Date:         Fri, 12 Apr 1996 15:11:28 -0500 (CDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Jon Christensen <vvwca@primenet.com>
Subject:      Re: Care and feeding of pilot bearings

On Thu, 11 Apr 1996 DHaynes57@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 96-04-09 17:23:13 EDT, SMAHER@gi.com (Maher, Steve
> (SD-MS)) writes:
> 
> >When replacing a pilot bearing, are there any special tricks or conditions
> >one should be aware of? My old one's probably in little pieces by now, but
> >assuming that the crank and trans input shaft are OK, how exactly does
> >one install the new one? I would assume:
> >
> Make sure the felt washer/seal between the flywheel and crankshaft is still
> there. Replace if needed.  Still available at dealer.  Some repalcement
> bearings also have lip seal built in.  use this if possible.  Grease does not
> matter once the clutch dust gets in.  Felt does better job of excluding the
> dust.  two seals better than one.  If trans input shaft is damaged at all, it
> must be replaced.  Cost about $65 at dealer.  Relatively easy to change.

Mine was about $75.  BTW, I'm wondering just how critical it is to 
replace the felt.  The mechanics I talked to questioned the need to 
replace it.  The pilot brg itself is actually the same as a TI's and the 
TI gland nut that the brg resides in does not have a felt washer.  Just 
curious.

Jon Christensen        /V\      Membership Coordinator for the
~Certified VW Nut      \W/        Vintage VW Club of America 
vvwca@primenet.com             Co-Editor of the VVWCA Newsletter 
http://www.sky.net/~rmk/vvwca/      KC Kombis' NEATO Co-Rep