Slickwilly00

Ever had a pilotbearing that refused to move? Tried all the tricks I could find on line and just broke the jaws on a puller i got from harbor freight I know it isnt the best tool out there. Any ideas appreciated.

bashcraft

You could try to break it. Drill a hole in it and then hit it with a hammer and chisel. Should come out in pieces.

I've also heard that if you pack the cavity behind it with grease, making sure to get all the air out, you can pound a shaft into the bore and drive the bushing out. (The grease won't compress). The shaft must fit the bore tightly.

Bluebuyu

I just did mine. Pack bread chunks inside the bushing and use a 1/2" or 5/8" bolt and beat the bolt with a hammer to compress the bread. Add bread as needed. It took me 2 pieces of wonder bread. Clean the bread out with a screwdriver and your done. A lot less messy than grease.

croaker

Tap the inside then run a bolt in there

Scottd

2nd vote for packing it with bearing grease. I took a large bolt and ground down the threads so it would fit the bng. Packed with grease (right to the top) ad gave it 5 good smacks. It popped right out. (mind you, everything on my car is usually worst case scenario. this is the ONE thing that went by the book)

carriljc

Just slowly, and carefully, split the bushing; then once you get a "slice" through it -- it can collapse upon itself.... and you can dig it out.

vette_jim

As stated above, pack it in slowly so you work out any air bubble. I use an input shaft from an old tranny that I have for an alignment tool, comes right out with a sharp rap from a 2 lb hammer.

Slickwilly00

Thanks all, guess ill break out the hammer, chisels and drill in morning. Its just to worn out to leave in there. Tranny rebuild went well and my super street pro clutch is sitting on the work bench. On a good note new pinion seal is holding,topped off the diff with new fluid n additive this morning. Im with ScottD on the worst case scenerio thing,its like trying to bathe a mountain lion with this car. Geez!

ddsmith60

I just used a bolt that was a little larger than the hole. Tapered the end with a grinder and screwed it into the pilot bearing. The bolt will cut the threads as it is screwed in. When the bolt bottoms out on the crank, the pilot bearing will walk right out of the crank. It worked very well for me.

samengr87

I have used the "bread in lieu of grease" method. Works very well and much less mess. I did wrap masking tape around the bolt threads to make a snug fit/ seal in bearing bore, driving the into the back space making the hydraulic force to move the bearing.

sug

I used modelling clay no mess came out super easy.

Sluefoot

(I posted this same thing on your thread in "general" section):
I've always had good luck w/ the "toilet paper/hydraulic" approach:
Take a good amount of tp & soak it in water...then stuff it in the pilot bearing...
Use a piece of alum/steel/whatever insert that fits the ID of the pilot bearing nice &
tight....then just hit the insert with a hammer a few times, and the bearing will
come right out!!

20mercury

Like Croaker above and ddsmith60, this way worked so well for me that I almost passed out as to how easy it was.

Good luck and you might soak it with acetone/trans fluid 50/50 first for a few days.

lvmyvt76

will rye bread work?

claysmoker

Yes, and sour dough too!

Slickwilly00

Might aswell add swiss cheese with a pickle garnish!! ��������

AzMotorhead

Just a forwarning in case anyone doing a web search comes across this thread.
Above methods will work for GEN I,II and III GM motors. DO NOT try to use above methods on GM LS series engines.
Why you ask? LS series engines do not use a solid crankshaft if you drive anything into the pilot cavity, you risk driving the freeze plug in the end of the crank further in and losing it and its oil seal

69autoXr

pauldana

this^^^

I used a small reciprocating saw (Jigsaw) and carefully cut through it, then it just dropped out... screwed with it for hours with pullers and things like bread and the like..

then took 5 minutes and cut it...

theandies

Used AutoZones borrow a tool and they had a puller and slide hammer. One wack and it was out. The puller was a little big (it was brand new) so I ground it down but not enough to notice. I told the counter guy and said I'd pay for it. He said it was OK but they know me well there. I'm on a first name basis with most of the guys. Is that good or bad????