Pilot bearing installation
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,168
Likes: 21
From: Sunniest city on Earth
Pilot bearing installation
Has anybody put together a more delicate tool/method for installing the pilot bearing? We had a bit of difficulty installing my rebuilt T56 and decided to pull the pilot bearing again and install a new one before trying again, to reduce the risk of catastrophic failure, but the new one (my second time doing a pilot bearing) wouldn't go in straight via the hammer and socket method. I don't have a used input shaft to pound it in with and I have no interest in a needle bearing exploding around my input shaft, so if you have success in this area, please chime in.
Thanks in advance, gentlemen.
Thanks in advance, gentlemen.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 844
Likes: 46
From: Southaven MS
Has anybody put together a more delicate tool/method for installing the pilot bearing? We had a bit of difficulty installing my rebuilt T56 and decided to pull the pilot bearing again and install a new one before trying again, to reduce the risk of catastrophic failure, but the new one (my second time doing a pilot bearing) wouldn't go in straight via the hammer and socket method. I don't have a used input shaft to pound it in with and I have no interest in a needle bearing exploding around my input shaft, so if you have success in this area, please chime in.
Thanks in advance, gentlemen.
Thanks in advance, gentlemen.
Acct Suspended APR 2026 by request
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 10,367
Likes: 1,272
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
C5 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
did you install it in the same orientation that the original one was?... maybe that has something to do with it not wanting to go in... I did mine with a socket and hammer and it went in with no problems
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,332
Likes: 195
From: Frederick Maryland
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12, '14-'15-'16-'17-'18
We install pilot bearings on a regular bases and by far this is the best I have found.
OTC 4410 Metric and Standard Master Bushing Drive Set
You can get them from Amazon and it's not that expensive.
OTC 4410 Metric and Standard Master Bushing Drive Set
You can get them from Amazon and it's not that expensive.
__________________
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,168
Likes: 21
From: Sunniest city on Earth
The first one went in easily and in the same orientation as the OEM one I removed, but the second one (replaced as a precaution after trans install failed) refused to go in straight
Rick, do you stick with the OEM-style needle bearing or do you install a bronze bushing as some suggest? Also, the bearing installs with seam on the engine side and the flat face towards the transmission, correct? I took mine apart a long time ago, but I seem to recall it being installed in that orientation.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,332
Likes: 195
From: Frederick Maryland
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12, '14-'15-'16-'17-'18
DO NOT! DO NOT use bushings. They will wear and will need to be replaced. Use GM bearing.
The radious side should face toward the back.
The radious side should face toward the back.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
I heated the crank flange with a propane torch till it was about 150 deg and chilled the bearing in the freezer. Sucker went right in without any issues. I do the same thing on the Dampener install. Heat the hub of the damper and
Just don't go crazy with the heat and DO NOT insert any thing in the end of the crank to displace the welsh plug that separates the oil side of the crank
Just don't go crazy with the heat and DO NOT insert any thing in the end of the crank to displace the welsh plug that separates the oil side of the crank
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,168
Likes: 21
From: Sunniest city on Earth
I heated the crank flange with a propane torch till it was about 150 deg and chilled the bearing in the freezer. Sucker went right in without any issues. I do the same thing on the Dampener install. Heat the hub of the damper and
Just don't go crazy with the heat and DO NOT insert any thing in the end of the crank to displace the welsh plug that separates the oil side of the crank
Just don't go crazy with the heat and DO NOT insert any thing in the end of the crank to displace the welsh plug that separates the oil side of the crank
Any suggestions on lining up the input shaft as well as possible before installation? I'd like to not have to do this again...
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
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Unless you play the lottery and win A LOT,, your most likely NOT going to get it properly aligned..
You dont know ANY BODY that might have an alignment tool?? Any Corvette Shops in the area?
Bill
You dont know ANY BODY that might have an alignment tool?? Any Corvette Shops in the area?
Bill
Last edited by Bill Curlee; Dec 4, 2014 at 11:46 PM.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,332
Likes: 195
From: Frederick Maryland
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12, '14-'15-'16-'17-'18
We will be offering steel clutch alignment tools soon and the proceed will be donated to St Jude's Children's research hospital.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,168
Likes: 21
From: Sunniest city on Earth
We kept getting the input shaft to spline with the clutch, but the pilot kept hanging up on the edge of the bearing... I'm guessing we were just a hair off on driveline angle.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,332
Likes: 195
From: Frederick Maryland
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12, '14-'15-'16-'17-'18
I have the plastic clutch alignment tool that came with the clutch to ensure that the splines all line up during clutch installation, but the Corvette guy from the local dealership was the one helping me when we couldn't get the input shaft to install completely. I asked him if there was a tool to match angle of the input shaft with the clutch and crankshaft; he did not know of one.
We kept getting the input shaft to spline with the clutch, but the pilot kept hanging up on the edge of the bearing... I'm guessing we were just a hair off on driveline angle.
We kept getting the input shaft to spline with the clutch, but the pilot kept hanging up on the edge of the bearing... I'm guessing we were just a hair off on driveline angle.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,168
Likes: 21
From: Sunniest city on Earth
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,332
Likes: 195
From: Frederick Maryland
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12, '14-'15-'16-'17-'18
The plastic alignment tool sometimes can bend and not align the clutch disc in correct position. The steel unit is same as your input shaft (because it is) and perfectly aligns the clutch disc and works everytime.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 844
Likes: 46
From: Southaven MS
I've done a few C5 clutch installs, and the last one I did the torque tube just would not go back in the car. It wound up being misaligned from using a plastic alignment tool. That clutch job took me forever to complete, and I wound up having to remove the entire twin disc clutch to get it aligned and installed properly.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 54
Likes: 4
I just finished my first clutch job. I separated the torque tube and the transmission.
I put the toque tube in, and got it almost all the way in then reconnected the transmission and bolted everything together. Seemed pretty easy that way, went back together easier then taking it apart.
I put the toque tube in, and got it almost all the way in then reconnected the transmission and bolted everything together. Seemed pretty easy that way, went back together easier then taking it apart.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
In the past I've seen several clutch replacements go horribly wrong. Several of them were damaged pilot bearings, several damaged the clutch disk HUB by letting the weight of the entire TRANS/DIFFERENTIAL/TORQUE TUBE hang and bent the disk hub.
When I reinstalled my drive train in my 02 Z "MY SELF" I decided that would install the torque tube by its self and then install the trans/diff onto the Torque Tube. Went together VERY EASY.
If you install the clutch disk and pressure plate loose, install the alignment tool and carefully tighten up the pressure plate bolts in a crisscross fashion the alignment tool should slide in and out with EASE! If it does, the TT will also. Its really easy that way and the risk of damage to other clutch stuff is pretty much eliminated.
If you try to move the disk after the pressure plate is fully tightened, unless you have a STEEL INPUT SHAFT like Rick is offering, your never going to get the disk to move and properly aligned as the plastic alignment tool will snap or bend.
Hope this helps.
Bill
When I reinstalled my drive train in my 02 Z "MY SELF" I decided that would install the torque tube by its self and then install the trans/diff onto the Torque Tube. Went together VERY EASY.
If you install the clutch disk and pressure plate loose, install the alignment tool and carefully tighten up the pressure plate bolts in a crisscross fashion the alignment tool should slide in and out with EASE! If it does, the TT will also. Its really easy that way and the risk of damage to other clutch stuff is pretty much eliminated.
If you try to move the disk after the pressure plate is fully tightened, unless you have a STEEL INPUT SHAFT like Rick is offering, your never going to get the disk to move and properly aligned as the plastic alignment tool will snap or bend.
Hope this helps.
Bill
