Need help choosing wheel bearings

[jman231994]

Hi guys, I'm back again. I'm at the point in my buggy build where I need to design the front wheel hubs and I have no idea what sort of wheel bearings I should be designing them for. I've read that tapered bearings would be ideal but plain bearings could also work too. Plain bearings are far easier for me to access so I'd like your opinion whether they'd be up to the job or not.

The buggy should be around 150kg with driver at a guess, and the wheels are 21"x7 atv wheels.

I can get good quality racekart wheel bearings easily but I'm not sure if they'll suit. They're 35mm od 17mm id.

I haven't made spindles yet so am open to anything


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[rmm727]

Can you get 5/8" bar stock? If so 35mm OD x 5/8" ID bearings are easy to find.

 

[tazmannusa]

Trailer type hubs and spindles are a lot stronger but heavy, I'm running the 1-3/8" x 5/8" go kart bearings on my off road kart with grade 8 5/8" bolt for spindles and they seem to hold up fine .
What speed and terrain are you going to be driving in ?

 

[jman231994]

Yea I can get 5/8" stock and I have access to a lathe at uni.

1-3/8" is about 35mm yea? And I can get them with 17mm id, surely that would be better than 5/8"?

And terrain will mainly be flattish gravelly areas, and from time to time a bit of sand dunes and forest trails. But not that often


Edit: if you go through my profile you should find my thread with some photos of what I've done so far to get an idea of what I'm talking about

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[Kingofwylietx]

You might also consider talking to a bearing supply company. They might recommend something cool that we don't even know about.

 

[tazmannusa]

Yea I can get 5/8" stock and I have access to a lathe at uni.

1-3/8" is about 35mm yea? And I can get them with 17mm id, surely that would be better than 5/8"?

And terrain will mainly be flattish gravelly areas, and from time to time a bit of sand dunes and forest trails. But not that often

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Yep 1-3/8" and 35mm OD . 17mm or 5/8" I would say go with what is the most common in your area and match the spindle size. I would recommend using a bolt rather than shaft stock for the spindle, the bolt head gives a little more surface area to weld to the pivot tube

 

[jman231994]

Cool thanks. Sounds like I'll go the 35/17's then since they're pretty cheap for good quality ones and easy to get.

So at what point would tapered bearings become a necessity?

You might also consider talking to a bearing supply company. They might recommend something cool that we don't even know about.

And yea I would talk to a bearing shop but they'll expect me to buy from them and they are really overpriced around here


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[tazmannusa]

Cool thanks. Sounds like I'll go the 35/17's then since they're pretty cheap for good quality ones and easy to get.

So at what point would tapered bearings become a necessity ?


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That is a good question
on a slow speed low hp buggy it's a tossup . The go kart ones you will replace every now and then where as the tapered will last a lot longer . Edges TraxII and Sidewinder plans call for tapered bearings.

 

[jman231994]

My buggys similar to an edge taipan


As a guess how often might you expect them to need replacing?

Trailer bearings are tapered yes?


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[tazmannusa]

My buggys similar to an edge taipan


As a guess how often might you expect them to need replacing?

Trailer bearings are tapered yes?


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Hard to say but when they get that gritty dry feel to them or excessive play its time to change. If you stay out of water and mud they should last several years.
Yes trailer bearing are tapered
These are the ones I put on mine, cheaper than I could make them and quite a bit lighter than the trailer hubs, figured if worse came to worse I could just build new spindle with the trailer hub and bearing
http://www.bmikarts.com/4-x-4-Galvanized-Wheel-Hub-Front-with-58-Bearing-_p_2553.html

 

[jman231994]

Thanks for the help. It will see a little bit of mud but not that often so might just go with the kart bearings.

I'll look into how much trailer bearings will cost, either way they have to be custom hubs cause the wheels are a 4x166 pattern

I wish I could buy those like yours but the shipping to Australia from BMI is usually >$100 so not really worth it haha


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[OzFab]

Just FYI J, a wider bearing, which will, in turn, have a larger OD means larger balls; That means larger surface area that wears slower than a smaller ball...

What I'm saying is, IMO, 17/52/17 bearings will be more suited to your application than 17/35/10 bearings... just a thought...

 

[jman231994]

Just FYI J, a wider bearing, which will, in turn, have a larger OD means larger balls; That means larger surface area that wears slower than a smaller ball...

What I'm saying is, IMO, 17/52/17 bearings will be more suited to your application than 17/35/10 bearings... just a thought...

Thanks fabroman I'll try and find some wider ones then


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