Pilot bushing removal is no fun

[adf5565]

I just changed my pilot bushing as well. Like you I purchased the HF pilot puller and at first it didn’t work. I also tried the grease/input shaft trick but my bushing was too worn and it seeped past.

I ended up hitting the bushing in just a hair with a hammer/socket to knock it free from the position it’s been for 52 years. And then ground flat the HF puller fingers just a little so there was more to catch the inside of the bushing. After that it came right out easy.

[PanhandleShantyman]

Gentlemen, I really appreciate all the kind advice! I ordered some new gear so I can try round 2 on this bushing in a few days.

I think I'll give Alloyvert's grease gun fitting tool a try, and if that fails I'll try tapping it out like RichardJ suggested. I also ordered an American bronze bushing per Stanco's recommendation.

I truly admire the majority contingent's ability to make this process work with pounded bread, but since I have deeply and repeatedly failed to make that work, for my own mental health I am not going to try any more of that! Plus, at the rate I've been scattering bread chunks around under this dang bushing, I'm going to end up with a squirrel infestation in my garage... dang flying squirrels in the attic already chewed through my home AC condensation line a few months ago... and besides, my mama raised me not to waste food.

When I get back to this in a few days I'll let the board know how it goes... thanks for the encouragement!

-Will