Pilot bearing

[rlhinit]

Any suggestions on how to ( easily ) remove a pilot bearing ?

[JSeery]

Small slide hammer is the way I get them out. They are normally damaged during removal and need to be replaced. There are some other methods, but I always use the slide hammer.

[Neal]

Fill hole with grease. Find a piece of shaft that will slide in the center hole. Drive the shaft in with a hammer forcing the grease to push out the bearing.

[tiquer]

Originally Posted by Neal

Fill hole with grease. Find a piece of shaft that will slide in the center hole. Drive the shaft in with a hammer forcing the grease to push out the bearing.

X2 on that works great

[bobH]

What are you working on? Answers here might be 'problematic' if it's a 48-back flathead. If it's a bushing in the end of a crank, info here might help. Suggestion from WilCap, for bushing-type, use appropriate fastener thread or pipe thread in bushing, and slide hammer (ruins bushing). Works every time. (But, you need a slide hammer with appropriate 'ends'.) If 48-back flathead, it's a bearing in the FLYWHEEL, not in the crank. Easy method is get the flywheel loose, tap bearing through.

[rlhinit]

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I'm working on a '37 - in the process of installing a t5 - it appears to be a stock (roller bearing ) version - it will be replaced with the brass bushing supplied from Cornhuskers.
I like the idea of filling the bearing with grease ( hydraulic removal ) however, I don't have a rod that's the same size as the I.D.of the pilot bearing . I'll keep searching . Thanks Rayzor

[don-wi]

Get a wood dowel and then sand it to fit snug.

[itslow]

You can also rent dedicated pilot bearing pullers for free from stores like Autozone. Far less mess than packing the cavity behind the bearing full of grease and trying to pop it out that way.

[bobH]

Sez he's working on a 37... That's a ball bearing, in the flywheel, NOT in the end of the crank. If he doesn't want to pull the flywheel, then itslow has the right idea.
I wonder, though, I once did a T-5, and the input shaft of the T-5 was the same size as the Ford ball bearing that is already there ??? (I realize there are many versions of T-5)
My guess is that the 'hydraulic' idea will not work - I've tried it, and could not make it work for this setup. It just pushed grease out, in the wrong places - never moved the bearing, but did push the bearing seal/shield out.

[Bruce Lancaster]

It always helps to have at least an approximate address in your profile...you might live five miles from someone with a KRW puller handy.

[rlhinit]

Bruce, I tried to change my address in my profile ( Central Wisc ) - no luck - any suggestions ?
I'll try Auto Zone for a puller as " Itslow " suggested.

Living in a rural area has some ( very little ) disadvantages - case in point it will be 75 miles round trip to get the puller.
Thanks Rayzor

[JSeery]

I would use a slide hammer before I would drive 70 miles for a puller! Remember that's 2 X 70 because you have to take it back. I live near a large city and still buy a lot of the tools I need online. It is cheaper than gas money and normally arrives in two days.

[34billct]

IF you have some junk laying a round like a carriage bolt and some pipe fittings you can grind the head of the bolt and make a crude puller. I have dun so and it worked. Bill

[Marv]

The gas you would use going back and forth would pay for the new pilot bearing.

[len47merc]

O'reillys has a pilot bearing puller (specific for pilot bearings that attaches to your or their slide hammer) for rent as part of their routine tool 'loaner' program. I recently used one during a clutch change and with 2-3 easy pops it was done. Worked great.

[rlhinit]

Len, thanks for the advice - there's an O'Rielly's in the next town .I'll check on them tomorrow.

[Andy]

Normally a Chevy input shaft is a little smaller OD. I had to make a sleeve to use a Chevy with the Ford ball bearing.

[Bruce Lancaster]

Crude knocker that would probably do the job: Piece of all-thread with nut that will pass through bearing and hook into one side of hole. This could of course be slightly too large with bit of grinding to get a shape that follows a substantial arc of the bearing. It should be secure...for something this quick and dirty, I would simply damage the end threads of the all-thread so nut is solidly jammed. Other end, drop on something moderately heavy that will slide over the all-thread, like a big deep socket or any available chunk of metal with suitable hole in it, top off the rod with double-nut.
Hook tool into bearing, give it a smack or two with your cave-man slide hammer, move it to opposite location on bearing and smack again, repeat till it falls on the floor.

On the grease method...messy, with nasty cleanup. A mechanical genius on the HAMB came up with the solution...pack the cavity with peanut butter. Once bearing is out, go have a cup of coffee while your dog does the clean-up.