how do i remove the needle bearing on my engine...

that small bearing that you have to remove when you replace the clutch and pressure plate?

i dont want to buy the special tool...

 

if youre talking about the pilot bearing you need to use the special slide hammer thing.. you can rent it at autozone for free.

 

Needle bearing? Is that the actual name and I just don't know what it is, or is that your name for it?

Pic?

I don't remember removing any bearing for my clutch/pp change.

 

yea it is also known as a pilot bearing. it is inside the engine where the eccentric shaft is.

 

i think it is also called a torrington bearing. atleast that style bearing is called a torrington bearing. but yeah the pilot bearing. im doing mine in a week or 2

 

Hydraulic method: 1.) Find a steel shaft that just fits into the bearing. An old pilot shaft that you could cut would be near ideal. 2.) Pack the end of the Eshaft full of grease, the more viscous the better. 3.) Insert the shaft into, just barely, the bearing. 4.) Give the other end of the shaft a mighty wallop. The bigger the hammer the better. To a point of course, no sledgehammers.

If you're lucky the bearing will be on the shaft free and clear when you're done. If not, repeat steps 2 - 4 until it does.

It works. I've done it twice now.

 

Or just buy a new clutch kit and a new flywheel.. The clutch should come with new pilot and throw-out bearings..

 

Yes... but you'll still have to remove the old one in the eshaft...

 

The pilot bearing on RX-7s isn't in the middle of the flywheel? Or am I completely off? I've changed a clutch and flywheel on my Impreza, but when I did it on my 7, I got my hand caught between the engine and tranny when I was pulling the tranny and broke 2 fingers so I had someone else finish the job..

 

if you get the puller from autozone, it won't fit. The teeth are too big, you have to shave them down with a dremel or something, otherwise you'll just pull the inner race out and make a fun little mess.

I tried the grease trick, but I couldn't get it to work. It's worth trying though.

 

I went to my friendly family mechanic and borrowed their slide hammer (The tool you're looking for).. I spent about 4 hours trying to get it out every way I could think of (including the hydraulic method).. about 30 seconds with the slide hammer, and it was out..

An actual mechanic is the only one I know of who would have such a beast.

 

When I went to mazda to order this pilot bearing and seal they told be that it was not a pilot bearing. I think the real name is the needle bearing. But hey, what mazda knows about rotaries.

 

It is a needle bearing, a very weak one at that. Do yourself a favor and splurge for the correct tool (Mazdatrix is one place I know that has them)...

If all else fails (I've never tried the "hydraulic" method, but it sounds promising), get a very small chisel, with a very small point point, slightly round the lower "half", and whale away at the outer race from the bottom. As you're cutting, you'll notice that the race will curl upwards a bit then break off. Keep doing this until you've cut a "path" far enough into the race to loosen it up to the point you can just yank it out with some needlenose or such. I've done two this way, but it's a royal PITA...

If all you have left is the outer race (the rest of the bearing is in pieces already), and the puller no longer "grabs" anything, this is the only option...

Be careful of the e-shaft bore, and clean up any scratches you make in there with some emory cloth or 400 grit sandpaper...

 

That tool from mazdatrix costs over $100.

When I was getting ready to do this, someone suggested this puller.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=4876

I ended up just butchering the loaner puller.

Or, maybe someone near you will have the mazda puller and would let you borrow it. Then you'd be golden.

Mazdatrix thinks it's a pilot bearing, too, and I trust them more than I do the Mazda stealership. Those monkies couldn't even find me a crummy radiator hose

 

heh, that puller is for pinion bearings and axle bearings... not for a tiny pilot bearing, and especially not a mazda pilot bearing

 

Nope, its not in the flywheel. On a rotary its pressed into a hole on the end of the eshaft.

I don't know of any RWD's that have the pilot bearing in the flywheel...?

It should be noted, that YES, it is a needle bearing, but it IS a pilot bearing. the proper name is pilot bearing. The type of bearing it is, is called needle bearing. Its because they use long needles instead of ball bearings, which use *****.

Much like axle beaings are ball bearings, but properly called axle bearings per their application.

 

actually the autozone one worked out great... kinda

they made me put a $150 downpayment.

when i got home i used the 2 smallest ones. yes they did take the track out. after a bit of time i said forget the shell of the pilot and i will just remove the oil seal. and when i did that the exterior of the pilot came right out.

autozone one works it just takes a bit of McGyverness

 

Where'd you get the new seal? I couldn't find anyplace other than the stearlership that had a pilot bearing seal.

It wasn't bad though, I think the dealer charged $2.40 and didn't charge for overnighting it cause they had some other parts they ordered coming in too.

 

I think you all are making this too difficult... Get the pilot bearing removal tool and slide hammer accessory from autozone. (~25 dollars total i think)... shave the ends off a little bit...no biggy...pull the pilot bearing....take the tool back for your refund....WOW!