Removing the Pilot Bearing

PILOT BEARING REMOVAL

Removing the Pilot Bearing using a wedge anchor and axle nut socket

The pilot bearing should be replaced when you are replacing the clutch, as it's a very cheap part (less than $30 US when I bought it in 2016).  Its the ring shaped bearing that holds the spline of the transmission centered in the engine crankshaft.  This is a pic of my new pilot bearing installed:

Crankshaft rear view with pilot bearing cover removed.

On Table 3.4, it's part #16, "Pilot Bearing"

Table 3-4.  Notice parts #16 and #17 upper right corner.

To start, remove Part #17, the pilot bearing cover. It is more or less a thick metal cap that can be pried off with a large screwdriver.  Don't worry if you bend it up a little while you remove it - it can be hammered flat again enough to fit snugly back in place.  You can see that I secured it to the crankshaft flange with some wire in my above picture to avoid losing it.

I tried using various pullers to remove the old pilot bearing, but after 60 years, it seemed comfortable and was not happy about being removed.  I designed a removal jig from simple available parts and materials.

My solution was to got to Home Depot and buy a standard 7 inch long, 1/2 inch diameter concrete wedge anchor.  In addition, I used my large axle bolt socket 36mm, which has an interior diameter larger than the pilot bearing. The 36mm socket needs to be 1/2 inch drive:  big enough so that the concrete anchor threaded rod fits through it with no binding.

The idea is to use the anchor to pull on the bearing, while pushing against the crankshaft flange with the axle socket.  The pilot bearing will slide up into the axle socket.

I also needed some nuts, and washers.  With the a non-ratcheting socket wrench that I call he "tightening socket", and a plain open end wrench, I was able to coax it out.

Removal Jig 

Removal jig with pilot bearing still stuck on the end of it (right side)

Preparation: 
Push as much grease and other lubricating oils in and around the outer edge of the pilot bearing as possible, then let it sit over night to let the lubricant ooze everywhere it can.

Then, clean as much of the grease and oil out of the inside part of the pilot bearing so that the concrete anchor will be less likely to slip. 

Assemble the jig:  Assemble the anchor, the axle socket, washer, and nuts.  
Push the threaded part of the anchor through the square hole in the top of the socket, and top that off with a large washer, and three nuts.  Spin the first nut part way down to the top of the socket.  Tighten the other two nuts together at the top end of the anchor.  These two nuts give the tightening socket the ability to tighten the anchor into the pilot bearing.
 
Insert the concrete anchor into the pilot by tapping it gently with a hammer. You will feel when it bottoms out.   With a socket wrench, tighten the anchor until it is just past snug.  Do not over tighten, as it does not take much torque for the anchor to be well set.  When installing these anchors, the torque is only 12-16 foot pounds to provide thousands of pounds of holding power, resisting pull-out.  Over-torqueing can damage the pilot bearing making it even more difficult to remove.

Here's a pic of what it looked like from from the crankshaft side, after I got it out.  You can see the blunt end of the threaded rod part of the anchor, and the anchor's metal sleeve that expands inside the black pilot bearing.

Put an open end wrench on the nut that is on top of the axle socket, as you can see in the removal jig picture below.   Slowly tighten it, and it will pull the threaded part of the anchor through the square hole in the axle socket, and the pilot bearing from the crankshaft with it.

You may have to secure the threaded rod part of the anchor with the non-ratcheting socket or breaker-bar, if the threaded rod starts to turn with the wrench.

To install the pilot bearing, lubricate the outside of the bearing and the inside of the crankshaft hole.  Then using a large socket (20mm or so) to protect the bearing, tap the pilot bearing in with gentle hammer taps.  Using the same socket, tap the bearing cover, part #17, into place.