Pilot Bearing Removal Tool
 

I was wondering who has one of these and if they are actually worth the cost?

And if you do have one, would you be willing to supply accurate measurements so a person could construct one themselves?

The pilot bearing is a bitch to get out, but there is ways to do it a little more comfortable!

1. Ask your local mazda dealer if they have this tool, mine has, but would not lend it to me.. Maybe yours will?

2. Dremel Multi! Take the smallest cutting disc you have and grind it down to the point where you can get into the eccentric shaft and cut that sucker out! But be careful, i suggest you cut it to the point where it starts to get really thin, and then whack it with a chisel (is that what you call it?) to break it. You should then be able to pull it out with a pair of pliers!

3. Buy the tool. It doesnt cost that much, and it makes the job a hell of a lot easier!

I did it last week with a Dremel, and it worked just fine.

Another helpful tip is to change the release bearing, while you are at it. And the little plastic "cup" that sits in the lower end of the gearstick!

Last but not least, be careful! You DO NOT want to damage the eccentric shaft...

DO NUMBER 2! Save yourself the time. That Pilot bearing is such a BITCH TO GET OUT. Make sure you remove the washer or whatever first before attempting to get the Pilot bearing out.

I just went to my local AutoZone and used their "lend-a-tool" program. The little attachment goes on the end of a slide hammer. All it took was a 40 dollar deposit, which I got back when I returned the tool.

I needed to grind down the teeth of the tool, and I used my dremmel to do that. After I got the teeth ground down, it literally took 45 seconds to get the pilot bearing out.

Dont waste your money on buying the tool. Just go to Auto Zone, if you have one. If not, try ebay for a cheap unit.
-a

Thanks guys.

The "local" mazda dealer is 70 miles away. I'll try autozone or napa when I actually get to that point, just gathering parts at the moment.

Make sure to call them far enough in advance to make sure they have the correct tool. I had to call several locations before I found one that actually had the tool on the shelf.
-a

I spent the 100 bucks on one... I've taken SEVERAL out using the Dremel method and it SUCKS. The Mazda tool gets it out in less than 15 seconds. Well worth it if you plan to keep your car a while and might use the tool more than once.

pilot bearing tool end piece claws - all the way closed ~14mm at widest point
- all the way open ~20mm at widest point

I bought the tool 'cause all the autozone/pepboys/etc pilot bearing end pieces that I found were all too big to go through the pilot bearing, though I suppose grinding them down would work. The actual tool though is pretty nice, a small slide hammer with a screw on pilot bearing remover end piece and it works very, very well.

Autozone tool (ground down), 12" of threaded rod, 11" of copper pipe, 2 each nuts and washers (to fit threaded rod), one 5 lb cast barbell weight and Voila!. $26.00 and about 30 pilot bearings later, still going strong!

here

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...earing+removal

Dave

Mine was to bad to get out with a tool. I tried as did 3 others guys. Dremel was the only way to get mine out.

Got a few hours? I did this :D

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/how-remove-pilot-bearing-without-pilot-bearing-removal-tool-339030/

The quickest way to get one of these out is to fiind a drift that fits neatly inside the bush. Pack the bush full of grease, place the drift just into the bush and hit it with a large hammer. You will have the bush on your drift. I have done this many times and it is cheap. BTW if the bush is badly broken then this approach may not always work.
Michael Smith

I got one.
It's worth the $100.

I've also used a Cornwell pilot bearing puller with much success.
We're also used a cheapy unit from Post Tools (sorta like Harbor Freight) that also worked.


-Ted

damn you guys!..AUTOZONE pilot bearing worked for me when i helped my friend swap clutch.. took me a good 3 minutes from assemblying the puller to actually pulling the bearing out. It took a good 3 pulls when the bearing came out... Didnt need to grind out tip of the puller either..

Would help to have an Autozone in Hawaii.
No, we don't.
We don't have a Pep Boys either.


-Ted

Ted... that's why you need to come back to the main land!..lol