DIY Wheel question ?? please respond

http://www.oz.net/~wottenad/ attempting to make a wheel but Im stuck early on. I can't seem to find the parts on parts 5.4 and 5.5. The only L brackets I have found have holes much to small for the 1/2'' straring shaft I can't find and bearings at all. I have been to a hardware store, bike store, and autoparts store and none of these places had "closed" bearings. What can I do about this all important part? Can I use something else? please answer thanks

Hi William, Try a store or company specializing in door hardware for the home. Kwickset, Stanley, and Schlage all have decorative brakets that may be used if you can't find a suitable one. Try a power-tool dealer or manufacturer for the bearings, as most use sealed bearings on one or both end of the armatures. You wont be able to get dimentional data about the bearings however, so make sure you have the shaft you plan to use as a guide. You may also need a micrometer for spec-checking the size. Sorry if this sounds criptic, but not all bearings are alike, and getting the wrong ones may work, but won't last. Expect to pay anywhere from $20-25 bucks each for decent bearings. Cheers! Marc J. Nelson Sim Racing Online / Sim Racing News / The Sim Project http://members.aol.com/simracing

In article , William says... last year I made a wheel/pedal set using walt's plans.. I also had trouble finding the correct L brackets, I ended up making one using a piece of Aluminum bar stock bent at a 90 degree angle. Being Aluminum it was also easy to drill the 1/2" hole for the steering shaft. Can't help you with the bearings, I found a few laying around the house that I used. Good luck on the project, I use mine daily and wouldn't trade it for any store bought wheel I've used.

Quoted text (13 lines)

> http://www.oz.net/~wottenad/ attempting to make a wheel but Im stuck > early on. > I can't seem to find the parts on parts 5.4 and 5.5. > The only L brackets I have found have holes much to small for the > 1/2'' straring shaft > I can't find and bearings at all. I have been to a hardware store, > bike store, and autoparts store and none of these places had "closed" > bearings. What can I do about this all important part? Can I use > something else? > please answer thanksThere are several manufacturers of bearings and distibuters of the same.

For example. SKF, NTN, Torrington, etc. they come in all shapes and sizes and if you want send me your dimensions and I can get (fax) you a spec sheet an probably a local distributor. I took a quick look at this wally world and it looks to me like a single row radial bearing double sealed determine your approximate shaft od and I could tell you what size to get. These are extremely high quality items and will last 100,000 hours at 10,000 rpm !!! By the way I am working on my own home brewed wheel and I plan to use a steering column from a compact car (honda toyota) These are available probably for free from a body shop as they are replaced frequently on recovered stolen vehicles. I doubt you could make a more durable better feeling wheel than that, no matter how good the bearings are <g>. Let me know if you need any help with bearings. Good luck.

Quoted text (14 lines)

> http://www.oz.net/~wottenad/ attempting to make a wheel but Im stuck > early on. > I can't seem to find the parts on parts 5.4 and 5.5. > The only L brackets I have found have holes much to small for the > 1/2'' straring shaft > I can't find and bearings at all. I have been to a hardware > store, > bike store, and autoparts store and none of these places had "closed" > bearings. What can I do about this all important part? Can I use > something else? > please answer thanks

Ok Pal.... My advice....go to a bearing specialist, buy two pairs of flat-ended bearing caps (with mounting holes) and two sealed roller bearings of the correct size to fit your shaft/caps. I used some 3/16" 'aluminium chequer plate to mount all. Worked for me!! I also have a F1 Mountney 10" wheel with shift buttons fitted at the rear. The pedals are metal music instrument (guitar/keyboard) volume control pedals, again bolted to a peice of 3/16" cheq plate, raised at the back with 4 * 5/16" spiked bolts to facilitate height and 'dig into the carpet' control. This is an all metal jobby and is more rugged and works better than most $400/500 commercial rigs I have seen. Good luck with the project, e-mail me if you want any further help, or check out Walts site for pot wiring etc. Walts a ***y genius!!! I hope send some GIFS and text of my wheel/pedal assm. to Walts site when I have time. [link lost in import: /~wottenad/] Good luck Jammer (UK)

Quoted text (15 lines)

>Hi William, >> The only L brackets I have found have holes much to small for >> the 1/2'' straring shaft >Try a store or company specializing in door hardware for the >home. Kwickset, Stanley, and Schlage all have decorative >brakets that may be used if you can't find a suitable one. >>I can't find and bearings at all. I have been to a hardware store, >>bike store, and autoparts store and none of these places had "closed" >>bearings. What can I do about this all important part? Can I use >>something else? >Try a power-tool dealer or manufacturer for the bearings, as most >use sealed bearings on one or both end of the armatures. You >wont be able to get dimentional data about the bearings however, >so make sure you have the shaft you plan to use as a guide. You >may also need a micrometer for spec-checking the size.

As far as the Bracket, break out the Drill and make the hole bigger. Thats What I did. Second. Bearings, the first wheel I made, I took them out of belt adjusters in cars, "you pull it" junkyard. Last wheel I made I just went to the Home Depot and bought bearings for 2 bucks a piece. Go to the specialty or aisle, they'll have a board with all the hard to find stuff and specialty items. Good luck Bro. RocknRobin

If you want perfect steering, go to your local bike shop and buy a rear road or track hub. Also get a rear track cog, any size. In your board drill a hole big enough for the hub. Stick the hub through and do it up with the track cog. Stick the wheel on the front, mine was made of wood, do it up with a nut, which you'll also have to get. This has worked for me, and the steering is perfect! (DIE MADCATZ!!) It also has enough shaft for the bracket too. I used to ride a bike so I had heap of these parts lying around, but a cheap rear hub and cog should only cost around $35 (aust), and they should be of resonable quality. Ian Lake

Quoted text (32 lines)

> >Hi William, > >> The only L brackets I have found have holes much to small for > >> the 1/2'' straring shaft > >Try a store or company specializing in door hardware for the > >home. Kwickset, Stanley, and Schlage all have decorative > >brakets that may be used if you can't find a suitable one. > >>I can't find and bearings at all. I have been to a hardware store, > >>bike store, and autoparts store and none of these places had "closed" > >>bearings. What can I do about this all important part? Can I use > >>something else? > >Try a power-tool dealer or manufacturer for the bearings, as most > >use sealed bearings on one or both end of the armatures. You > >wont be able to get dimentional data about the bearings however, > >so make sure you have the shaft you plan to use as a guide. You > >may also need a micrometer for spec-checking the size. > As far as the Bracket, break out the Drill and make the hole bigger. > Thats What I did. > Second. Bearings, the first wheel I made, I took them out of belt > adjusters in cars, "you pull it" junkyard. Last wheel I made I just > went to the Home Depot and bought bearings for 2 bucks a piece. Go to > the specialty or aisle, they'll have a board with all the hard to find > stuff and specialty items. > Good luck Bro. > RocknRobin