Pilot Bushing - How to Install???

[bloody hammer]

I have a '62 C10 w/ a 235 and Saginaw 3-speed. I'm doing my first clutch job and am ready to put it all back together. I tried getting the old pilot bushing out using the "grease trick" but did not have any luck with it. So, I went to the closest Auto Zone and borrowed their "Blind Hole Puller". It worked like a charm.

No such luck with putting the new one back in. I tried tapping it in with a hammer and socket but that didn't go so well. So, I pulled it out and it's pretty banged up. Luckily, they only cost about $3.00 and I happen to have another one on hand.

What I'm wondering is this... can I use the slide-hammer puller I borrowed from Auto Zone to put in a new bushing? Or will that destroy it?

I have the good new one in the freezer as someone told me that should make it contract a bit and might go in easier.

I'm just not sure what to do.

[Indian113]

Warm up the area where the bushing go's. Also I have a set of bushing drivers but I would check and see if you could rent one from Auto Zone.

[zetan]

Warm it up only if the flywheel is not on the motor.
Don't want to ruin the rear main seal with heat.

[bloody hammer]

Flywheel is off, resurfaced, and ready to go.

What best to heat it with... a propane torch?

[jayoldschool]

Put the bushing in the freezer overnight. Pop it in place with a socket/hammer, or, my favourite install tool: a hockey puck/hammer.

[Sharps40]

I always froze them for a bit.....

And....made a spud that fit the inside of the bushing a bit loose and had a shoulder on it that was wide enough to contact the crank. Put the spud in the freezer too.

Assembled bushing to spud, position against crank, drive it home. Shoulder on spud stops at crank////bushing perfectly flush. I think I wipped up the spud 5 minutes or so from some brass bar stock on the drill press with a file.

[padresag]

there are also 2 sizes of pilot bushings. there is not much difference but it is a real PITA trying to put the larger one in the smaller hole. there was only about .030 difference in them. counter person may have given you wrong one and that wouldn't be the first time that has happened. measure the hole and the bushing to make sure. a bushing driver makes it a lot easier to install. the shaft of the driver will also indicate how straight it is when you start it. when you don't have a driver it is easy to get it cocked a little in the bore and you get a ridge on one side and the trouble begins. an old chevy input shaft will work fine as well as a clutch line up tool
ron

[bloody hammer]

Whew... finally got it to go in. I ended up getting another loan tool from AutoZone and it worked like a charm. Now I just have to get the bell housing lined up on the rubber mounts. I used a bottle jack here and there to nudge it, I pushed and pulled and just couldn't quite get it. I guess I'll do the smart thing and wait until one of my friends can come over to help. There's just no way I can push the bell housing into place and hold it there while fumbling with the bolt and lower mount. Aggravating.

Here's the driver set I borrowed from AutoZone with a $50 "deposit"...

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...er=391369_0_0_

[66Submarine]

The bellhousing shouldn't require helpers to install; not sure how there's going to be room for more people under the truck anyway. IME, you just jack the back of the engine up a little by the oil pan and everything goes right together.

[bloody hammer]

Originally Posted by 66Submarine

The bellhousing shouldn't require helpers to install; not sure how there's going to be room for more people under the truck anyway. IME, you just jack the back of the engine up a little by the oil pan and everything goes right together.

I wrestled with it for near 3 hours yesterday. I jacked the engine up enough for the bellhousing to clear the rubber mounts. If I push hard enough on the side of the bellhousing I can get the bolt holes lined up with the top mount but there's no way I can hold it there while getting the bolt and lower mount inserted and threaded.

I've been thinking about it and maybe this is my mistake... the bellhouse is completely unbolted but it is sitting on the pins that hold it to the block. Should I bring it back down off the pins so it's easier to at least get the bottom bolts through the mounts and threaded in? Then lift the bell house back up onto the pins and then tighten everything down?

Is that how it's usually done?

[padresag]

bell housing should just slide over the pins and bolt up, so you have a problem somewhere. something restricting you. do not force it on by trying to pull it in with bolts or it will break somewhere and you will be looking for a new bell housing.
you don't have it jacked up to high and your hitting the cowl. I wouldn't worry about the rubber mounts being in there until you get the bell housing on. take them out of the way until you have the housing fastened . they can go in later. just make sure that you have free room to work in.
one question that I have to ask is that I hope that you are putting the bell housing on by itself and not with the trans attached to it
ron

[MikeN]

The best pilot bushing install tool is an old and/or broken transmission input shaft. Works like a charm

[66Submarine]

I'm not quite sure what problem you're having. I think you are trying to bolt the bellhousing to the mounts first, and then bolt it to the block? That's kinda bass-ackwards if you are, IMO.

Bolt the bellhousing on the engine and set it down on the rubber mounts before you try to put the bolts in. They go in at an angle, so you can't really expect to get them in with it jacked up.

[bloody hammer]

Originally Posted by 66Submarine

I'm not quite sure what problem you're having. I think you are trying to bolt the bellhousing to the mounts first, and then bolt it to the block? That's kinda bass-ackwards if you are, IMO.

Bolt the bellhousing on the engine and set it down on the rubber mounts before you try to put the bolts in. They go in at an angle, so you can't really expect to get them in with it jacked up.

Ok, this must be what I'm doing wrong. The bellhousing is up on the pins but all bolts are still out. I noticed the holes on the bottom were not lining up with the mounts and figured it would be best to get that fixed first before bolting it everywhere else.

I see now what you're saying... bolt up the bellhousing everywhere else first and then worry about the mounts. I'll give it another shot this weekend.

I'm also going to pull the new pilot bushing out again. I saw the talk about the bronze vs iron debate. I got curious and tested the pilot bushing I pulled out and it was non-magnetic. Then I tested the one I just recently put in... definitely magnetic.

Here's the curious thing... the one I put in I got from the local clutch shop that turned my flywheel. The receipt showed it as a "National PB656HD" and it cost about $9.00... and it's magnetic.

Yesterday I went to O-Reilly's and brought along a magnet. I asked for the same part number.... PB656HD. It was NOT magnetic and the cost was about $9.00.

I think the first guy might have given me the ol' switcheroo.... sold me the $9 type but gave me the $3 type. Lesson learned.

[Sharps40]

I recently changed rear mounts on my 65 w/bell bolted to engine. Yes. Its a wiggle fest wirh jacks. It was easy to get one in loose then work on the other. Slight elevation and reaming a taper in the pin holes in the new mounts was required. Be persistant. Once both are started it'll sit down on the xmember fine and ya can snug up the bolts.

[padresag]

Originally Posted by bloody hammer

Ok, this must be what I'm doing wrong. The bellhousing is up on the pins but all bolts are still out. I noticed the holes on the bottom were not lining up with the mounts and figured it would be best to get that fixed first before bolting it everywhere else.

I see now what you're saying... bolt up the bellhousing everywhere else first and then worry about the mounts. I'll give it another shot this weekend.

I'm also going to pull the new pilot bushing out again. I saw the talk about the bronze vs iron debate. I got curious and tested the pilot bushing I pulled out and it was non-magnetic. Then I tested the one I just recently put in... definitely magnetic.

Here's the curious thing... the one I put in I got from the local clutch shop that turned my flywheel. The receipt showed it as a "National PB656HD" and it cost about $9.00... and it's magnetic.

Yesterday I went to O-Reilly's and brought along a magnet. I asked for the same part number.... PB656HD. It was NOT magnetic and the cost was about $9.00.

I think the first guy might have given me the ol' switcheroo.... sold me the $9 type but gave me the $3 type. Lesson learned.

remember that it is steel all around that installed pilot bushing and it just may stick to it depending upon your magnet
ron

[bloody hammer]

Originally Posted by padresag

remember that it is steel all around that installed pilot bushing and it just may stick to it depending upon your magnet
ron

That's a good point and I hadn't considered that. Still, I'm curious enough now that I'm going to pull it anyway. What the heck, I still have the puller and driver sets I borrowed from AutoZone. The new one I bought from O'Reilly's definitely has a different look to it....more the color of "bronze" (similar to the old one I pulled) where the one I recently put in is more silver/grey looking.

[bloody hammer]

Originally Posted by Sharps40

I recently changed rear mounts on my 65 w/bell bolted to engine. Yes. Its a wiggle fest wirh jacks. It was easy to get one in loose then work on the other. Slight elevation and reaming a taper in the pin holes in the new mounts was required. Be persistant. Once both are started it'll sit down on the xmember fine and ya can snug up the bolts.

I'm going to take another run at it this weekend.