Drive shaft support requirements
I hope this isn't the wrong place to post this kind of question.
I'm building a home made "long tail" outboard motor. I'm trying to take a 9HP Hatz diesel engine and make it into an outboard. I've installed a mount and long drive shaft inside a carrier, with a "Morse" water lubricated bearing at the propeller end of the drive shaft/carrier. The drive shaft is about six feet long. I have no supports in the mid span of the drive shaft.
My first drive shaft which I had fabricated arrived bent, and in service (at up to 3600rpm) it wanted to distort further and contact the outer carrier.
Am I asking too much of a drive shaft to span that distance without support
I can't give many details about the actual construction of the drive shaft as I just asked someone to have it made for me. I'm not sure the type of steel tubing used or the wall thickness, but I can measure that. The drive shaft consists of solid pieces of stainless steel machined to the critical dimensions of the bearings, shaft couplings and propeller, with carbon steel tube/pipe between them.
Any input would be appreciated.
Greg
I'm building a home made "long tail" outboard motor. I'm trying to take a 9HP Hatz diesel engine and make it into an outboard. I've installed a mount and long drive shaft inside a carrier, with a "Morse" water lubricated bearing at the propeller end of the drive shaft/carrier. The drive shaft is about six feet long. I have no supports in the mid span of the drive shaft.
My first drive shaft which I had fabricated arrived bent, and in service (at up to 3600rpm) it wanted to distort further and contact the outer carrier.
Am I asking too much of a drive shaft to span that distance without support
I can't give many details about the actual construction of the drive shaft as I just asked someone to have it made for me. I'm not sure the type of steel tubing used or the wall thickness, but I can measure that. The drive shaft consists of solid pieces of stainless steel machined to the critical dimensions of the bearings, shaft couplings and propeller, with carbon steel tube/pipe between them.
Any input would be appreciated.
Greg
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