Pilot Bearing

I'm not a big fan of needle-bearing pilots. That area is hot, spinning at high rpms, under fairly high side-load in all gears as the ZF has no 1-to-1 ratios, is covered with abrasive dust from clutch disc wear and cannot be well lubricated nor sealed. Many are light-duty alternator bearings that were resized to fit.I favor the stock bronze bushing; I've personally seen transmission input shaft noses destroyed by seized needle bearings, and you REALLY don't want to price a replacement ZF input shaft.... Note also that some Taiwan-special "bronze" bushings are MAGNETIC from the iron filings they add to cheapen an already cheap part. These abortions will also wear the input shaft noses rapidly, being much harder than real bronze. Take your magnet with you when shopping for pilot bushings.

SIR, IF I MAY ADD; BRONZE BEARINGS ARE DESIGNED TO RUN DRY AS THEY ARE "SELF LUBRICATING" AND THAT IS A GOOD THING. WHERE AS NEEDLE BEARINGS MUST BE GREASED, SOMETIMES WITH TOO MUCH GREASE. MY POINT BEING THAT WHEN IT GETS VERY HOT, AND IT DOES; THE GREASE MELTS, AND FLOWS OUT ALL OVER AND BETWEEN YOUR FLYWHEEL AND CLUTCH DISC FRICTION SURFACE (OR IT USE TO HAVE FRICTION) NOW IT JUST SLIPS AND SPINS AND MAKES MORE HEAT WHICH MELTS MORE GREASE AND SO ON.I ONCE LOST A BRAND-NEW MCLOUD 10,000 RPM CLUTCH IN MY TRANS-AM, BECAUSE I TO, THOUGHT I WANTED A BALL BEARING PILOT. AND AS ANY ONE WHO KNOWS WILL TELL YOU ONCE YOU LOSE YOUR CLUTCH THERE "AIN'T NO GETTING IT BACK BABY"!! SO GO WITH THE BRONZE, PLEASE. IT'S STRONGER ANYWAY (GREATER SURFACE CONTACT AREA AND NO MOVING PARTS) REGARDS, MARLIN.

Thanks guys!...will stick with the bronze bushng.

Dave