This week I needed to remove the pilot bushing from my crank. I've always used the old method of filling the back of the crank as well as the pilot bushing with grease, then tapping in an old transmission input shaft. This forces the bushing out of the crank using hydraulics, the grease does the work for you.

This time that wouldn't work, I fought with it for an hour. The ID of the bushing was not perfectly round because it was so worn out, so I couldn't get a good enough seal to keep the grease from pushing past whatever I inserted into the bore to hammer on.

I had to come up with some sort of puller and came up with this idea. If anyone is needing to do this, it's really very simple.

I found a long bolt with a flanged head, threaded all the way. I ground the bolt head flange down so it would slip through the bushing, taking advantage of the two spots I ground out.



I took a carbide bit and ground away at the bore of the bushing at two spots 180* from each other.



I pushed the bolt head through the bushing, then gave the bolt a 1/4 of a turn and pulled out on it. The flange engaged the back of the bushing when I did this. Then I slid on a couple of large washers and a nut, spun them hand tight and held the bolt from turning while I tightened the nut. This easily pulled the bushing out first try.




So if you need to remove a bushing and the grease trick won't work, due to a worn bushing, this is really a very simple and free way to get it out.