Quote Originally Posted by mactec54 View Post
cowanrg

Your top AC Bearing as it is now, is taking what ever tension you have on your belt, it should not be seeing anything from above

It would be simple to just use the top bearing with a bushing that will fit the bearing & the shaft, a flange on the bush, so it can't go down through the bearing
This was my thinking. Sure, I might get a bit of deflection on the unsupported shaft up top, but it won't go any further than past the top AC bearing, and it's only the force of the belt tension.

Unfortunately, the top bearing is normally supported from the top by a snap ring, so I'll have to figure out how to secure it so it can't slip down. But a flanged piece to support the shaft through the top bearing sounds like an easy fix.