Currently in the middle of a throwout bearing/clutch replacment job on my 04 rubicon. I figured I should replace the pilot bearing while I'm at it. A pilot bearing puller I borrowed from the Autoparts store couldn't get the pilot bearing out, so I tried the "bread method". After stuffing the cavity full of bread and hammering a close-fitting socket with considerable force, the entire pilot bushing popped out with the pilot bearing still within it. I'm not even sure if the bushing surrounding the pilot bearing is technically a bushing, since it's more of an "adapter", but I see that most people just call it the pilot bushing so that's what I'll call it here.
Anyway, the old pilot bushing had some bad rust on its edges to the point where I felt better about replacing it. I ordered a new one and am now having an impossible time trying to get it installed. After very lightly sanding with very fine grit sandpaper and thoroughly cleaning the crankshaft recess where I need to install the new bushing, I made sure the surfaces were super smooth, then I added a light coating of grease to ease installation. Then I left the new bushing in the freezer until it was freezing cold to hopefully shrink it even a microscopic amount. I then took the bushing out of the freezer, made sure there was ZERO ice and it was a bone dry, very cold, bushing. I lined it up carefully so it was flat in the beginning of the recess of the crankshaft. Then I took a socket that matched the diameter of the bushing, and lightly used a deadblow hammer to slowly ease the bushing into the recess. The problem I'm running into is that by the time I get the bushing into the recess even a couple millimeters, the bushing ends up crooked. It appears straight, but when I measure around the edges, one side constantly ends up going in more than the other, and then it becomes impossible to correct without removing the bushing and starting over. I've tried a handful of times by now, with varying degrees of force with the hammer, and different amounts and types of grease. I even tried using a long socket that fit the bushing and held it almost perfectly straight because the end of the socket fit tight into the end of the pilot bearing recess. Everywhere I researched, people said to make sure to get the bushing inserted perfectly straight, and I've been trying. I even tried being extremely patient and tapping at different areas of the busing with the hammer if I measure that one side is even a fraction of a millimeter farther in than the other side while I attempt an install. I also checked that the new pilot bushing is an exact match to the old one. I also made sure that I smooth out the surfaces between each attempt. I watched every video I could find on this and read through all the forums, but nobody else seems to have been stumped on this like I am.
Removing the transmission and replacing the throwout bearing all was pretty straightforward and relatively easy, but now this small part is giving me such a tough time. Any advice or strategies would be appreciated.
Anyway, the old pilot bushing had some bad rust on its edges to the point where I felt better about replacing it. I ordered a new one and am now having an impossible time trying to get it installed. After very lightly sanding with very fine grit sandpaper and thoroughly cleaning the crankshaft recess where I need to install the new bushing, I made sure the surfaces were super smooth, then I added a light coating of grease to ease installation. Then I left the new bushing in the freezer until it was freezing cold to hopefully shrink it even a microscopic amount. I then took the bushing out of the freezer, made sure there was ZERO ice and it was a bone dry, very cold, bushing. I lined it up carefully so it was flat in the beginning of the recess of the crankshaft. Then I took a socket that matched the diameter of the bushing, and lightly used a deadblow hammer to slowly ease the bushing into the recess. The problem I'm running into is that by the time I get the bushing into the recess even a couple millimeters, the bushing ends up crooked. It appears straight, but when I measure around the edges, one side constantly ends up going in more than the other, and then it becomes impossible to correct without removing the bushing and starting over. I've tried a handful of times by now, with varying degrees of force with the hammer, and different amounts and types of grease. I even tried using a long socket that fit the bushing and held it almost perfectly straight because the end of the socket fit tight into the end of the pilot bearing recess. Everywhere I researched, people said to make sure to get the bushing inserted perfectly straight, and I've been trying. I even tried being extremely patient and tapping at different areas of the busing with the hammer if I measure that one side is even a fraction of a millimeter farther in than the other side while I attempt an install. I also checked that the new pilot bushing is an exact match to the old one. I also made sure that I smooth out the surfaces between each attempt. I watched every video I could find on this and read through all the forums, but nobody else seems to have been stumped on this like I am.
Removing the transmission and replacing the throwout bearing all was pretty straightforward and relatively easy, but now this small part is giving me such a tough time. Any advice or strategies would be appreciated.
