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1990 clutch pilot bearing specs

5K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  entropy319 
#1 ·
motor is totally rebuilt upon swinging engine in, we were able to get alignment bolts started, things were looking good, problem is the top would connect with bell housing, but bottom was an inche away.. lower, raise,motor and bell housing, couldnt get to sink in rest of the way. my mechanic (who is a good friend and did 35 years in the trade) is wondering about the pilot bearing. We installed it flush, best way i can describe. also he felt like it was unusually hard to push in and we ended up messing up the outer end, with a socket and hammer method, we are going to get a new one and try to reinstall

questions
should it be installed flush
is there a different part number for this year
what else could be happening
 
#2 ·
Get the pilot bearing to match the year of your transmission not the jeep...the later year transmissions take a different pilot bearing...
 
#4 ·
Measure the dia of your input shaft...IIRC the 4.0 ax15s had a larger diameter shaft on the very end...therefore requiring a different size pilot bearing. You may have the right size and it could be a totally different problem but it's worth checking...is your clutch alignment tool the same size as your output shaft?
 
#5 ·
I had a similar problem...92 is when they went with the bigger input shaft (.75 inches vs .59 inches).

If you have a 92 or newer tranny, you can still install it, but you'll have to swap out the pilot bearing for an adapter. If this is your situation, I'll try to find the adapter. It was from Advance Adapters or Novak Conversions I think.

Nothing to it, it's just a bushing instead of the ring with the needle bearings.

Installing the thing was SCARY. Had to really whale on it with a 3 pound sledge. But it went and it's worked. Had to drop the tranny about a year after I did it, so I can confirm that it didn't damage anything.
 
#8 ·
Including the tranny? Then you should have the smaller input shaft. No way you beat a .75 inch pilot bearing into a .59 inch crankshaft. X2 what sccritterkiller said, check the diameter of you clutch alignment tool. A misaligned clutch would definitely cause you some grief.
 
#7 ·
If you are installing a newer Ax15 in a 4.2, try a pilot bushing from a '73 CJ5 with a 304 V8, soak the bushing in oil before you install it.
 
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