LLG Pilot Bearing

LLG Pilot bearing is used in between the engine and clutch. It supports the input shaft transmission of the engine. A pilot bearing can be a needle bearing, ball bearing, and roller bearing.

Pilot bearings are soaked in lubrication.
LLG pilot bearings are used in manual transmission, medium and heavy-duty vehicles such as SUVs, utility vehicles, trucks, buses, mobile cranes, cement mixers, tractors, and other vehicles using manual transmission.

LLG pilot bearing comes in different sizes and designs. We accept custom-made flange bearings to meet the client’s requirements. We supply and export a wide range of flange bearing worldwide. LLG also agrees with a minimum order of flange bearing.

We also have OEM and non-standard pilot bearings that meet your requirements. If you are fascinated with our pilot bearings and want to buy them, just contact us.

For inquiries, please reach out through email, and we will assist you throughout the process.

Pilot Bearing – FAQs Guide

We are here to talk about a very important product: the clutch pilot bearing. 

This is what keeps your clutch from wearing down and potentially having to be replaced, which can end up costing you much more money in the long run. 

The best thing you can do for your car is start replacing your clutch pilot bearings as soon as they expire or start making noise. 

Want to know more about Pilot Bearing?

We’ll this guide will help you answer every question you have related to Pilot Bearing!

So Let’s Dig In!

What Are The Basics Of A Pilot Bearing?

Pilot Bearing

Pilot bearings are the bearing located between the clutch and the vehicles’ engine with usually manual transmission. This bearing is pressed into the center of flywheels, allowing for the speed difference between the crankshaft and transmission shaft.

They are available in different types, including ball pilot bearing, roller pilot bearing, and needle pilot bearing.

What Is The Basic Purpose Of Pilot Bearing?

 Pilot Bearing

The pilot bearing provides support to the vehicle’s transmission. It compensates for the speed difference between the rotating input shaft of the transmission and the crankshaft of the engine.

What Happens When Pilot Bearing Goes Bad?

Bad Pilot Bearing

A weak or bad pilot bearing causes the mid-shaft to displace from its midpoint—this misaligned movement of the mid-shaft results in the malfunction or failure of the transmission system.

A bad pilot bearing produces a grinding or whining noise. 

An increase in damage of the bearing can cause increase in the noise also. 

How Much Is Pilot Bearing Replacement Cost?

The cost of a Pilot bearing depends on its size, type, and quality. You can contact LLG bearing for the latest prices. 

Besides, you will also be charged with the labor charges for the pilot bearing replacement, which can vary from location to location.

What Is The Main Difference Between The Throwout And A Pilot Bearing?

Pilot Bearing and Throw-out (Release) Bearing

Throwout bearing is also called release bearing. This bearing rides on the input housing tube hooked to a throwout fork. This bearing is responsible for connecting the non-moving component (clutch fork or the hydraulic slave cylinder) with the vehicle’s moving component (clutch pressure plate). 

Pressing the clutch pedal causes the fork to push onto the throwout bearing. 

The release bearing (throwout bearing) then presses the fingers on the pressure plates, which causes the pressure plates to shift away from the flywheel and allows the clutch plates to rotate freely between them.

On the other part, a Pilot bearing acts as an alignment device. It is located at crankshaft’s end to support the transmission’s input shaft.

What Are Major The Signs Of A  Vehicle Faulty Pilot Bearing?

 Bad Pilot Bearing

A vehicle with a bad or failed pilot bearing can show the following signs:

• Grinding or Whining Noise;
• The transmission may come out of the gear;
• No release;
• Noise on disengaging of the clutch;
• Catastrophic Transmission Failure;
• Vibration;
• Difficulty in first or reverse gear on vehicle stopping;
• Difficulty in shifting between gears;
• Increase in stiffness of clutch;
• Input shaft bearing retainer sustains excessive wear due to bad pilot bearing.

What are The Main Causes of a Pilot Bearing Failure?

 Bad pilot Bearing

There can be numerous causes for the pilot bearing to fail. Some of them are as follow:

• Contamination in the bearing. This can be due to dirt or sand getting inside during installation or contaminated environment;
• Deformation of the edge of the bearing due to improper installation;
• Poor quality bearing bought from unreliable source or manufacturer;
• Bent input shaft;
• Insufficient lubrication;
• Vehicle exposed to too much water;
• Lack of free play at the top of the pedal travel or resting the foot on the clutch, causing the pilot bearing to spin continuously and over-heating it. The excessive heat causes to lube to dry before time, increasing the friction, which results in the damage of the bearing.

Is A Pilot Bearing Needed?

Yes, pilot bearing act as vital support for the input shaft in the vehicle with manual transmission. 

The bad pilot bearing can cause the misalignment in the shaft, damage the seal, pump out the transmission oil and cause clutch failure.

What is The Lifespan Of A Pilot Bearing?

A high-quality bearing bought from a reliable manufacturer like LLG bearing company and regularly maintained can last the life of the clutch. 

However, carelessness or unfavorable environmental condition can limit their life between 40,000 to 60,000 miles.

How Do You Fix A Pilot Bearing?

You can follow the video below to fix the pilot bearing:

Can Vibrations Be Caused by A Bad Pilot Bearing?

Yes, Vibration is one of the early symptoms of bad pilot bearing. 

How Do You Remove Pilot Bearing With Grease?

Removing Pilot Bearing With Grease

Removing a pilot bearing with grease is an easy task, you require the following things:

1. Disc Line-Up tool or reasonable size screw which fits the hole of the bearing (you can also tape the screw to get the maximum fit).
2. Grease

Now follow the steps below:

1. Completely fill the pilot bearing’s hole with grease.
2. Once the grease is full, insert the line-up tool or screw in the hole, and tap it with the hammer.
3. The tapping will cause the bearing to move outwards. 
4. Keep applying more grease and taping it with the hammer until the bearing comes out.

For better understanding, watch the video:

Does A Pilot Bearing Come With A Clutch Kit?

Clutch Kit

Yes, the Clutch kit comes with several components, including: 

• Clutch pressure plates; 
• Clutch friction plate;
• A release bearing (throwout bearing)
• Clutch alignment device;
• A Pilot Bearing.

Do All Cars Have Pilot Bearings?

Not all, but the most rear wheel and a few front-wheel-drive cars with manual transmission come with a pilot bearing.

Is There Any Possibility Of Reusing A Pilot Bearing?

Yes, you can reuse an old pilot bearing. 

However, it is highly not recommended as it can damage your transmission system if the bearing fails. The pilot bearings are not that expensive to take that risk.

What Is The Notable Difference Between A Pilot Bushing And A Pilot Bearing?

Pilot Bearing and Pilot Bushing

A pilot Bushing is one type of pilot bearing. It is usually made from brass and fused with lubrication. Other types of pilot bearings include ball bearing, roller bearing, and needle bearing packed with grease.

The pilot bearing has a rolling element so that it can reduce friction better than the pilot bushing. However, a slight misalignment in the input and crankshaft shaft can cause bearing failure, whereas pilot bushing can tolerate this situation in a better way.

What Is The Other Name For Pilot Bearing?

The pilot bearing is also often called a “clutch pilot bearing.”

How Is Pilot Bearing Measured?

Pilot Bearing can be measured as shown in the video below:

Here is the quick method:

 Measuring Pilot Bearing

1. Across the front of your transmission Bell housing, use a straight edge or yard stick.
2. Measure the transmission input shaft distance, which sticks out past the front of the Bell housing. This measurement is called “Transmission input shaft dimension.”

You can use the measurement to determine the pilot bearing correctly:

Note:

• SMALL Pilot Bearing has an outside diameter (1.094”).
• MEDIUM Pilot Bearing has an outside diameter (1.652”).
• LARGER Pilot Bearing has an outside diameter (1.705”).
• Be sure to only drive or apply pressure on the outermost part of the bearing when installing the pilot bearing into the crankshaft.
• Ensure that the pilot bearing is straight. Also, it should be seated fully into the crankshaft.
• Don’t force the installation process of Pilot Bearing. Ensure that the inner part of the bearing spins smoothly and freely in the crankshaft after installation.

Do You Grease Pilot Bearings?

Most Manufacturers provide Pilot bearings packed with grease. 

However, if more grease is recommended by the manufacturer, make sure it doesn’t flow out and contaminate the flywheel surface or clutch disk.

How To Find A Reliable Pilot Bearing Manufacturer In China?

Indeed, China is the largest manufacturer and exporter of Pilot Bearing. However, not all bearing manufacturers in China are reliable. 

Thus, you must follow the steps below to find a reliable Chinese pilot bearing manufacturer:

1. Inquire people in your industry for bearing manufacturer suggestions depending on your application. Else, most of the reliable manufacturers in China are now available on the internet. All you need is to search for their websites.
2. You can use search engines like “Google,” “Bing,” or “Yahoo” to search terms like “pilot bearing manufacturer in China” or  “pilot bearings for sale in China”  to get a complete list of websites.
3. Narrow down the list by only picking manufacturers instead of resellers and other irrelevant websites.
4. Thoroughly analyze every website. Look for their product catalog, features, certifications, achievements, and contact details. You can contact every manufacturer, discuss your requirement and ask for a quotation.
5. Once you have analyzed every manufacturer and collected the quotations, it’s time to compare and choose the best one. A reliable pilot bearing manufacturer usually has the following characteristics:
   1. They offer competitive prices for their product;
   2. 10+ years of experience in the  bearing manufacturing industry;
   3. They have a wide range of bearings to offer depending on sizes, types, and other specifications.
   4. A reliable pilot bearing manufacturer has all required international and national licenses and certifications.
   5. They have a well-equipped manufacturing facility with well-trained and qualified engineers and designers.
   6. They have a well-established research and development department. They strive hard to improve product safety, quality and life.
   7. They offer product customization and bulk manufacturing with excellent after-sales services to their client.
   8. They have satisfied customers worldwide.

If you cannot find a reliable Chinese pilot bearing manufacturer, we suggest you try the LLG bearing company.

Is There Any Pilot Bearing In Vehicles With Automatic Transmissions?

No, it’s pretty rare for a vehicle with automatic transmission to have a pilot bearing. However, they do have bushing to perform a similar function.

When Should Pilot Bearing Be Replaced?

Pilot Bearing

Pilot Bearing has a similar life as a clutch, so while installing a clutch you should also replace the pilot bearing.

What Are The Key Functions Of Pilot Bearing?

Pilot bearing performs a lot of essential functions, some of them are:

• It allows the input shaft and flywheel rotation at a different speed;
• Center-aligns and supports the flywheel’s input shaft;

What Are The Different Types Of Pilot Bearings?

Types of Pilot Bearing

Following are some of the main types of Pilots bearing:

• Needle Pilot Bearing
• Roller Pilot Bearing
• Ball Pilot Bearing
• Bronze Bushing

What Are The Benefits Of Buying Pilot Bearing From LLG Bearing?

There are numerous advantages of buying pilot bearing from LLG Bearing Company. Some of them are as follow:

• LLG Bearing has 10+ years of experience in the Bearing manufacturing industry. It has a well-equipped facility with qualified faculty for manufacturing high-quality bearing which comply with local and international quality and safety standards.
• The company offers a wide range of pilot bearings depending on sizes, types, and specifications. 
• LLG Bearing offers competitive prices to their clients, with excellent after-sales services.
• They entertain customized orders as well as bulk orders that are delivered within a short time.
• They have a well-equipped and established research and development department that keeps on working to improve their product.

How Far Should A Pilot Bearing Go In?

The pilot bearing should be driven in until it flushes with the crack’s end. 

What Are Some Of The Significant Maintenance Tips For Pilot Bearing?

Pilot Bearing Maintenance

Following are some of the essential maintenance tips for the pilot bearing you can follow:

• The pilot bearing’s life is almost similar to clutch and doesn’t require regular maintenance. Thus, they should be replaced with clutch.
• Only allow a well-experienced and qualified mechanic to replace the pilot bearing.
• If you hear whining noise or other symptoms of the pilot bearing failure, get it checked and fixed immediately because it can severely damage your transmission system.
• Pilot bearing (other than Oilite pilot bearings) may require greasing, for which you must contact the bearing manufacturer for further assistance.
• Ensure that the bearing seal is intact. If damaged, replace the pilot bearing with the new one.

What Are Some Of The Essential Tips For Installing Pilot Bearing?

Installing Pilot Bearing

Following are some of the installation tips one can follow while installing Pilot bearing:

• Before installing the flywheel, make sure the pilot bearing is flush with the input shaft.
• Use a proper Pilot Bearing Installation kit to install the pilot bearing. If you do not have the right tool, you can use a brass block of wood or punch to install the outside race.
• Squarely fit the pilot bearing into the flywheel.
• After installation, ensure that the bearing can rotate freely.
• Ensure that the bearing seal is intact. If it is damaged anytime during, before, or after the installation, replace the pilot bearing with the new one.

What Type Of Seal Is Used In Pilot Bearing?

Pilot bearing comes with many types of seals. Some of them are as follow:

• Stainless Steel: It is the least preferred seal due to its poor retention of grease and low contamination protection.

• Nitrile Rubber: It is the common type of seal used for pilot bearing. It has better contamination protection and grease retention compared to Stainless steel. However, the properties of its rubber compound make it vulnerable to high temperatures (over 250°F) and certain chemicals. However, with packed grease, it can withstand temperatures up to 345°F.

• Viton: It is the best seal used in premium quality pilot bearings due to its excellent grease retention and contamination protection. Moreover, it has much higher chemical tolerance and can withstand significantly higher temperatures (up to 420°F).

How To Determine a Faulty Pilot Bearing? 

When Piot Bearing fails, the clutch system produces noise. However, this noise can also be from other types of bearing like release bearing or gearbox bearing. 

So, you can perform the following test to determine if the Pilot Bearing is faulty:

1. Keep the gearbox on neutral and the engine running;
2. To disengage the clutch completely, push the clutch pedal fully to the floor;
3. If you hear any noise, then it should be due to a bad pilot bearing.