Roller Pilot Brg Tips & Tricks?

How much force is required to install one of these? It feels like it's close to going, but after a night in the freezer and a second attempt it's still a no go. What am I missing? Oh yeah, 84 360 for what it's worth.
Thanks

You should be able to knock it in without the freezer trip. I only saw one that was falling in too easy by hand, due to previous damage in crank recess. Went back to brass oem style for that one. Make sure you put it in with seal facing trans. IIRC, there's a taper on face showing crank side.

I use the brass bearings. I've seen the rollers go bad and ruin the input shaft.

It's a press fit, needs some coaxing with a hammer.

BUT!!!

Before you do, drill and tap two 1/4-20 holes across from each other so you can get it out easier. Takes about 10 minutes and is really worth it if you have to disassemble.

R.

I tried tapping it in and currently have it wedged at an angle, can't get it to go any more so think I'm going to have to use real force to get it back out. I know I didn't have this big an issue last one I put in. Not sure if the crank is actually drilled for the original style bushing and didn't have one handy to measure against, have fought the bronze bushing battle with an undrilled crank so many times I wanted the easy way out - seems like I didn't find it this time.

Its been a few years, but from what I recall, heat expands and cold contracts metal. We used to put the bearing on a light bulb to heat it up and sometimes had to ice the shaft. Good luck.

I can't get it into the crank register, long ways yet to trying to stick the tranny input shaft in.

If it's wedged at an angle it's not going to go in no matter how hard you hit it, as you are finding out.

Hit the side that is sticking out and that should help to square it up. You may have raised a burr on the inside of the crank register and that will stop it from going any further also .

The best option is to make a bushing that uses the torque converter register. If I could takes pics I woull post up how I do it.

I never use roller bearings on the input. I know it's all the rage, but then again, so is hip hop. I have repaired about 25-30 input shafts that got jacked up by roller pilot bearings. And in the end, I end up making my own bushings. So I just make a bushing that uses the TQ register, as I said above. Then you don't have to worry if the crank was finished drilled for the pilot bushing.

Any freshman level machinist can measure and make a bushing. I'd bet there are many ltttle "home shop" guys within a 15-20 drive of your house who can do it, let alone a regular machine shop.

I did one way back on the 360 & I dont remember any (special) fitment issues and I did not freeze/heat anything

Chrysler used to sell that newer style bushing with a bushing instead of a roller bearing so it looks like the only way to go that route is to make a bushing?

If I was going to go to the trouble of making something I would just make the part that fits the convertor register and use the bushing that goes directly into the crank ???

IIRC the 4 liter jeep engines use a pilot bearing that sets in the tc register on our older cranks!

Dakotas and full size pickups also.

Imput shaft might be to soft for a roller bearing, more suitable to bronze

This is 100% fact. I have repaired many of them. I have never tested for average hardness but some guys get away with the roller bearing. But it usually grooves the input.

I have an old roller bearing on the shelf that I use for the dimensions.

I wish they still made the brass one but I haven't seen them available for years.

Gus