Pilot Bearing Question
Pro
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 653
Likes: 56
From: TX
I would say half the clutch jobs on non-Chevrolets I've done were due to a pilot bearing failure prematurely (and yes, all my clutch jobs ALWAYS included a new pilot bearing. Age, heat, miles, dirt... who knows but the tiny needles would give out and ... On at least one application I grew so tired of them that I had one guy make up a good ol' fashioned bushing out of bronze to ensure it would last the life of a clutch.
When they go out they can also be very difficult to remove. The grease trick doesn't work. There is often not enough left some puller's teeth to grab or in some cases, their edges break where the teeth grab/pull.
My experiences w/ other engines taught me to appreciate the original style low-tech plain vanilla bronze bushings on a SBC. Yeah it's not as cool and high tech as a needle bearing but it works, its serviceable, it lasts and it really only has to do anything when the clutch pedal is in.
When they go out they can also be very difficult to remove. The grease trick doesn't work. There is often not enough left some puller's teeth to grab or in some cases, their edges break where the teeth grab/pull.
My experiences w/ other engines taught me to appreciate the original style low-tech plain vanilla bronze bushings on a SBC. Yeah it's not as cool and high tech as a needle bearing but it works, its serviceable, it lasts and it really only has to do anything when the clutch pedal is in.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,038
Likes: 0
From: Grants Pass Oregon
Needle bearings
Originally Posted by rponfick
Keisler recommends the roller bearing one. 
i
i
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,176
Likes: 3,991
From: Connecticut, USA
I use the bronze bushing too because I heard of the failure of the needle bearings. Be sure that the bushing is not magnetic though as some of the ones on the market under big name labels are.
Gary
Gary
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,429
Likes: 14
From: CA
Originally Posted by codestar7
Let me guess Keisler sells Needle bearings? LOL No realy I agree with the life of a plain old bronze bushing, the job is simple the bronze bushing is simple, If it aint broke..........
But don't make the mistake I did...not check to make sure the brg will actually slip over the pilot shaft. I got one from Napa a few years ago the was too small, & the trans had to come back out 
I ended up using a GM Performance roller type bearing. A high quality bearing for $14.00
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,727
Likes: 38
From: Fremont CA
Originally Posted by pgtr
I would say half the clutch jobs on non-Chevrolets I've done were due to a pilot bearing failure prematurely (and yes, all my clutch jobs ALWAYS included a new pilot bearing. Age, heat, miles, dirt... who knows but the tiny needles would give out and ... On at least one application I grew so tired of them that I had one guy make up a good ol' fashioned bushing out of bronze to ensure it would last the life of a clutch.
When they go out they can also be very difficult to remove. The grease trick doesn't work. There is often not enough left some puller's teeth to grab or in some cases, their edges break where the teeth grab/pull.
My experiences w/ other engines taught me to appreciate the original style low-tech plain vanilla bronze bushings on a SBC. Yeah it's not as cool and high tech as a needle bearing but it works, its serviceable, it lasts and it really only has to do anything when the clutch pedal is in.
When they go out they can also be very difficult to remove. The grease trick doesn't work. There is often not enough left some puller's teeth to grab or in some cases, their edges break where the teeth grab/pull.
My experiences w/ other engines taught me to appreciate the original style low-tech plain vanilla bronze bushings on a SBC. Yeah it's not as cool and high tech as a needle bearing but it works, its serviceable, it lasts and it really only has to do anything when the clutch pedal is in.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,216
Likes: 4
From: Smile, it's just the internet.
Perhaps the reason Keisler requires parallelism within .002 and concentricity with .005 is a direct result of the pilot bearing.
It took me longer to get the bellhousing "straight" on the engine than it did to install the transmission to the engine AND the engine in the car. I'm hoping the time spent will pay dividends and my pilot bearing will last. If not, I'll learn from the mistake and install a bushing.
It took me longer to get the bellhousing "straight" on the engine than it did to install the transmission to the engine AND the engine in the car. I'm hoping the time spent will pay dividends and my pilot bearing will last. If not, I'll learn from the mistake and install a bushing.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
I would like to know if anyone knows how to get the old pilot bearing out, I hope I don't hear the 'ol grease gun fairy tale, it took a small sledge to get it in there 
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Originally Posted by MotorHead
I would like to know if anyone knows how to get the old pilot bearing out, I hope I don't hear the 'ol grease gun fairy tale, it took a small sledge to get it in there
I got my chewed up roller bearing out by using a concrete drill bit, I was at a friends shop doing the motor and found the bit on his tool bench, it bit into the bearing and then I just rotated and pulled on it till the bearing cam out, same concept would apply to a bronze one.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,727
Likes: 38
From: Fremont CA
Take a 5/8" coarse thread bolt, grind down the nose to a taper, cut a "V" notch in the end like a flute of a tap, pound the sucker in and wrench the sucker out! You could also go and borrow someone's $300 Snap-on slide hammer pilot bearing puller and 7 times out of 10 remove the bushing/bearing. The Snap-on tool will at times fail to remove the bushing/bearing if this is the case, go to the hardware store, buy a 5/8 coarse thread bolt, .....
