Pilot bearing's might be off center. Please read Warning!!!

ng8264723 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-20-2009, 03:34 PM

Although my crank was too big (by .008) At least the hole was in the center unlike the new pilot bearing. Because I had to have a sleeve made for the pilot b/c the crank was too big. When this was being made we found the center hole was off center. Had the crank not been too big we never would of checked. The bearing was the typical pressed bronze/brass unit. These are done in a mold. The center hole was .005 off center!!!!!!! So please check your bearings before you put them behind your FE. We spent time aligning the Lakewood scattershield just to find the bearing made incorrectly
I posted this on the FE forum but no one seemed interested

patrickt · #2 (**permalink**) 11-20-2009, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ng8264723

Although my crank was too big (by .008) At least the hole was in the center unlike the new pilot bearing. Because I had to have a sleeve made for the pilot b/c the crank was too big. When this was being made we found the center hole was off center. Had the crank not been too big we never would of checked. The bearing was the typical pressed bronze/brass unit. These are done in a mold. The center hole was .005 off center!!!!!!! So please check your bearings before you put them behind your FE. We spent time aligning the Lakewood scattershield just to find the bearing made incorrectly
I posted this on the FE forum but no one seemed interested

Well that answers that. Did you have plenty of room on your input shaft?

ERA Chas · #3 (**permalink**) 11-20-2009, 03:45 PM

I am interested. What make crank and who did it's final machining?

I'm guessing a roller bearing would have been more true than a cast bronze bush. But you're right, I've never checked mine but have no issues.

ng8264723 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-20-2009, 05:53 PM

The crank was a scat crank. I got lucky b/c it was made wrong! It was machined by KC

ERA Chas · #5 (**permalink**) 11-20-2009, 06:07 PM

Thanks ng.

Tom Kirkham · #6 (**permalink**) 11-20-2009, 08:09 PM

Wow,
Thanks for the heads up. Something new to be checked up on.

Ralphy · #7 (**permalink**) 11-20-2009, 08:48 PM

In reading recent posts around here. Someone mentioned using the bronze bushing instead of a bearing because it is more forgiving to misalignment. Seems logical.

David Biele · #8 (**permalink**) 11-20-2009, 08:50 PM

The pilot bearing you were using is cast bearing bronze I believe. Was it out
.008 total which would be .004 off center or was it .008 in one direction?

Ralphy · #9 (**permalink**) 11-20-2009, 09:06 PM

David,
What I read is the bushing was .008 to small in diameter. So he had to sleeve the bushing to make it larger. It would fall in not press.

Then he says the center hole was off center by .005. That would make the runout .010.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometr...nd_tolerancing

David Biele · #10 (**permalink**) 11-20-2009, 09:09 PM

Ralphy,

I reread the post and I agree.

David

Ralphy · #11 (**permalink**) 11-20-2009, 09:59 PM

David, Much interest here for me. I will be looking to swap my top loader for a TKO 600.

ng8264723 · #12 (**permalink**) 11-21-2009, 06:50 AM

Th rason this is so important is the bearing is made in a mold. THEREFORE EVERY ONE IS OFF! Who would even think to check? I got lucky here. What we did was spin an arbor on a lathe and then put the bearing on the new arbor. We then found it was off .005. We cut it down and centerede it. We then cut a step into the bearing. We made a sleeve for it with a step. The step is needed so the bearing doesn't fall out of the sleeve when pressing it in

patrickt · #13 (**permalink**) 11-21-2009, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ng8264723

Th rason this is so important is the bearing is made in a mold. THEREFORE EVERY ONE IS OFF! Who would even think to check? I got lucky here. What we did was spin an arbor on a lathe and then put the bearing on the new arbor. We then found it was off .005. We cut it down and centerede it. We then cut a step into the bearing. We made a sleeve for it with a step. The step is needed so the bearing doesn't fall out of the sleeve when pressing it in

Why didn't you just buy a new pilot bearing?

lovehamr · #14 (**permalink**) 11-21-2009, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Why didn't you just buy a new pilot bearing?

That other stuff was way more fun.

patrickt · #15 (**permalink**) 11-21-2009, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovehamr

That other stuff was way more fun.

Well the whole thing kinda brought to mind Jamo's Russian pencil story.

ng8264723 · #16 (**permalink**) 11-21-2009, 10:58 AM

Patrick,
Did you actually read anything I wrote?
I wasn't trying to reinvent the wheel.
The crank was too big by .008. No FE pilot bearing would fit. We looked there were no bearing that would fit the incorrectly machined hole.
Therefore I needed to sleeve the pilot bearing anyway. Pilot bearings are made in a FORM. Therefore they are all off by .005. I figured I should keep the one I had instead of buy another one that probably wouldn't be made correctly anyway. I posted this so everyon building a car could chek there's to see if it's off. I'm sure a bunch are all off

patrickt · #17 (**permalink**) 11-21-2009, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ng8264723

Patrick,
Did you actually read anything I wrote?
The crank was too big by .008. Therefore I needed to sleeve the pilot bearing anyway. Pilot bearing are made in a FORM. Therefore they are all off by .005. I figured I should keep the one I had instead of buy another one that probably wouldn't be made correctly anyway

No, I read it all, it just seemed to me that a pilot bearing from a different manufacturer would likely be true to form. Right? And they're not very expensive. It just seemed that would have made for less work, would it not?

ng8264723 · #18 (**permalink**) 11-21-2009, 11:09 AM

NO it wouldn't.
THE CRANK was made wrong so the bearing needed a sleeve anyway

patrickt · #19 (**permalink**) 11-21-2009, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ng8264723

NO it wouldn't.
THE CRANK was made wrong so the bearing needed a sleeve anyway

OK, what's your date for it getting it all installed and making a test run?

ng8264723 · #20 (**permalink**) 11-22-2009, 02:19 PM

Well, I recently bought another house. The car is 45 minutes from my new house. I don't have much time to work on it anymore. So I pick at it now and then. I figure it will be on the road in the spring. I already did run the engine on a stand and she sounded real good
This weekend Ichecked the clearances on the input chaft. I found I had ample room b/t it and the crank. I installed the hydraulic thro out bearing setup. Once I bled it I had my friend push on it and I slid the tranny right in. I then installed a few more pieces and called it a day. I gotta crash now I'm on third shift. I won't be able to work on it again until next weekend.