Pilot bearing replacement
 

As I was lining up my clutch and pressure plate, I noticed that my piolt bearing is partly broken. A ring on the inside of the bearing (crank side) is partly coming off and is rather chewed. I just bought a new pilot bearing and what do I need to do to install it? I will rent a pilot bearing removal tool, but what else do I need to know?

Before you go buy the pilot bushing tool, here is a cool trick to remove it.
Pack the inside of the bearing with as much grease as you can pack in the hole. Then find a a solid object like an socket extension, lead pipe, anything that will fit snug into the hole and wack it good with a hammer and the bushing will come right out.
It's simpe hydraulics,

Well I tried it on my buddy's pilot bearing, and we had so much grease in it, we didn't know what to do. Someone else suggested stuffing paper towels in it to release the hydrolic lock, but that just made a HUGE mess. I had to leave after that, but my boddy told me he went down to Kragen and rented a removal tool and it popped right out.

Good question, Rebel. I'll be installing a new one in my 331 in a couple of weeks and would also like to know what's involved.

E

I replaced the pilot bearing in my 82 and i did just what 82GT said. I packed it with grease and used the clutch alignment tool to get it out. It takes a little bit of grease but it works good. and for putting it back in i just found a socket that fit around the bearing and used that to tap it in.82GT, Just out of curiousity do you know how much a 82 GT weighs? I took off some of the things from my car to lighten it up a little but im just curious where i started at.

Just get the tool. It's a much cleaner way of doing it.

I just used a socket that matched the size of the bearing and tapped it in with a hammer. Not much to it.

Got it. I wasn't too sure how much force was needed to get the bearing into the end of the crank and didn't want to mess up something in the motor by hammering on the end of it. However, it sounds like a couple gentle taps will get it in.

Thanks for the info.

E

Just tap it in
 

Jimberg is right. I replaced mine last week and it was as simple as tapping it in with a socket that matched the bearing. Good luck!

Well in my case it was a bit tighter of a fit. I put some fresh grease around the outside of the bearing and put it into position. I used a 1" socket and tapped it in with a socet wrench. However it would not go all the way in, so I used a hammer to evenly tap it in. And it was not all light tapping either. But anyways its in, and it was not a pain at all.