1) Most factual information is not going to be found online for free. Internet chat rooms, forums, and message boards are often populated by “people with an agenda” and “the angry”. Websites for anything are generally some sort of advertisement.
2). Be scientific in your reasoning. Once you find appropriate resources; do the math for loads, oil film strengths, surface speeds, clearances, etc and see what you come up with.
3) Your local library may have a book or two with a little good info, but its not real likely. If you have a Technical School or College nearby that is known for its engineering or industrial program, then that is the library you should visit. There likely will be many more modern textbooks and reference works on bearing design available there than you could ever see at the local public library or online.
4) ISO documents are available on the subjects and are available online for around $75 each. The information is strictly copyrighted so if you obtain a document, you may only use it for your personal information, you can’t copy & share it or post it in any form on the internet without their written permission and they do enforce their copyrights.
5) Seek out and examine modern engines that have similar design characteristics.
6) Keep an open mind and never be afraid of the possibility of disproving your prior theory!
7) This may be a good starting point: “Machinery’s Handbook” has a section about bearing design & lubrication. The book is around $85 or many local libraries probably have it. Some info in the book has changed over the years, so a copy from 1930 might not have the same info on bearings as a copy from 2005...
