Hi,

Just wondering if anyone could post pics of there home built long tails.Im wondering what to use for bearings?
Not sure if I want to use sealed bearings or bronze bushings?
Using this for duck hunting motor is a 6.5hp.Any suggestions or pics would help

At least go bearing at the top... we've used sealed bearing in a cage at the top of the housing and it has worked pretty well (3 years and 80+hours) with no problems. If you put a bronze bushing anywhere besides the lower end expect to have to seal the thing up to keep grease pushed up enough to feed any bushings out of the water to keep them cool. The first one we put together wasn't sealed and it ran fine the first year but by second season needed a new bushing and thats when we added the seals. Ran two more years now and needs replacing so were gonna go the bearing route at the lower end. I wouldn't worry too much about putting a bushing in the middle, that shaft will really have to flex to get much whip and by that point you're already looking at replacing the shaft because it would rattle the piss out of the motor at 3600rpm. So to recap we go sealed bearing in a cage at the top and bronze bushing with grease seals on bottom and a zerk to feed grease in. The bearings in the bottom will be the coup de gras but if you dont have a bulletproof design on the sealing system you are asking to get stranded miles away from the dock when those bearings lock up. At least with a bronze bushing you could run all day and still make it back to the ramp if you had a seal blow out.

What he said. You find a lubricator online like a GD if you wanted to go that route too.

This lubricator is your friend
Alemite. B1741-A

Thanks for the info,any chance you could post à pic of your lower bearing and seal @ swapdonkey1 ?

Thanks for the info,any chance you could post à pic of your lower bearing and seal @ swapdonkey1 ?

Bearings in a cage?
I was thinking of using sealed bearings and using a coupling to hold them. Just can't find a way to have them fit really snug. Have a little play. Any help?