Best Pilot Bearing?
 

Ok so I've always used OEM Pilot bearings. The one I just removed has maybe 10k miles on it, and the seal is leaking and the bearing feels like crap. Thus I'm changing it.

Is there a better bearing than another mazda bearing? This is the second time I've removed a newish-OEM mazda bearing and it was worn/leaking with not-many-miles on it. I run an ACT Extreme clutch but that really shouldn't matter for a pilot bearing that just presses into the flywheel.

Bonus points if a better bearing can be bought locally! I need it now, can't continue assembly without it....

Id look elsewhere for your fault, like tranny assembly procedure, or input shaft condition.

Input shaft appears fine/no visible damage. But this bearing has seen both a 5 speed and 6, so old 5 speed input could have caused the damage possibly. Assembly is pretty straight forward, I don't think I messed that up. I'm always careful with that part, but I'll be extra-careful this time.

So what do you think, just buy another OEM bearing?

Yup, not a problem as far as I know for everyone else. At least not in 10k

Well I'll probably be at the Mazda dealer in the AM.

I did find my local O'Reilly's has a MasterPro Pilot bearing and a National Pilot bearing both in stock according to their website. I dunno if those are any good though. If for some reason Mazda doesn't have a pilot bearing in stock, I'll probably be running one of the above...

It sucks when little things stop progress! Oh well I guess this is better than having to pull the trans to fix this down the road.

I've never, ever had a pilot bearing fail. You're doing something wrong.

I would not run an auto parts store one. My brother learned that the hard way.

You sure do manage to break weird things in a very creative manner. :giggle:

I know right? :bowrofl:

Sucks but this is still 10000x better than it shitting once I get it all put back together. My only guess is what Curly said, maybe input shaft was wonky screwing them up, or when I stabbed it I somehow hit it/damaged it, or maybe the high RPMs are somehow wearing them out quicker. No idea. It's a simple part hard to imagine a compex reason why it wore out.

Well you don't have a particularly smooth clutch. The Xtreme is like a jackhammer

True. Now that I think about it, I wonder if my launching the car is what kills them quickly? I do my burnout by first bringing the RPMs to 7-8K with the clutch in, tran in 2nd, so that means input shaft isn't turning, but flywheel is, so pilot bearing is seeing 7-8K. Then do burnout, then when I launch I keep revs above 7 and ride cluch to 40mph which makes flywheel pretty hot. And keep doing that till they shut the track down. Maybe I literally am just cooking them to death with heat from that. That actually makes more sense to me.

Mazda didn't have it in stock, I went with a "National" brand bearing. Has CHINA stamped right on the front of it. Should be quality! Oh well the way my car seems to run I'll be tearing it apart in 10k miles anyway....

Or 1500k lol

Well you could try popping a seal out and repacking them with amsoil grease.

Maybe give the bellhousing alignment a check, I'd never think to check it on a block and tranny meant to go together thats located with dowel pins but maybe yours is on the high side of the tolerance.

I had a flywheel where the hole was slightly too small for the bearing. That flywheel would kill a bearing fast. There was a noticeable difference in the feel of the new bearing when installed vs in hand.

I have both the FM rubber sealed bearing and this SKF I bought sitting at home. I went with the SKF because of the quality of the bearing, I was a little concerned about the metal shield vs the rubber shield.


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