Reply to "transmission bronze oil lite pilot bushing"

FWIW- Talked recently to two different semi-pro ZF overhaul people- one was Les Gray in Phoenix. The other was in a local shop that converts 5DS-25/2 ZFs for use upside-down in GT-40s & kits. Both said 'Do NOT use a roller or ball pilot bearing on a ZF. ZF input shaft noses are NOT hardened, so if the ungreasable bearing begins to slip/seize on the shaft nose, scoring is inevitable'. Ford top-loader trannys ARE hardened, as are T-10s (I don't have a Muncie around right now to check) so Mustang pilot-bearing use is not the same as on a Pantera/Mangusta. Les mentioned that a replacement shaft is now around $1200. Teardown/reassembly labor is nearly the same.

More info: A scored ZF input shaft is not necessarily junk. Being unhardened, they CAN be brazed or TIG welded with SS, then turned back down to salvage the part. Several owners have reportedly had this successfully done. It's then fine for a street car but no longer suitable for high-horsepower racing.

The ZF nose dia is the same or very close to a 327/350 Chevy trans input shaft nose. So I use a Chevy bronze (not oilite) bushing by Lakewood (Summit), with an aluminum adapter ring to fit the giant Ford crankshaft recess. I grease the bushing and use a felt ring like Mangusta did to keep lube in place. Or you can bore a worn-out Ford bushing to press-fit the Lakewood bushing in, and thus make your own adapter ring.

I don't use oilite due to its low impact strength but if you decide to use it, the alloy you need for this application is SAE-841 bronze. It comes soaked in light oil; I suggest soaking it overnight in 80W90 diff/steering lube. The two other 'super-oilite' & 'super-oilite 16' have enough iron in them to be magnetic, which then behave like a hard bearing as far as unhardened trans nose wear.
Note also- I don't sell either type or the adapters, so whether you use a bushing or a bearing means nothing to me. Merry Christmas & stay lucky- J DeRyke