Hi Folks, I have a problem. I've pulled pilot bearings with a puller, and I've used bread and a 3/8" extension to force the old bearing out. This time I'm stumped! When I saw the clutch pilot bearing on my 2000 Ranger 2.3 5 speed, I thought it was missing, and it is...sort of. The outer casing is still in place, but the rollers, etc are AWOL! The ends of the old bearing are worn away as well, so there's nothing to push against with a bearing puller or using the old bread trick. I did engage a 3/4" nipple extractor onto what's left of the end of the outer casing, but couldn't get it to budge. I think it put too much outward pressure on it to let it move.
Anyone out there have experience in this? Thanks guys!

 

Just use a small chisel/screw driver to bend it away from the crank
You can't hurt the crank's bearing surface since it doesn't need to be "smooth" inside, as the outer race of bearing doesn't/shouldn't move once its installed

 

I used a dremel on mine. Cut it very carefully but not all the through. got a drill bit that fit kind of snug and spun it out. It was a royal pita. The chisel/screwdriver method didn't work for me lol.

 

Does the 2.3 engine have the pilot bearing in the crank? My 4.0 has it in the flywheel. I just remove the fly wheel and use a punch to knock it out.

I have dealt with pilot bearings in the crank and just use a thick grease. I just had to find a rod to fit snugly in the opening and give the rod a hard smack. I never tried the bread approach. I seems too compressible and would take a lot of packing to get it to work. It is thicker than grease and that is its only advantage. Some kind of putty might work but I still think it would be more compressible than grease.

 

I would use a dremel tool with a small engraving ball cutter to slice down one side of the bearing race. Then use a cold chisel to split it, or force a screwdriver between the race and the crank. It will come out, you just may need to work at it.

 

That's the same tip I used on my dremel. Had enough relief cut in the race to spin it out with a drill bit by hand. Yes the 2004 ranger 2.3 I did was in the crank. All that was left was the race. Berrings were gone, so no compression method would work with grease or paper towel methods. The small chisel did not even work for me. Where there is a will there is a way. Every suggestion helps Live and learn lol.