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Pilot bushing insight needed please!


37silverstreak

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Hi everyone,

I bit the bullet today and started pulling the clutch from my '48 Plymouth. So far everything is going smoothly, maybe too much so, I'm waiting for something to happen! I made a platform for my floor jack for the transmission to rest on and it worked great, the tranny came out easily. I pulled the clutch fork and throwout bearing, the bearing is completely seized, but I have a complete NOS assembly to replace it with. All the pressure plate bolts are loose so I'm hoping to have the clutch disk and pressure plate out tomorrow. My questions are with the pilot bushing. Do you normally need to replace the pilot bushing? I have a new one that came with my throwout assembly but I don't have any special tools to remove the old one. If I do install a new bushing, do I have to ream it out to make it fit properly? Again I don't have any of the tools they mention in the shop manual.

If anyone has replaced one and has any tips on going about it I would greatly appreciate hearing them, Thanks!

Kevin

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The one my pal has at his shop looks very much like this one from summit 

 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/oes-27059?seid=srese1&cm_mmc=pla-google-_-shopping-_-srese1-_-oem-specialty-tools&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhrTR856W3gIVFMNkCh2JpwkoEAQYBCABEgLXBfD_BwE

 

We’ve used that, and we’ve also packed the input shaft hollow in the back of the crankshaft with grease and hammered in a piece of steel turned on the lathe that just fit into the old bushing.  The grease caught behind the bushing would force it out as the steel was tapped into the back of the crankshaft. 

 

I would replace it as you have everything apart already.  If you have the trans out and the new bushing in hand just check to see if it will fit the input shaft.  It should without modification if it is correct for the application. 

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I would replace it myself....

I use one of these OTC tools.... you probably can rent one from O'reilly's or such.... as mentioned grease can work too with a tight fitting wood or metal dowel/Rod

pilot bushing removal.JPG

pilot bushing removed.JPG

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the bushing is oilite and as such very brittle...one can easily score a line front to back with a small sharp chisel and then carefully drive a small screw driver or similar device between the crank and the bush and causing the bush to chip/collapse and allow you to take it out very easily....

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Absolutely correct! ^^^^^^^^

Grease on the bushing will seal the pores IF it's an Oilite and it will make odd noises and drag the input shaft.....I know I did it when I was a lil one!:wacko: .

I put a drop or two on the input shaft bushing surface and splines and smear it around... that's it.

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On 10/21/2018 at 7:00 PM, Dodgeb4ya said:

Absolutely correct! ^^^^^^^^

Grease on the bushing will seal the pores IF it's an Oilite and it will make odd noises and drag the input shaft.....I know I did it when I was a lil one!:wacko: .

I put a drop or two on the input shaft bushing surface and splines and smear it around... that's it.

I'm a little confused here. Were the original bushings made of a different material? I just watched a 1949 Chrysler "Master Tech" filmstrip on You Tube dealing with the clutch and they mention using no more than a 1/4 teaspoon full of grease in the pilot bushing? My new bushing appears to be an oilite, so I just want to be clear and do the right thing! 

Thanks to everyone who chimed in!

Kevin

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Is that what Mr Tech said? ?

He must have been drinking unless ole Harvey said to use grease.

Mr Tech.PNG

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There is a lot of debate on pilot bushings...

Some are Bronze .. some "Oilite". And others.

Some are semi- magnetic... some not.

An "Oilite" porus  bushing already has oil impregnated in it when new.

To see if it is a oil impregnated Oilite type bushing that should NOT be greased set the bushing on a finger.. fill it with thin oil to the top... seal the bushing off with another finger and sqeeze....

Oil should ooze out the sides.......an Oilite bushing has pores and if you use grease on it it will seal these pores up and galling can occur causing sqealing and input shaft wear.

Know what type of pilot bushing you are installing. Brass Bronze, Oilite etc.     Then lube it properly if required.

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  • 10 months later...
On 10/20/2018 at 8:13 PM, thebeebe5 said:

The one my pal has at his shop looks very much like this one from summit 

 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/oes-27059?seid=srese1&cm_mmc=pla-google-_-shopping-_-srese1-_-oem-specialty-tools&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhrTR856W3gIVFMNkCh2JpwkoEAQYBCABEgLXBfD_BwE

 

We’ve used that, and we’ve also packed the input shaft hollow in the back of the crankshaft with grease and hammered in a piece of steel turned on the lathe that just fit into the old bushing.  The grease caught behind the bushing would force it out as the steel was tapped into the back of the crankshaft. 

 

I would replace it as you have everything apart already.  If you have the trans out and the new bushing in hand just check to see if it will fit the input shaft.  It should without modification if it is correct for the application. 

I just used the grease with toilet tissue while hitting a 3 1/2 inch bolt to remove a pilot bushing. It worked unbelievably well, and quick. 

I bought a new clutch assembly that included the new bushing, but the new bushing was a “thicker wall” than the original. I found an exact bushing from McMaster-Carr..$2.33. that was like the original. 

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