The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Clutch pilot bushing question

Okay I'm working on a 1956 chevy 3100 with a 235 and a t-5 transmission. The t-5 came with a new clutch pressure plate and releasea bearing. The guy i bought it from had it prepped for his truck but never installed it because he wanted to go with a different motor and transmission. I read the manual on installing the clutch and also watched a YouTube video on how to do it. I install the flywheel clutch and pressure plate and prep the transmission by drilling out the holes on the mounts and purchased the bolts and set the transmission inside theclutch housing. I realized I needed to set the clutch fork and realease bearing but I wanted to order the retaining clip in the new ball stud. Here is my question I was looking in the LMC parts catalog it shows a clutch pilot bushing anand the other one is a clutch pilot bearing where does these go and do i need them?

Yes you need one of them. The bearing or bushing goes in the end of the crank and accepts the main shaft of the transmission. I have never done the T-5 trans swap. But you will need to have a bearing (if available) that is the the right size to fit into the crank and the correct inner diameter to accept the transmission shaft. I am sure that there is someone here that has done what you're doing and will chime in.

Yes thanks, i think because i never removed it from the crank thats why i missed it. That calls for the clutch pilot bushing but i am still unclear where the clutch pilot bearing goes. I will mic out the end shaft of both the t-5 and the SM 420 tranny i removed. This is a nice learning experience. Thanks guys.

You use one or the other not both. The bushing is a bronze bushing, the bearing is a sealed bearing,somewhat like a rear axle bearing. You had a standard transmission in the vehicle already, then you should have a pilot bushing in the rear of the crankshaft.

Thanks Tommy I got it now. From the LMC catalog it shows needle beaing. I guess what threw me off was on both pieces the bushing and the bearing it said required one. Thanks for clearing it up.

Did you get the old one out of the crank? That's always a fun time.

I would suggest using the brass one. CHECK YOUR NEW ONE AND MAKE SURE IS MADE OF 100% BRASS,AS MANY AFTERMARKETS ONES ARE AN ALLOY OF STELL AND OTHER MATERIALS WHICH WILL IN TIME RUIN YOUR INPUT SHAFT.100%BRASS ONES WILL NOT STICK TO MAGNENT. THANKS TO MANY AFTERMARKET VENDERS THAT JUST PLAIN SELLING CHINESE JUNK. Like in south Florida when building times was in peak.there was shortage of drywall for the contractors,so venders started having the Chinese making the drywall and sending them over, in time many people were starting getting sick in those homes that were made of the Chinese drywall, finally someone figure it out, the Chinese were making the drywall literally out garbage and slop and whatever they can find to make it. a lot of homes in south florida lost it value and where not livable, It is just to show what the Chinese marketers will do to make a buck.

Non magnetic sintered bronze oil-impregnated (oilite) pilot bushings were/are the "norm" for older GM vehicles:

Types of Pilot Bushings (from crankshaft.coalition.com)

""Good" pilot bushings that GM and the good NAPA bushing is an oilite made of sintered bronze. If a magnet is attracted to it, this indicated an iron content- which isn't recommended in many cases.

A "good" pilot bushing is an oilite. Oil is put into the sintered bronze material under a vacuum- an impossibility w/non sintered material- being as how a solid bronze part has no real porosity of any kind.
An oilite bushing contains all the oil that the material can "soak up" already. The amount of pressure that's used when it is sintered will determine how much porosity- and how much oil it can absorb. Different applications will have different properties.

Adding additional lube other than a slight amount as an installation aid isn't recommended and will serve only to attract/collect debris coming from the clutch and clutch plate, dirt, etc. An oil-bearing material like oilite has all the lube it needs already incorporated into the material itself, anything additional is not needed."

Ranchojuan's comments about the pilot bushing is noteworthy. See a previous post of mine about this subject,

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...Main=140967&Number=952146#Post952146


Kent

Nope did not know it was pressed into the crank however i will let it be if it appears to be good. But now i know what and where it is. It was my first crack at putting in a t-5 and a clutch. Never done it. The clutch etc was easy. Just never had the opportunity until now. The fun is always doing something new.

Man, do yourself a favor and replace it while you're in there.