This is an opportunity for some fun new VEX products: High Strength pillow block bearings
Ideally, they would make 2 versions:
- One version that centers the shaft ON the holes of the supporting metal
- A second version that centers the shaft BETWEEN the holes of the supporting metal
Obviously, the upper option would likely be 3 holes long, while the lower would be 4 holes long…
Edit:
There is actually a third option:
- Make a single version that offsets the shaft by 1/8" from the holes. If both blocks are offset the same way, then the spacing is a multiple of 1/2". If they are offset in opposite directions, then the spacing is an odd multiple of 1/4".
This would allow more versatility at the cost of a little installation complexity…