Wrong Pilot Bearing?

I have an '89 with an AX-15 tranny. My cylindrical slave cylinder went out so I decided that while I had the tranny out I would replace all of the clutch components. I got all of the parts installed and went to put the transmission back in and it seems like the input shaft is not going into the pilot bearing. I used an alignment tool when I did the install and everything seems pretty darn straight. I tried sliding the tranny in at different angles and wiggling it around while trying to push it in. When I purchased the clutch kit the guy at the parts counter said his book had this clutch kit listed to be used with both the Puegeot and the Aisin trannies. Is this possible? I questioned this several times before buying this one (it was the inly one in stock and the only other available one was days out and more expensive). Dummy me I didn't test fit the bearing onto the the input shaft before pressing it into the crank but after spending way too much time trying to wrestle in the tranny I dropped it back down and doudle checked my alignement and noted how snug the alignmemnt tool felt against the bearing. I then compared measurements of the alignment tool and my input shaft and my input shaft is slightly larger, sorry I do not have exact measurements becasue the battery in my digital calipers went dead. Does anybody have any ideas?

When I put in a BA10 I got a new clutch kit, flywheel, master cylinder, and plumbing lines for it. The BA10 ended up being crap so I swapped in an AX15 and it fit just fine, I didnt get new anything. I did trim the input shaft though because I did an automatic-manual swap, thats a different story.

Did you test fit the clutch to the imput of your trans? You may have the wrong kit for your application. If the alignment tool is smaller than your imput splines, chances are you have the wrong kit. How accurately did you measure? What clutch kit did you buy? do you have the P/N & What trans do you have?

Let it be a sader but wiser situation for you, but always, always, always test fit.

Rob $.02

Felix,
Yeah, lesson learned on test fitting. The splines match up just fine, I can feel the shaft spline into the clutch when I slide it in but then it stops like it is not going into the pilot bearing. I will run home on my lunch break and look up the clutch part number. I beleive it is a Perfection clutch? I will check that also. I have the Aisin AX-15 transmission.

I got an Exidy clutch kit a couple months ago for my 90 with AX-15. The pilot bearing in the kit was not correct (too small). I went to my local parts house and he showed two possible listings for a pilot bearing for my application - he gave me both, I took them home, one fit perfectly and I just took the other back. BTW my old pilot bearing was non existent - had completely disintegrated.

Glad the clutch fit. I just finished replacing my clutch in an AX15. had to get it just right. Had similar experiences. Did you drop the T-case? Once we did that we were able to put it right in. I guess it was giving just enough angle on the jack preventing it going in. A buddy & I basically just lifted the tans in after we dropped the T-case. Being you have the trans dropped, I would just pull the bearing & get a new one & start over. Oh yeah, if you don't know already, if you freeze the new bearing in a protective (plastic) bag, it will help in driving the new bearing in. But test fit it to your input splines first.


Rob $.02