw. Depending on your teams resources you can make the blocks marginally more complex(chamfering the blocks means you don't have to file as much later, waterjetting sideplates is a small weight savings and they look a bit nicer). Either way works, and the method you choose completely depends on your team and its resources.