Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Since the 288 I'm putting in my clipper came from an ultramatic transmission, I need to put a pilot bearing in the crank-end.
The crank from my old 327 still has the pilot bearing in there, and I want to remove that in one piece so I can take it to a bearing shop and find a replacement here in Munich. Is there a good or preferred method for removing this? Is it even pressed in with much interference fit?

-still sandblasting, marine clean, metal ready, and painting parts piece by piece as the seasons change....

If you don't have or can't borrow a suitable bearing puller, I've heard folks tell of success by using simple hydraulic force; packing a heavy grease into the pilot hole and then giving a firm whack with a hammer on a dowel pin or drift that just freely enters the pilot hole. The force of the grease trying to be displaced pushes the bearing out. Never tried it myself but seems worth a try.

The 51-54 pilot bearing is unique to Packard, there is no other application for it or replacement as far as I know Can be removed with a blind hole bushing remover as described in the receknt 1950 Ultramatic forum.

Fred Kanter
Kanter Auto Products
Boonton NJ

I took all the parts off a 53 Clipper for converting a 250 Ultra to a stick. The pilot bearing came out with a screw driver patiently working around. I've heard several people that have use the grease packing idea with success - never saw it done. Just an afterthought - it was a ball bearing, not a bushing.

Yes it is a bearing as I referred to it, a ball bearing. In another forum, as I mentioned , someone asked how to remove blind hole bushings from an Ul-Traumatic and was referred to a bushing remover from a convenient source.
That same bushing remover can be used to remove pilot bearings such as the Packard uses, or pilot bushinngs in other cars.

Instead of copying the info adn posting it here, I referred the poster to the forum to find the tool.

Blind bushing removal tool, $55 from harbor freight. Also, the grease pack method works well too, and would probably beat up the bearing less. I've used one "finger" on a slide hammer and worked them out before too.

Quote:Mike,
Ahhhhh.....music to my ears

yep, step by step. I think I will funnel most of the packard through the spare bedroom that I turned into a workshop over the next couple of months.
Will try the screwdriver and or grease technique next time I make it out to the garage where I have the car. It's a bi-weekly saturday event now.
Hmmm, I wonder if I can use the clutch alignment tool as a bearing remover with the grease technique...'Georgie' the mechanic may have an applicable bearing puller as well.

'Blindloch lagerabzieher' (german direct translation) didn't really come up with any search hits.

What a pain that the pilot bearing is a packard only part. It seems like something that should be a real 'catalog-standard' thing.