olie05 Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 I was changing the clutch on a buddy's ford ranger today... we got the tranny off and we are all the way down to the crankshaft's butt trying to get the pilot bearing out. we tried very hard with a tire Iron, and then several different size flathead screwdrivers before we realized that we needed this special tool called a "pilot bearing puller" well it turns out that the pilot bearing puller isn't actually a puller, just an attachment for a puller. We set it up and try pulling by hand, then by plier and then strategically with a hammer... no luck. Finaly we try my car. I still have the right bumper shock on my car so that seemed like a good place... trial one: push the car by hand and use the momentum to pull the bearing out. results: Puller comes out with no bearing trial two: push the car by hand and use the momentum, but this time putting more torque on the puller to get it to grab on the bearing harder... results: same as above trial three: launch car at 3500rpm with a little slack in the cable, and with the puller as tight as it will go on the bearing. All while leaving 2 nice thick rubber tracks in the pavement. results: SUCCESS!!!! i <3 my car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 zee's really are a car peron's best tool, i guess =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody 82 ZXT Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 Didn't the tool come flying out at the car? That's using your head for something other than a hat rack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 I've had a lot of problems with pilot bearing removal as well. On thing I found worked extremely well was a tap. I used the tap (not sure of the size but I think it was a 9/16") to cut threads into the pilot bearing hole. Once the tap bottomed out on the end of the crank, I simply kept turning it, which then pulled the pilot bearing out as I turned the tap into the end of the crank. Who would have thought? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denny411 Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 I use a grease gun to inject grease into and behind the pilot bearing/bushing. Once you have the cavity completely filled,put the tip of your clutch alignment tool into the bearing and tap it with a hammer. The hydraulic pressure will force the bearing/bushing out. you may have to refill the cavity several times depending on the size of the bearing. I`ve been doing it this way for well over 20 years and it has NEVER failed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonZ Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 denny, that method sounds really slick! Cant' wait to try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 I have to install a pilot bearing to day. Think I can use another Z car to help with that task? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 I tried the hydraulic method with sucess at times, but on my SX, the pilot bearing was only a small sleeve, which offered little hydraulic advantage compared to other bearings that had a OD twice (or larger) than the ID. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wigenOut-S30 Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 I am in the middle of upgrading my clutch and replaced the pilot bearing.. I rented the tool from autozone. slide hammer with the puller.. came right out.. I will have to try the hydrolic style though.. that sounds cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Tried the grease method on my Explorer last year, the pilot bearing is a caged roller bearing, guess what? greased squirted back out through about 20 little tubular openings. I ended up buying this a HF: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=4876 but I had to turn it down on the lathe to fit inside the center bore ( I think it was about 5/8") of the bearing - And it will not reach deep enough without removing the flywheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Another method for pilot bushings is to use a dremel with a little burr on it and cut a groove on the inside of the bushing. You cut front to back, and when you cut all the way through then the bushing has no spring tension on the hole anymore, and it comes right out. I have also used the hydraulic method and found it to be a PITA, especially when you're on your back under the car trying to hit the alignment tool with a hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olie05 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Share Posted October 9, 2006 I use a grease gun to inject grease into and behind the pilot bearing/bushing.Once you have the cavity completely filled,put the tip of your clutch alignment tool into the bearing and tap it with a hammer. The hydraulic pressure will force the bearing/bushing out. you may have to refill the cavity several times depending on the size of the bearing. I`ve been doing it this way for well over 20 years and it has NEVER failed. This was the first method that was attempted. It was suggested by the Haynes manual, and it did not work. It did not help that the pilot bearing was trash when we got to it though. BTW white lithium grease makes people wonder what exactly you were doing under the car... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denny411 Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 I have also used the hydraulic method and found it to be a PITA, especially when you're on your back under the car trying to hit the alignment tool with a hammer. That`s why I have a LIFT in my garage. I have encountered pilot bearings that were too far gone, in that situation I use slide hamer with a hook on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsil Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 I use a grease gun to inject grease into and behind the pilot bearing/bushing.Once you have the cavity completely filled,put the tip of your clutch alignment tool into the bearing and tap it with a hammer. The hydraulic pressure will force the bearing/bushing out. you may have to refill the cavity several times depending on the size of the bearing. I`ve been doing it this way for well over 20 years and it has NEVER failed. That's the way I've always done it. Think it's worked every time for me too. Of course my pilot bearings haven't been that munched when i've tried to take 'em out. If they're really thin I would assume that it wouldn't work. I'd use the dremel trick, or the tap, that's a damned good idea!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speeder Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 I use slide hamer with a hook on it. That's the way I always do it. I 'm surprised no one has mentioned the wet toilet paper method. Stuff the bearing with wet TP and insert a tight - fitting deep socket, then tap with a hammer. Hydraulic pressure will extract the bushing. It works, no sh!t. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi303 Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 It works, no sh!t. Well one would HOPE you used clean paper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evan Purple240zt Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Holy crap, looks like everyone else is checking out this zombie thread too. 06' for gods sake.. Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShaggyZ Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Holy crap, looks like everyone else is checking out this zombie thread too. 06' for gods sake.. Evan Well, when you got a joke you just gotta tell... It must be that "half way around the world thing" and the latency involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Another method for pilot bushings is to use a dremel with a little burr on it and cut a groove on the inside of the bushing. You cut front to back, and when you cut all the way through then the bushing has no spring tension on the hole anymore, and it comes right out. I have also used the hydraulic method and found it to be a PITA, especially when you're on your back under the car trying to hit the alignment tool with a hammer. In this case, a really good jigsaw with no blade-slop and a metal short-tooth blade would work good but you'd hvae to be extra careful in the last couple of millimeters. also, you could buy a small saw from Lowes or Home Depot that is almost as thin as a jigsaw blade and could fit in there no problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB26powered74zcar Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 I just use a small flat head sharp chisel and hammer to cut through one side of it, then the pressure is released and it comes right out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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