BearKiller

I am getting everything ready to put the engine and Getrag in the truck.

How big of an advantage do I get from machining the flywheel to accept a true bearing instead of using the brass pilot bearing that is standard equipment for these trucks??

Will it benefit my transmission; or, will I hardly notice an improvement in longevity??

G1625S

Here's what I just read on Quad 4x4's website:


''Bronze Pilot Bushing is stock replacement for 1989-1993 Cummins trucks. The only thing good we have to say about this bushing is it fits stock flywheels. We sell a few of these every year, but like all bushings, they have a tendency to quickly wear out in dusty/dirty conditions. Failure of these stock type bushings are a major cause of Getrag transmission problems. Folks, we don't recommend you use this or any other pilot bushing with your Cummins, but if you want one, here it is. Made in U.S.A. QU10555 $8.95''


It's got me thinking....

BearKiller

That same paragraph is what prompted me to inquire about the bearings.

The engine I am getting ready has only 68,000 miles and the pilot bushing is rough as a cob and thin as paper.

Another 50,000 or so and it would be wearing the flywheel itself.

jeepsuck

sounds like you just answered your own question.

Bob Beauchaine

Call Peter at South Bend Clutch. The last time I saw him he showed me a heavy duty pilot bearing that looked awsome. You will have to machine the flywheel to accept it but it should give you long life - one less thing to worry about.

Bob

59FORD

I'll stick with the bushing! I know of a 03 that the ??bearing?? took a dump and
cost a clutch, input shaft and a main shaft. Needless to say he was sick to death.
ALL $$$ was out of his pocket.

If your input shaft bearing is good and the pilot is good I'd stay with the bushing.
Dusty conditions will eat a needle bearing just as fast as a bushing.


IMHO

59

BearKiller

Upon close scrutiny, I believe the brass remaining in my flywheel is the remnants of a needle bearing with the needles gone.

After talking to several mechanics, what I gather is that the roller bearings are fine for a while; but, when they seize to the mainshaft, there goes a mainshaft,clutch, and flywheel. They also tell me that a clutch will usually outlast the grease in the bearing.

I think that I will go with a bronze bushing and see how that lasts.

RBergman

i like the ball bearing idea i have seen them in trucks go ouver 200,000 miles
easy and though we always changed them with the clutch most of the time
the bearings where still good i wish someone around had the bearing number
and the instructions to get them installed in the flywheel

mhuppertz

I had a bearing explode which caused an angle on my input shaft that chipped a tooth off the input shafe and countershaft gear.
I went back to the oillite bushing. At least I can predict the wear on it!

RBergman

was it the roller ball bearing
or the needle bearing?

mhuppertz

Roller....

Superduty

"I'll stick with the bushing! I know of a 03 that the ??bearing?? took a dump and
cost a clutch, input shaft and a main shaft. Needless to say he was sick to death.
ALL $$$ was out of his pocket."

I went through this dilemma when I put my Cummins in my Ford. The Ford used a needle bearing which was prone to giving problems and when it did it would take out the input shaft. Changing the input shaft on a ZF6 is not an inexpensive operation. At 75,000 miles the needle bearing in my truck was shot. Seized. Wearing on the shaft. I didn't abuse the clutch in any way.

So.. I was convinced I was going to put a roller bearing in. Until I found the flywheel didn't have enough meat to accept one without a lot of extra machining to put a hub into it.

So then I started calling transmission shops. They said needle bearings are bad. They said roller bearings are great... until they fail, which they all do sooner or later because the heat, etc. the lube runs out and then they fail like any other bearing.

The transmission shops recommended a plain bushing bearing of some sort. I put a kevlar bearing in from SB. It has worked great so far, but the game is early. The kevlar bearing is standard issue for SBC for Ford applications in place of the needle bearing.

I thought I'd share this in case someone has the same decision to make.

frostie

I have seen more bearings come apart than you can imagine. I put an NV4500 in my 92 4X4 and an NV5600 in my 92 2WD. I went out of my way to go and buy brass bushings.