pilot bearing help!!
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Carrollton, tx
pilot bearing help!! I went and picked up a pilot bearing for my project, and I gave the Oreilly's guy the GM part number and this is what he gave me:
In looking online, all of the bearings I see with this part number have internal needle bearings like this:
Given that the one I got does not have needle bearings, should I be concerned?
In looking online, all of the bearings I see with this part number have internal needle bearings like this:
Given that the one I got does not have needle bearings, should I be concerned?
That is a bushing, They have used bushings since the 50s, however this century we have advanced and use bearings. You will always hear the debate over bearing vs. bushing. Here are a few facts, the bushing is softer and will wear before the input shaft of your trans, that is the only pro of the bushing. it is a fact that the ID of the bushing is larger than its bearing counterpart, meaning the bearing will provide more stability to input shaft movement. the bearing was installed by GM to provide multiple years of trouble free service. The bushing is ok if you r&r your trans regularly, but if you dont, Then put the bearing back in, take care installing your trans, and you dont have to worry about it. You can buy the bearing at atozone for like 13 bucks, you prolly paid about 4 for that bushing,,,theres another clue.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Carrollton, tx
That is a bushing, They have used bushings since the 50s, however this century we have advanced and use bearings. You will always hear the debate over bearing vs. bushing. Here are a few facts, the bushing is softer and will wear before the input shaft of your trans, that is the only pro of the bushing. it is a fact that the ID of the bushing is larger than its bearing counterpart, meaning the bearing will provide more stability to input shaft movement. the bearing was installed by GM to provide multiple years of trouble free service. The bushing is ok if you r&r your trans regularly, but if you dont, Then put the bearing back in, take care installing your trans, and you dont have to worry about it. You can buy the bearing at atozone for like 13 bucks, you prolly paid about 4 for that bushing,,,theres another clue.
Plenty of people have had the bearing grenade on them. The bronze bushing will work fine and you can't screw it up when you reinstall the transmission. I had 2 bearings disintegrate. I run the bushing now.
Trending Topics
Banned
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 992
Likes: 1
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Gifts Neither Your Dad Nor Grad Will Shove Into the 'Trinket Drawer'
Brett Foote
Topdon ONE vs. Artidiag 800 BT2: Which is the Diagnostic Tablet For You?
Pouria Savadkouei
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 24,241
Likes: 89
From: Turnin' Wrenches Infractions: 005
I have seen a stock bearing literally grind itself up after 100k normal street miles under stock trans/clutch conditions. Perhaps 100k is about their usable lifespan.
Bushing recently saved my bacon after a major foul up on my part. I didnt have one of the dowel pins between the trans and bell housing engaged, which resulted in a trans that could rotate on the one dowel that was engaged. Instead of blowing the bearing apart and tearing up my input, it wallowed out the bushing until it started to make noise, prompting me to tear it apart. Ide rather replace that bushing 10x than replace my input shaft.
Of course...had I not screwed up when I put the trans back together it wouldnt have been an issue either way. When I got my car, and changed the clutch, the previous owner had a stock bearing in it...and it was rusted all to heck and was crunch. Thats what made me go to a bushing in the first place.
J.
Of course...had I not screwed up when I put the trans back together it wouldnt have been an issue either way. When I got my car, and changed the clutch, the previous owner had a stock bearing in it...and it was rusted all to heck and was crunch. Thats what made me go to a bushing in the first place.
J.
Banned
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 992
Likes: 1
The bushing or bearing should last a very long time. If they are failing its usually because the transmission is NOT centered with the engine because of misaglinment. The manufacturers don't always gets things spot on and iff the pins are drilled a little off and the holes are a little off it can add up to ALOT. This will wear the pilot bearing out fast, I've run into this a few times.
Folks, the Keep It Simple Stupid principle is at play here.
There isn't anything that can go wrong with the bronze bushing. IF there is a problem, the bushing will sacrifice itself whereas the bearing will chew up your input shaft and spit it out.
The other, very expensive option is a delrin bushing.
There isn't anything that can go wrong with the bronze bushing. IF there is a problem, the bushing will sacrifice itself whereas the bearing will chew up your input shaft and spit it out.
The other, very expensive option is a delrin bushing.
FormerVendor
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Collingdale Pa
A Tremec trans uses a tapered roller bearing on the input shaft and a pilot bearing (when the bell housing is properly aligned) and will hold the input much more accurately and stable than a bushing. For example the Muncie input shaft uses a ball bearing front bearing which by nature allows more lateral movement and a bushing is better suited because they last virtually forever. Also the Muncie input shaft is not case hardened to the same specs as newer transmissions and the pilot bearing can in some cases wear the tip of the input shaft. Some of the newer Muncie aftermarket input shafts are hardened but which ones I can't say. The .005" specification is necessary for both applications but a Muncie or any transmission with a ball bearing style front bearing will tolerate much more of an out of alignment situation than a tapered roller bearing.Tremec recommends the bearing.If you buy a Keisler, TKO the warranty is voided if a roller bearing is not installed.I would use the needle bearing, add a little tab of grease and you will be fine for your application.
