Clutch and Transmission Clutch Pilot Bearing Replacement
Clutch Pilot Bearing Replacement
A clutch pilot bearing is an important part of the transmission and replacement costs vary depending on the year, make, and model of the car.
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What is a Clutch Pilot Bearing?
Have you ever looked closely at the wheel of a skateboard? You know how it can just spin and spin for what seems like days on end? That’s because of the bearing, the tiny donut-shaped device connecting the wheel to the rest of the skateboard.
The clutch pilot bearing is a similar concept, except for your car’s manual transmission. The clutch pilot bearing serves the purpose of connecting the input shaft in the manual transmission to the crankshaft in the engine. By connecting these two on a bearing, both the crankshaft and input shaft can rotate completely independent of one another, yet they stay connected in the process.
When you press on the clutch pedal in your car, and disengage the clutch, it’s the pilot bearing that allows the engine to maintain RPMs, even though it’s not in gear. I’m hoping I don’t need to tell you that that’s pretty important when you’re driving a stick shift.
Unfortunately, like nearly every component in your car, the clutch pilot bearing can eventually wear out. When that happens, the transmission and engine will no longer be working in harmony, and you’ll find yourself with a transmission that’s giving you as many problems as when you were first learning how to drive a stick shift. Not a good time.
Because the clutch pilot bearing is such an integral part of the clutch, it should be replaced any time the clutch assembly is replaced, even if the bearing isn’t yet displaying issues.
Symptoms of a failing Clutch Pilot Bearing
Clutch is making noises
I know, I know. You thought you were long past your clutch making weird noises when you finally got the hang of driving a manual transmission. If your clutch pilot bearing is acting up, your clutch will go right back to grinding and creaking, and making all manner of funky noises that your ears would be happy to never have to hear again. Hopefully, it goes without saying that you should pay attention any time your car starts making weird noises. That’s like, car basics 101. And when that noise is from your clutch, it could be a busted clutch pilot bearing.
Transmission isn’t staying in gear
No, you’re not going crazy. It’s not your imagination if the transmission seems to be popping out of gear unprovoked. When your clutch pilot bearing is malfunctioning, the manual transmission may have a difficult time staying in gear, which means the stick shift may pop out of gear. It probably goes without saying that that’s not how it’s supposed to behave.
Hard to shift
Speaking of fun things involving your manual transmission, if the clutch pilot bearing is broken, it can be very difficult to upshift or downshift.
Get a QuoteHow urgent is a Clutch Pilot Bearing replacement?
Unless you’re into noisy clutches, difficult shifting, and a transmission that won’t stay in gear, I’d say that a clutch pilot bearing replacement is pretty darn important. If a broken clutch pilot bearing is left alone, it will eventually cause severe damage to the transmission, and then you’ve got a real problem on your hands. A real, expensive problem, I should say.
