Pilot Bearing or Bushing
12-25-2008, 03:59 PM
#1
Pilot Bearing or Bushing Looking to replace my clutch. I'm going with spec 2+ and an aluminum flywheel. Getting new bolts for everything and rear main seal also. My question is for a street car is a pilot bearing or bushing better? I've also seen that kevlar bushings are supposed to be pretty good so any suggestions would be great.
12-25-2008, 06:15 PM
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Not to scare the crap out of you but I've heard horror stories of bearings exploding and tearing up the input shaft. The bushing should work fine for the life of the clutch.
12-26-2008, 01:59 AM
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when my clutch failed, i discovered the likely culprit was the outside of the disc contacting the pressure plate and shredding itself due to a pilot bushing that hadn't been replaced when the previous owner had the clutch replaced
the bushing was worn out and had tons of play, yet the input shaft on the tranny was still good, this was reason enough for me to install a bushing instead of the bearing when i replaced my clutch
its kind of funny though, when you frequent a GM oriented site the majority of the people shun the pilot bearings, but if you check out a ford site the majority of the people shun the bushings... in reality your probably fine going with either, but i have also heard to stay away from the kevlar bushings
the bushing was worn out and had tons of play, yet the input shaft on the tranny was still good, this was reason enough for me to install a bushing instead of the bearing when i replaced my clutch
its kind of funny though, when you frequent a GM oriented site the majority of the people shun the pilot bearings, but if you check out a ford site the majority of the people shun the bushings... in reality your probably fine going with either, but i have also heard to stay away from the kevlar bushings
12-26-2008, 07:05 AM
#7
Kevlar in automotive applications is a marketing gimmick like Teflon, very few useful applications for it here but LOTS of companies trying to pretend so they can make money off of selling a "high tech" solution for a problem that does not exist.
Far as bushing or bearing, well you better make very sure the tranny and engine are dead centered and straight, they may not be from the factory and if they are not, any missalignment will destroy bearings, bushings are more forgiving.
Yet another one of those cases where it pays to understand the hows and whys of things. The people who curse bearings probably never bothered to understand why, they probably also used it in the first place under a blind assumption that bushings had to be bad. Bushings work fine, and if you make sure to do your homework bearings can too, but they are not as dropin and forget.
Far as bushing or bearing, well you better make very sure the tranny and engine are dead centered and straight, they may not be from the factory and if they are not, any missalignment will destroy bearings, bushings are more forgiving.
Yet another one of those cases where it pays to understand the hows and whys of things. The people who curse bearings probably never bothered to understand why, they probably also used it in the first place under a blind assumption that bushings had to be bad. Bushings work fine, and if you make sure to do your homework bearings can too, but they are not as dropin and forget.
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12-26-2008, 08:15 AM
#8
I plan on going with a Bronze Bushing.
To the OP, here is something that you might find helpful..
https://ls1tech.com/forums/manual-tr...t-bushing.html
To the OP, here is something that you might find helpful..
https://ls1tech.com/forums/manual-tr...t-bushing.html
12-26-2008, 11:28 AM
#9
Kevlar in automotive applications is a marketing gimmick like Teflon, very few useful applications for it here but LOTS of companies trying to pretend so they can make money off of selling a "high tech" solution for a problem that does not exist.
Far as bushing or bearing, well you better make very sure the tranny and engine are dead centered and straight, they may not be from the factory and if they are not, any missalignment will destroy bearings, bushings are more forgiving.
Yet another one of those cases where it pays to understand the hows and whys of things. The people who curse bearings probably never bothered to understand why, they probably also used it in the first place under a blind assumption that bushings had to be bad. Bushings work fine, and if you make sure to do your homework bearings can too, but they are not as dropin and forget.
Far as bushing or bearing, well you better make very sure the tranny and engine are dead centered and straight, they may not be from the factory and if they are not, any missalignment will destroy bearings, bushings are more forgiving.
Yet another one of those cases where it pays to understand the hows and whys of things. The people who curse bearings probably never bothered to understand why, they probably also used it in the first place under a blind assumption that bushings had to be bad. Bushings work fine, and if you make sure to do your homework bearings can too, but they are not as dropin and forget.
And for the OP I'm going to go with a pilot bushing this time. Ide much rather have something in there that wont take out my input shaft if it fails. And the bushings are self lubricated so you don't have to worry about them drying out.
12-27-2008, 12:37 PM
#10
In 'general" bearing or bushing will be fine..
with that said GM and others went to bearings when they started offering cars that spin to 7000 RPM's. Bearings run cooler and do not get as hot as a bushing. Yes if a bearing fails there is a argument it can cause more damage than a bushing failure. weather it is a bearing or bushing failure "why" it failed needs to be confirmed. Typically worn input shaft bearings on tranny.
Often people do not replace bearing or bushing on a clutch swap so failure is more likely under those conditions weather it is a bearing or bushing. When we 'hear" of a bearing failure the "why" part is rarely confirmed.
with that said GM and others went to bearings when they started offering cars that spin to 7000 RPM's. Bearings run cooler and do not get as hot as a bushing. Yes if a bearing fails there is a argument it can cause more damage than a bushing failure. weather it is a bearing or bushing failure "why" it failed needs to be confirmed. Typically worn input shaft bearings on tranny.
Often people do not replace bearing or bushing on a clutch swap so failure is more likely under those conditions weather it is a bearing or bushing. When we 'hear" of a bearing failure the "why" part is rarely confirmed.
