Easy & cheap pilot bearing removal

Bob/Kansas City

Bob/Kansas City

Senior Member
I'm in the process of putting a new clutch in my '31 and have been wondering how to get the pilot bearing out without having to buy a bearing puller.

After researching old threads here on the Barn and on the HAMB I decided to try the grease method where you pack the cavity behind the bearing with grease and then use a close fitting dowel or something similar to compact the grease and hydraulically pop the bearing out.

Well, I couldn't find a dowel that fit close enough to the inside of the pilot bearing and just wound up having the grease squirt back out as I began to tap on the dowel. At least the wall of the garage is now well lubricated ! :rolleyes:

After more research I came across a recommendation to pack bread in the hole and drive the bearing out that way. So after pushing about a slice and a half of bread in the cavity behind the bearing I started to tap on the dowel inserted in the bearing. After a few taps and inserting more bread a time or two the bearing finally just popped out just as they said it would!

I just had to laugh that something so stupidly simple would actually work... it was one of those "Here, hold my beer while I show ya how to do that" things.
Of course I did use a good hearty whole grain oat bread because I figured that just some old weak, wimpy Wonder Bread wouldn't be up to the task. :D
 
I like the bread trick. Bread also works to plug off a water line when sweating a joint. And with still's also.
 
Bob, looks like you saved a lot of "bread" by going with the whole grain..............

hey, you asked for it!
 
Used grease several times but the drive does have to fit tightly. I usually use a input shaft from an old ******.
 
Used the bread trick this afternoon and worked like a charm. Found out a 7/16 deep well socket fit like a glove in the pilot bearing hole. Then put a 1/4 x 1 bolt in the socket to fill the hole. Put the bread in and starting taping. Took one full slice and one tear off the second slice. Of course I used whole wheat - wouldn't think of using white bread.....lol.
Will be starting to reassemble everything next week. Les's book is going to get the dust off of it - its been about 3 months since I took it all apart.
 
I took a 1/4-20 x 4" bolt with a fairly wide head,stuck the head in the hole and found something to take up the space and hold it to one side of the bearing. Using about a 1" pipe coupling (bigger than the outside of the bearing), I ran the bolt through some washers and put a nut on it. As I tightened the nut the bolt turned eccentrically,pulling the bearing out evenly and it came out.
 
Simple cheap tool: Slide a socket onto a slot screwdriver, bend the end 90 Degrees & you have a pilot bearing Knocker!
Bill Semigenius
 
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