Bearings for 6WD
 

Hello Everyone,

With West Coast Drives being the new hot topics, I was wondering what kind of bearings people use?

I was thinking of the ones found here . To get the specifics ones: mounted -> flanged -> standard.

Are these the kind?

Where else can one purchase these bearings?

Thanks,
Sunny

**I apologize for the thread title. I did not realize I had put in 6WD after I had already submitted it.

Re: Bearings for 6WD
 

Did you intend to link to a youtube video?

Re: Bearings for 6WD
 

Oh wow, heavens no. But it's a good video. Regardless, I fixed the link. I'm all over the place today.

Re: Bearings for 6WD
 

most teams especially west coast style ones just use plaine\ bearings and fabricate bearing blocks. We get our bearings from vxb as the price is pretty good. Andymark also sells a wide selection as well as hex broached bearings which make transmission design a breeze.

Re: Bearings for 6WD
 

968 and 254 use R8-2RS bearings in custom-made bearing blocks.

I wouldn't buy bearings from McMaster. Too expensive.

If anyone needs bearings, send me a PM. Usually I can beat most prices out there, and I can get any size/type except hex. At some point when I have time, perhaps I'll set up an online discount bearing store, for FRC teams.

Re: Bearings for 6WD
 

When we did cantilevered wheels in 2009 we used AndyMark 1/2" hex bearings for the live axles.

We buy our 3/8" falnged bearings from whoever is cheapest be it Applied industrial, AndyMark or whoever else will cut us a deal for buying in bulk.

BTW
I've been getting the impression that some younger/newer forum members think any 6WD is a "West Coast" drive lately, anyone else have this impression as well?

Re: Bearings for 6WD
 

Yeah I have definitely gotten that impression as well.

-Brando

Re: Bearings for 6WD
 

So, what is the difference? What makes a WCD a WCD and what makes a 6WD only a 6WD?

- T

Re: Bearings for 6WD
 

I hope you don't get that impression from my mislabeling of of the thread topic. :P

And I've only seen one person mis-label a 6WD as a WCD in a pic that they put up.

- Sunny

Re: Bearings for 6WD
 

A west coast drive as started by team 60 and later perfected by 254/968/973 has the following characteristics:
1. cantilevered wheels
2. live axles with the center wheel directly connected to the transmission
3. sliding bearing blocks for chain tensioning
4. typically made from welded 2"x1" extrusion

Re: Bearings for 6WD
 

That pretty much sums it up. In general most people refer to WCD these days as any 6WD cantilevered drive with live axels. The direct drive of a set of wheels isn't always on other teams "WCD" setups.

FYI
The only reason I asked is I saw 2 or 3 threads in the last few days where posts read to me like they thought 6WD was WCD. I figured it must be a trend if I noticed it just from reading the few threads I track these days.

Re: Bearings for 6WD
 

In addition, you'll find usage of external cantilevered drive systems prior to the 'West Coast' teams above. For whatever reason, the West Coast name stuck (perhaps because they were the teams that used them on a regular basis and refined them).

Heck, my previous team used external cantilevered wheels for the Delphi Invitational in '98/99, but I won't claim anywhere near the level of refinement that 954 etc. had.

I've noticed a similar trend of people not understand the difference between a 6 wheeled drive train and a cantilevered "West Coast" system.