Anyone use the pilot bushing instead of the pilot bearing? There should be one thats functions or is a direct replacement for ls1 engine t56s. Usually theyre made of a softer material and wont chew up the input shaft like the needle bearing will when it fails. I believe its cintered cronze or powdered metal material?

 

Yes I've used both. Currently running a bushing but plenty have run the bearing on high HP builds. I had an issue with the bearing so just went bushing given I don't drive the car much and can swap it out without too much issue.

 

There are many threads about pilot bearings here. Posted over the years with sponsors selling the item.

What are you doing that you need to worry about needle bearing failures???

 

Im curious the bushing material should wear and not the input shaft. Only because i had a needle bearing chew up my 98 z28 t56 input shaft i had to have it refinished. Im trying not to mess up the m12 t56 500$ input shaft and thought possibly the softer bushing would be a better option.

 

Bushings are generally used for high performance or racing applications. As you mentioned, bushings are a wear part so they need to be changed frequently. (This is why the car originally came with a bearing so it could last through a warranty period.)

If you have a needle bearing tearing up a shaft in a near-stock situation, the needle bearing could just be old. (Best practice is to change it when one is in there for a clutch swap. If it stays in, then it becomes a gamble...) Other reasons for failure could be misalignment which can happen with transmission or bell housing changes.

As mentioned above, there are many threads you can search on these parts. If you would like to do a root cause for why you had a needle bearing failure, we can also do that. (Generally, this should not happen.)

 

Which bushing for ls1 do you use?

 

It was the stock clutch spring lodged between flywheel at 139k miles i put a spec 2+ with 300 miles from here on the forum. At 165K the spec clutch threw a sping (weak cages) and i bought the act 6 puck 925ft lb clutch it was real nice however i had the transmission rebuilt at the same time as it popped out of 1st gear. Mike or the source here on the forum lived by me and rebuilt the transmission stage 2 with bronze pads was 900$ plus the viper 2nd gear mine was a 98 and the resleeved input shaft that got tore up by the old needle bearing.

I was referring to classic cars i had a 66 fairlane i daily drove with 4.10s hays clutch and 4 speed toploader and the input shaft never showed signs of wear. The bushing would show some wear but that was it.

This is the ford bushing it only wore on the bottom side daily driving a classic. Its much better then a needle bushing chewing up an input shaft. I never had problems with the bushing but that was on older classic 4 speed cars.

The groove or wear is only on the bottom side and the top of bushing where input shaft rode shows no signs of wear.

Which would be the correct part number for bushing for the ls1? And what material are they? Cintered bronze i read some were others said powdered metal.

 

It does show the 2000 trucks used a pilot bushing or atleast have them listed? You dont know if this was from the factory? dorman 14650 my guess is maybe they had some standard work trucks but its possible they didnt though lists that itll fit that application. Tick also has a pilot bushing listed for ls1 engines on their website.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/187205893965