...report for KP and honey wagon duty immediately.
Actually, this is a question about another "pilot bush," the one in my TR4A
that takes as its intimate partner the spigot of the gearbox input shaft. I
am going to be replacing the gearbox with another. Clutch is fine, so that
will remain as is. My question is, should I replace the pilot bush as a
matter of course? I put a new pilot bush in there when I replaced the clutch
way back when, but the car has been on a "lay awake" plan for many years at
my Body Shop Guy's place of business, so we are talking low miles. (He
finally finished it, he did good work on it, and I don't lay awake anymore).
I figure that perhaps the existing pilot bush has worn in any eccentricities
that the current input shaft spigot may possess, and that maybe I should
replace it so that the new spigot gets a new bush. On the other hand,
doesn't seem that any of the clutch kits from the Big 3 include the pilot
bush, making me think I can sneak by without it.
While on the topic of pilot bush, some questions/comments:
-- Just what is the purpose of it? Is it to support the input shaft at that
end? What really happens with it? Does the spigot end turn inside the bush
at all times, or just when the clutch is disengaged, or what? Someone I am
sure will know this.
-- When I put the replacement in years ago, I got it from Moss and it had a
very brassy appearance. Per the Haynes manual, I soaked it in oil for 48
hours prior to installation. No problems.
-- The new one that I have is from TRF, and is battleship grey. I called TRF
about that, and spoke to Dave, and he said that the reason that it is that
color is because it has already been "pre-impregnated" with lubrication and
does not require any soaking in oil. In fact, he specifically advised me not
to soak it in oil. Is Dave truthin' me, is he right?
Thanks for the help!
--Chris
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