Fabrication dilemma (HD engine stand)

[DavesGarage]

I am working on a heavy duty engine stand and Ive come to a point that is holding me up. I am not a fabricator by any means but Ive dabbled in it. My issue is I am trying to line up a 3.5" piece of round pipe to pass through (2) 4" square uprights that are 42" apart. The 3.5" piece will be cut down to 4.5" long to hold 2 bearings and a shaft in each 4" upright, I am trying to get that shaft lined up to the other side of the stand so that theres no binding when rotating the engine.

I have several pictures to show, if I can figure out how to share them. Last time I shared was with photobucket....

 

[harley jim]

Join tapatalk it makes posting pics very easy

Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

 

[DavesGarage]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/P6D2QfLjh2ubg3219
https://photos.app.goo.gl/L3bkzG51SaXqKp7t6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/MpoiXKkGze3M3kxt6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/BQmwy1k3vUZvVrBP9

 

[JJohns3WG]

I'm not quite sure what your trying to do but it loos like if you started with a longer piece of pipe you could weld the ends in place then cut out the center. The other option would be to cut the ends to size then use a piece of angle iron to keep them aligned.

 

[zkdiesel]

Those trailer s cam bushings will aim to help line it up so it won’t bind. Get it close and you’ll be good

 

[bullnerd]

Angle iron?

Laser?

String?

Threaded rod and some fancy washers...otherwise known as wooden plugs?

Base looks sweet so far.

 

[gearhead1]

I'm not quite sure what your trying to do but it loos like if you started with a longer piece of pipe you could weld the ends in place then cut out the center. The other option would be to cut the ends to size then use a piece of angle iron to keep them aligned.

That was my first thought also, leave the square tube long then cut out the center.

 

[gorilla]

Two ideas for you, redesign your bearing housings to bolt on so that you have some adjustment for alignment. If you must weld use bearings on one side and a bushing on the other If you give the bushing a **** in a shirtsleeve fit it will support the weight and alignment wont matter.

 

[matt_i]

Your lineup bar could be something like a piece of 3/4" cold rolled (1018 solid round)

If you had a lathe you could turn some bushings to center the 3/4" on the larger ID.

If you park the stand in a place and leave it there you can use a level to get pretty close alignment vs. the stand.

Gorilla's idea of making one or both bearings in a bolted-in housing with oversized clearance holes is a good one. Then you can shim, adjust, and the rotation will find itself with one side loosened up. Then tighten the bolts and leave them that way.

I thought I saw a pillow block (?) those are spherically aligning, if a 2 bolt pillow block it has some slotting to slide left/right. The up/down can be aligned with spacer blocks/shims.

Just some general ideas that might help.