The Ford Barn

PaintShaker · 01-18-2025, 05:15 PM

My replacement pilot bearing is thicker than the surface in the flywheel it's made to be located on. I want the bearing to be in the right location to correctly support the end of the main drive gear. What would be the best position to use? 1) I can press it in place so it's centered on the surface it mounts on, and overhangs a small amount on both sides or 2) install it flush with the front face or rear face of the flywheel where it mounts, and overhanging on the opposite side. We're no talking a big difference in location, but I'd like to do it right.
Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks.

JayJay · 01-18-2025, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaintShaker

My replacement pilot bearing is thicker than the surface in the flywheel it's made to be located on. I want the bearing to be in the right location to correctly support the end of the main drive gear. What would be the best position to use? 1) I can press it in place so it's centered on the surface it mounts on, and overhangs a small amount on both sides or 2) install it flush with the front face or rear face of the flywheel where it mounts, and overhanging on the opposite side. We're no talking a big difference in location, but I'd like to do it right.
Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks.

The flywheel bolts flush to the crankshaft flange. Your pilot bearing should be flush or a tiny bit recessed on the crank side. There is clearance between the friction disk hub and the housing to accommodate that.

Good question, welcome to the forum.

old31 · 01-18-2025, 09:35 PM

Paintshaker, welcome to the forum.

PaintShaker · 01-19-2025, 11:01 PM

JayJay,
Thanks for the very clear explanation. I was able to find a cross sectional drawing of the clutch area and I see just what you mean. There is really no choice. The bearing has to be positioned as you said or the crankshaft flange would run into it when the flywheel is being installed.
Thanks very much for your help.

PaintShaker · 01-19-2025, 11:05 PM

old31,
Thanks for the greeting. I'm sure the forum is going to be a great resource. It's nice to be getting into model A's again.

JayJay · 01-20-2025, 10:20 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by PaintShaker

JayJay,
Thanks for the very clear explanation. I was able to find a cross sectional drawing of the clutch area and I see just what you mean. There is really no choice. The bearing has to be positioned as you said or the crankshaft flange would run into it when the flywheel is being installed.
Thanks very much for your help.

FWIW, I press mine in from the back using a piece of steel plate under the press. You can put the bearing in the freezer to shrink it a little. I then find a socket the diameter of the outside of the bearing to use in the press to give it that little extra tweak of recess. Doesn’t take much, just enough to be sure you don’t interfere with the flat figment to the crankshaft.

And when you are installing the clutch, I find that the plastic pilot tool doesn’t help much to align the friction disc. I find I need a real tranny input shaft. Having the engine nose down and the flywheel parallel to the ground will help. Admittedly kinda hard to do this with the engine in the car, though…

rotorwrench · 01-20-2025, 01:16 PM

The plastic 1 3/8"-10-spline tool isn't the best. The old conical alignment tools were better but not common now days. It takes patience to align the clutches on the rimmed flywheel design.

PaintShaker · 01-20-2025, 03:11 PM

I got into all of this to replace my main drive gear. I plan to use the replacement part as my pilot.
I'm just now getting back into Model A's. Any recommendations on what supplier to use for a complicated part such as this? I don't mind paying for quality. I want to get the best part possible. I'd prefer not to have to do this job over again.

JayJay · 01-20-2025, 03:31 PM

Pretty much these days all the suppliers draw from the same limited pool of manufacturers. Fortunately, the gear manufacturers appear to be of pretty decent quality, even if overseas (I bought a steering sector shaft recently and it came from somewhere in South America!). You can call the suppliers for the specific gear you are looking for and ask them where they source the part. Any of the Model A suppliers - Snyder's, Bert's, Bratton's, Arizona Model A, Smith & Jones are some that I've dealt with - should be able to accommodate you. Some of the replacement transmission bearings can be sort of iffy, search on this forum for the many discussions we've had on that topic.

At the extreme, if you are looking at having to replace a bunch of parts in your transmission, you might consider a Mitchell transmission. All new internals, synchromesh 2nd and 3rd, strong tower, gears made in the good old US of A.

PaintShaker · 01-21-2025, 11:53 AM

Thanks once again for the information you've given me. You've been very helpful. You mention searching on the forum. I'm going to have to try a little harder to find details on how to navigate around on the forum. There has to be an easier way to find stuff. Right now I just wander around a lot, even to find my own post. The forum looks like it could be a great resource, now I have to figure out how to tap into it.

PaintShaker · 01-21-2025, 01:46 PM

I have learned how to do a search. What a fantastic tool! There's an amazing amount of information at your fingertips.

01-18-2025, 05:15 PM	#1
PaintShaker Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 13	Pilot bearing position My replacement pilot bearing is thicker than the surface in the flywheel it's made to be located on. I want the bearing to be in the right location to correctly support the end of the main drive gear. What would be the best position to use? 1) I can press it in place so it's centered on the surface it mounts on, and overhangs a small amount on both sides or 2) install it flush with the front face or rear face of the flywheel where it mounts, and overhanging on the opposite side. We're no talking a big difference in location, but I'd like to do it right. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks.

01-18-2025, 09:35 PM	#3
old31 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 2,460	Re: Pilot bearing position Paintshaker, welcome to the forum.

01-19-2025, 11:01 PM	#4
PaintShaker Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 13	Re: Pilot bearing position JayJay, Thanks for the very clear explanation. I was able to find a cross sectional drawing of the clutch area and I see just what you mean. There is really no choice. The bearing has to be positioned as you said or the crankshaft flange would run into it when the flywheel is being installed. Thanks very much for your help.

01-19-2025, 11:05 PM	#5
PaintShaker Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 13	Re: Pilot bearing position old31, Thanks for the greeting. I'm sure the forum is going to be a great resource. It's nice to be getting into model A's again.

01-20-2025, 01:16 PM	#7
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 17,410	Re: Pilot bearing position The plastic 1 3/8"-10-spline tool isn't the best. The old conical alignment tools were better but not common now days. It takes patience to align the clutches on the rimmed flywheel design.

01-20-2025, 03:11 PM	#8
PaintShaker Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 13	Re: Pilot bearing position I got into all of this to replace my main drive gear. I plan to use the replacement part as my pilot. I'm just now getting back into Model A's. Any recommendations on what supplier to use for a complicated part such as this? I don't mind paying for quality. I want to get the best part possible. I'd prefer not to have to do this job over again.

01-20-2025, 03:31 PM	#9
JayJay Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 2,108	Re: Pilot bearing position Pretty much these days all the suppliers draw from the same limited pool of manufacturers. Fortunately, the gear manufacturers appear to be of pretty decent quality, even if overseas (I bought a steering sector shaft recently and it came from somewhere in South America!). You can call the suppliers for the specific gear you are looking for and ask them where they source the part. Any of the Model A suppliers - Snyder's, Bert's, Bratton's, Arizona Model A, Smith & Jones are some that I've dealt with - should be able to accommodate you. Some of the replacement transmission bearings can be sort of iffy, search on this forum for the many discussions we've had on that topic. At the extreme, if you are looking at having to replace a bunch of parts in your transmission, you might consider a Mitchell transmission. All new internals, synchromesh 2nd and 3rd, strong tower, gears made in the good old US of A. __________________ JayJay San Francisco Bay Area ------------------------ 1930 Murray Town Sedan 1931 Briggs S/W Town Sedan It isn't a defect, it's a feature!

01-21-2025, 11:53 AM	#10
PaintShaker Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 13	Re: Pilot bearing position Thanks once again for the information you've given me. You've been very helpful. You mention searching on the forum. I'm going to have to try a little harder to find details on how to navigate around on the forum. There has to be an easier way to find stuff. Right now I just wander around a lot, even to find my own post. The forum looks like it could be a great resource, now I have to figure out how to tap into it.

01-21-2025, 01:46 PM	#11
PaintShaker Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 13	Re: Pilot bearing position I have learned how to do a search. What a fantastic tool! There's an amazing amount of information at your fingertips.