Bearings vs Bearing Blocks

[Monochron]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

First, COTS bearing blocks have the advantage of a precision bore to retain bearings - for teams without machining resources, this is simply the only way they're going to pull off a reliable live axle drivetrain.

This is the reason we have used them. Ordering a precision made piece and then adapting it to whatever you need is really powerful. Found out we need to move the shaft .5" further forward? No need to get new pieces and drill new holes, just slide the block down by .5".

Drilling a hole for a bearing is like soldering your electrical connections. Don't get it right the first time and you'll have to rework things a lot more.

That said, drilling a hole can be a lot cheaper and simpler if you have the resources and tolerances.