Installing a pilot bearing...
 

So, do I just hit it with a rubber mallet or is there a specific way to install the pilot bearing? I wanted to double-check and make sure I wasn't gonna damage anything. And does the Pilot bearing go in before the flywheel or after? its on a 1988 F-150 with the Mazda 5 speed.
thanks

You need a soft faced hammer, not a rubber mallet, a brass hammer or something to use as a driver, a socket, one the exact same size or just a hair smaller then the bearings outer diameter itself, use square firm hammer blows to drive it straight into the hole.

As for you're second question, are you asking if it goes in the flywheel or in the crank? if so being as it takes a special puller to remove one I'd have to say it goes into a bore in the crank on this series truck. If it went in the flywheel like the little bronco's do, no puller would be needed to remove it, one would simply remove the flywheel and knock out from other side?

If you're simply asking if it can be put in before the flywheel is put on I doubt it makes any difference, but first check the clearance in the center hole of the flywheel, it should pass easily through. If it does you can put it in before or after either one.


Make sure you put it in rubber O ring toward ya.

Install it before installing the flywheel.

Make sure the orientation of the pilot bearing is correct. The two notches on the pilot bearing face the crankshaft/towards the engine.

As mentioned you can use a hammer and a wooden block or socket the same outside diameter as the bearing and knock it in.

You didn't say what engine you have. On a 300 six you need to coat the flywheel bolt threads with a sealer such as Permatex type 2 before installing them because the bolts penetrate into the crank case/oil pan.

Okay, so let me get this straight and make sure I got it right. It goes:

Crank<---- Pilot Bearing<----- Flywheel <---- clutch parts


correct?

Yes that should be correct, however as I said make sure the pilot bearing fits freely
through the hole in the center of the flywheel just to be sure before you drive it in.

Oh and when I use a socket as a "driver" I put a short or long extension on the socket backwards first so the flat uncut backside of the socket is against what I'm driving in with it.
In other words putting the socket on an extension by putting the end of the extension into the end of the socket the bolt would normally be in. Can't always do so but when the socket is large enough to do so it helps, prevents the six or twelve "points" of the business end of the socket from doing any damage that way, especially when driving in any kind of bushing, seal or bearing.

Yup.^

And you don't need a puller or any other special tool to get the pilot bearing out. If you pack it with grease, you can pound a dowel or maybe a tight fitting 3/8" extension into the center. The dowel pushes the grease, and because the grease does not compact it will push the pilot bearing out. This was actually mentioned in the instructions with my brute force clutch kit. I thought it was a cool trick.

Yea that worked better in the older days of the solid brass pilot bearings, works on the needle bearing type used nowa days but the dowel must fit tighter so the grease doesn't "leak" past/through the needles so easy.