Pilot bearing woes...need some help

So I've been fighting with this pilot bearing shell and getting it out of my crank for the better part of a week now. Starting to wish I had just pulled the bearing out of the new shell and just installed it into the shell in the crank.

I got the old shell to move out the tiniest bit with the slide hammer but have not made any progress with it since. I had noticed the old shell did not have a "lip" on it like the new one does. I got the new pilot bearing with shell and held it up with the new one and...yeah. These are not the same diameter. New bearing across the lip measures 1 7/16", old shell looks to measure 1 1/2" across the face. WTF is this? The inner bearing is the same on both...I'm not entirely sure what to do here. The inside of the old shell is all boogered up from me trying to pull it out.

I had trouble getting mine out a few months ago. I ended up beating on it with a chisel and folding it into itself until it broke.

I'm more concerned right now that they aren't looking like the same diameter. But I may have to go the chisel route.

Bread works easy everytime for me to remove the old bearing. Stick to the Ford/frpp part.

If you arent familiar with the using bread as a hydraulic ram trick,just YouTube or Google it.

I'll have to try the bread thing. Need to find something to fit the shell...it's something like 15/16" ID once the bearing is removed. Lowes has oak dowels so maybe those will do the trick.

Just grab a socket size that fits, short extension and a mallet oh and few pieces of your favorite bread lol.

https://www.s197forum.com/posts/2202994/

I tried that with bearing grease and it didn't work. I'll have to try bread next time!

I wonder who came up with the bread trick and how he came about discovering it?

+1 for bread! I couldn't believe it when it started popping out

There is a pilot bearing puller available. I bought one years ago. It works well. I could find it and the part number if you're interested.

As for new pilot bearings, I always use this one and never change it again.
https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-7600-C

Ford lists it at $30, LMR has it for $20
https://lmr.com/item/M7600C/96-17-mustang-high-load-pilot-bearing-m-7600-c

I bought a 3 jaw pilot bearing puller on amazon. Didn't cost that much and worked better than the slide hammer. Basically the slow and steady pull was better than the pull/shock of the slide hammer.

But yea if I was aggravated enough to start a thread on here about it, I probably would have already grabbed my Dremel tool and some cut off wheels and do some surgery on that stubborn bastard.

FWIW I always used the pilot bearing that was included in my clutch kit and never had problems with it being a match. Just lucky I guess.

Alright you glorious bastards, it actually worked. I'm mad now that I bought two pullers and a piece of dowel rod that didn't even work when I ended up using one of my impact sockets with a nut and bolt in the end. Wasn't sure it was going to work at first but after whacking on it for awhile it did finally start to push the shell out and finally was able to pop it out. Hallelujah!

So here's another question. Old bearing shell is on the left, replacement from the Luk kit is on the right. Is this going to be an issue? I've noticed some of the pilot bearings online have the deep lip like the OEM one did and some have the shallow lip like the replacement. Also wondering about the 1/8" height difference. Do I just install the replacement bearing flush with the face of the flange. I'm unemployed right now so I really don't want to spend money on another pilot bearing.

That one on the right looks bobo. Looking up options looks like the cheap econony $4 universal option with out a Ford alternate part number for reference. Look at the needle bearings inside if they are thin like this in the pic below I would not personally use it.

Where as this one has the thicker lip, thicker needle bearings inside and have Ford alternate part numbers making it a true oem replacement. I would have no problem using this one if you dont want to pay $30 for the frpp one. Dont forget the rockauto 5% discount code.

JeremyH said:

That one on the right looks bobo. Looking up options looks like the cheap econony $4 universal option with out a Ford alternate part number for reference. Look at the needle bearings inside if they are thin like this in the pic below I would not personally use it.

Click to expand...

I compared the Luk bearing to the OEM bearing that came out of the car...they are identical, same size needle bearings and all.

Stock is a solid bushing not a roller. So its been replaced before.

...what? That is the first I've ever heard that anywhere.

Tasca carries a pilot bushing that says 2005-2010 mustang but...I'm very surprised by that. They're also the only place that seems to have it.

Yeah, I had brain fade on that one. I've worked on so many clevelands and windsors that all had solid bushings for the pilot. I've only done 1 mod motor, my current 06 and its been years since I replaced the pilot bushing. You're right about Tasca. They show a needle bearing pilot. So mine was probably a needle too. Sorry for bad info.