Pilot Bearing options

[Flat Ernie]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

If it's a daily driver, you will be putting a clutch in there somewhere down the road in 5 to 10 years. If you only drive it a few times a month and keep it in the garage in bad conditions the phosphor bronze bushing would probably be OK.

Therein lies the rub - if these were driven daily, I could go either way - a quality sealed bearing or a bushing. But since a good many of these cars see limited duty and long periods of standing, I think the bushing is the way to go most of the time.

Besides, bushings don't seize and to wear like the one in the picture either a) something is wrong, or b) there's a heckofa lot of miles on it. In either case, it will probably keep you out of trouble longer than a bearing!