PILOT BEARING REPLACEMENT...do it or not?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 16,135
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From: Newberry FL
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
PILOT BEARING REPLACEMENT...do it or not?
I am doing a CLUTCH on my car. The car has 44K on it, curious if it is really necessary or not. The one in the car looks fine.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Ya know,,, Mr MURPHY has specific laws on pilpt bearings and throw out bearings! I think it's law# 32755.
It states: If pilot bearings and throwout bearings are good and not replaced, One week after the new clutch is in, the old stuff will fail.
Murphys Law# 32756 states that the components, when they fail, will fail when your 300 + miles from home!
If it were me,,,,,,,, I would replace it!
NOTE! DO NOT let the weight of the Torque Tube/Trans/Differential droop on the clutch disk or pilot bearing!
BC
It states: If pilot bearings and throwout bearings are good and not replaced, One week after the new clutch is in, the old stuff will fail.
Murphys Law# 32756 states that the components, when they fail, will fail when your 300 + miles from home!
If it were me,,,,,,,, I would replace it!
NOTE! DO NOT let the weight of the Torque Tube/Trans/Differential droop on the clutch disk or pilot bearing!
BC
Last edited by Bill Curlee; Jun 20, 2011 at 02:31 PM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 16,135
Likes: 5
From: Newberry FL
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
Ya know,,, Mr MURPHY has specific laws on pilpt bearings and throw out bearings! I think it's law# 32755.
It states: If pilot bearings and throwout bearings are good and not replaced, One week after the new clutch is in, the old stuff will fail.
Murphys Law# 32756 states that the components, when they fail, will fail when your 300 + miles from home!
If it were me,,,,,,,, I would replace it!
NOTE! DO NOT let the weight of the Torque Tube/Trans/Differential droop on the clutch disk or pilot bearing!
BC
It states: If pilot bearings and throwout bearings are good and not replaced, One week after the new clutch is in, the old stuff will fail.
Murphys Law# 32756 states that the components, when they fail, will fail when your 300 + miles from home!
If it were me,,,,,,,, I would replace it!
NOTE! DO NOT let the weight of the Torque Tube/Trans/Differential droop on the clutch disk or pilot bearing!
BC
I know what you mean. This is my second install in the last three weeks. I did one on a buddies car and now my CLUTCH took a dump and here goes mine...of course, my ride is modded, his was not with half the miles. NAVET on a boat, never owned a manual and learned the hard way.
I appreciate it.
Micah
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Newberry FL
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Well,,, if it involves inserting BREAD in the bearing cavity until NO MORE will fit and ramming a dowel into the bearing to force it out
"DO NOT DO IT!!!!!!!"
Same thing for grease!
The Crankshaft in an LS engine is hollow. The end of the crank contains a WELSH PLUG (like a freeze plug) that is pressed into the recess to seal the oil from leaking out of the crank into the bell housing.
IF you use that trick to remove the pilot bearing, it is highly likely and very possible that you will unseat that plug and have a massive oil in the crank to bell housing leak!!!
BC
"DO NOT DO IT!!!!!!!"
Same thing for grease!
The Crankshaft in an LS engine is hollow. The end of the crank contains a WELSH PLUG (like a freeze plug) that is pressed into the recess to seal the oil from leaking out of the crank into the bell housing.
IF you use that trick to remove the pilot bearing, it is highly likely and very possible that you will unseat that plug and have a massive oil in the crank to bell housing leak!!!
BC
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,586
Likes: 2
From: Bardstown Kentucky
Well,,, if it involves inserting BREAD in the bearing cavity until NO MORE will fit and ramming a dowel into the bearing to force it out
"DO NOT DO IT!!!!!!!"
Same thing for grease!
The Crankshaft in an LS engine is hollow. The end of the crank contains a WELSH PLUG (like a freeze plug) that is pressed into the recess to seal the oil from leaking out of the crank into the bell housing.
IF you use that trick to remove the pilot bearing, it is highly likely and very possible that you will unseat that plug and have a massive oil in the crank to bell housing leak!!!
BC
"DO NOT DO IT!!!!!!!"
Same thing for grease!
The Crankshaft in an LS engine is hollow. The end of the crank contains a WELSH PLUG (like a freeze plug) that is pressed into the recess to seal the oil from leaking out of the crank into the bell housing.
IF you use that trick to remove the pilot bearing, it is highly likely and very possible that you will unseat that plug and have a massive oil in the crank to bell housing leak!!!
BC
Is that what that puddle in my floor is??? I have done it multiple times with no issue, granted I didnt slam bread into my crank with a sledge hammer. But seriously I have had no issues doing it that way but heard the same thing when I posted about doing it.
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Le Mans Master
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From: Belleville Mich.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,586
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From: Bardstown Kentucky
But I get hungry in the garage and the two just go hand in hand... have a sandwich and remove the pilot bearing with the leftovers...
Thread Starter
Race Director
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From: Newberry FL
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St. Jude Donor '07
I bought a nice little pilot bearing tool that does not require the hammer method. $14.95 on ebay and $51 to ship to Hawaii. Reeeeeeeediculous!
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,719
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From: Anderson Indiana
OK, here is another tip. We always remove the snap ring at the back of the torque tube and remove the propshaft assembly. Bolt the torque tube housing up to the bellhousing flush, then insert the propshaft assembly from behind. This will assure you do not damage the pilot bearing fiddling around trying to get the angle just right. More times than not I see the pilot bearing fail as a result of a poor install.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
OK, here is another tip. We always remove the snap ring at the back of the torque tube and remove the propshaft assembly. Bolt the torque tube housing up to the bellhousing flush, then insert the propshaft assembly from behind. This will assure you do not damage the pilot bearing fiddling around trying to get the angle just right. More times than not I see the pilot bearing fail as a result of a poor install.
(Has to be huge) snap ring pliers.
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,719
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From: Anderson Indiana
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
I have a few pairs, I bought them off of eBay. I just looked and there is not a pair avaliable right now. I search under 6L80E, they have a large snap ring that requires them. There is a pair on eBay right now but NOT the good ones. The pairs we have are made by Kent-Moore and I think I paid around $50 a pair for them.
Thanx!
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,475
Likes: 1,171
From: Dyer, IN
Well,,, if it involves inserting BREAD in the bearing cavity until NO MORE will fit and ramming a dowel into the bearing to force it out
"DO NOT DO IT!!!!!!!"
Same thing for grease!
The Crankshaft in an LS engine is hollow. The end of the crank contains a WELSH PLUG (like a freeze plug) that is pressed into the recess to seal the oil from leaking out of the crank into the bell housing.
IF you use that trick to remove the pilot bearing, it is highly likely and very possible that you will unseat that plug and have a massive oil in the crank to bell housing leak!!!
BC
"DO NOT DO IT!!!!!!!"
Same thing for grease!
The Crankshaft in an LS engine is hollow. The end of the crank contains a WELSH PLUG (like a freeze plug) that is pressed into the recess to seal the oil from leaking out of the crank into the bell housing.
IF you use that trick to remove the pilot bearing, it is highly likely and very possible that you will unseat that plug and have a massive oil in the crank to bell housing leak!!!
BC
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,586
Likes: 2
From: Bardstown Kentucky
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Scarborough ONTARIO
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,077
Likes: 4
From: Scarborough ONTARIO
Had to use bigger slide hammer.