Design Feedback?

[IKE]

Originally Posted by SerpentEagle

What if instead of bearings, I just leave a slot with a bushing slightly larger than the shaft on the outer plate? Or would there be too much friction when load is taken? Ill go ahaid and create some more standoffs in
the critical areas. Thanks a lot for the help!

The prinicple Art was getting at is over-constraining a system. A good example is a 3 legged vs. 4 legged table. A three legged table does not rock. It may not be level, but it does not rock, even on an uneven surface. A four legged table is very tricky to not have it rock. This is because 3 points make a plane. 4 points overconstrain. With a stiff driveshaft, 2 bearings will constrain the shaft in all planes except for possibly concentric sliding (you need a collar or a lip of a clip). If you try to do 3 bearings, and they are not perfectly aligned, the 3rd bearing may fight with the other two and cause stress in the bearings which will cause them to fail early.

As far as critique goes, what does the "spool" of your winch look like (from a size perspective). I know that 20:1 for a 2" Diameter spool was just about right for a fast lifter that would meet your desired rating. What DIA are you using for your spool?

I too am a bit worried about the cantileer of the spool driving element as shown. How is it supported? Also, will this be another overconstrain on that shaft?