main belt idlers

swatkins · Mar 4, 2019

Has anyone seen, or better yet have, a drawing for the main belt idlers? The ones on my 1954 are pot metal and the face is pretty well destroyed. The damage makes it impossible to see if that face is flat, concave or convex so a drawing would be very helpful. I would love a drawing so I can leave them in place while I make new ones.

After reading the bearing sticky I've decided to make the new ones out of aluminum. Has anyone done the same and how did it work out for you?

Glug · Mar 4, 2019

I thought I once read a mention that there is a decent automotive belt tension wheel suitable for this application, but maybe I am thinking of something else?

rke[pler · Mar 4, 2019

The Parts Sheet #100 shows it drawn flat. I know it's not a dimensioned drawing but the parts sheets are pretty good. If it helps I've machined mine flat across and they work fine in my 2 belt square dial.

TheOldCar · Mar 4, 2019

I made one of the two out of steel, flat, and made it 1/2" larger in diameter. The belts were too loose otherwise, but next size smaller belts were mighty tight.

EDIT: My memory was way off. I didn't make one of those idlers for the motor belts; it was the idler for the small belt that drives the gearbox/feeds. I made it larger because the dual V belts would rub on this smaller idler's mount, since the mount would be adjusted to the left. Bigger idler meant that mount didn't have to scoot as far to the left (to snug the small belt), which meant the V- belts had room for proper tension 'cuz they weren't rubbing that mount anymore.

[/url]IMG_8063 by crh2765, on Flickr[/IMG]

rklopp · Mar 4, 2019

I would avoid sealed bearings for the main idlers due to the speed. I think the originals had felt seals and I would go with shielded nowadays. When the spindle is turning at 4,000 RPM, the idlers are going almost 3X as fast.

swatkins · Mar 5, 2019

rklopp said:
I would avoid sealed bearings for the main idlers due to the speed. I think the originals had felt seals and I would go with shielded nowadays. When the spindle is turning at 4,000 RPM, the idlers are going almost 3X as fast.

Reading the cheap bearing sticky I found these New in Factory box -87504 IKS New Single Row Ball Bearing.. They should be shielded on one side and felt seal a=on the other.... What do you think about these?

TheOldCar · Mar 5, 2019

I’m wondering the same, since I used those on my smaller idler. Sealed on one side of the bearing, metal shield on other.

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main belt idlers

swatkins

Titanium

Glug

Hot Rolled

rke[pler

Diamond

TheOldCar

Stainless

rklopp

Diamond

swatkins

Titanium

TheOldCar

Stainless

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