Bread as a pilot bearing removal tool. It works!

[Karl Grau]

With the benefit of hindsight, I will NEVER r&r an e30 transmission ever again.
The top transmission to engine bolts are a unbelievable PITA to get at and they're Torx heads just to keep it interesting. I stripped the head on one of these and thought I was going to have to pull the engine. I ended up sawing the head off and got the tranny out but what should have been a one day job is now on the 4th day and I still don't have the dogleg all the way in.

But getting back to my subject line, this Board rocks. I wanted to get the old pilot bearing out without buying or renting the tool so I did a search and someone said you can stuff bread in the center hole of the bearing and then tap with a dowel or something and it will force the bearing out. I have to say I was very skeptical but 3 slices of Ralph's house brand whole wheat did the trick. This is pretty much the only thing that's gone right so far.
So a big "Thank you" to whoever it was that posted that tip.

The drive shaft needs to go to Beyer or Driveline of Portland because it's 21mm too long for the dogleg box, I have to find a dogleg specific cross member mount which as luck would have it, is NLA and just for extra fun I just realized Bavauto sent me the wrong exhaust.

[RobbieR]

That's a nice lookin' E30. Very clean.

[Bimmerguy2002]

whats with the gay orange colored e30?
the tranny is pretty easy, once the exhaust is off and DS out of the way, i can pull it in about 10 minutes on the ground easily.

[canyoncarver]

local shop up in north county, same shop carl at la jolla uses for all his trans converstions. lopping an inch or two off your existing d/s would be a cakewalk for them...........
they'll even p/u and deliver..!!

(760) 439-9719

[turbodan]

My pilot bearing always just falls out of the crank. Lucky me. I think.

[DiLLiGaF - IA]

whats with the gay orange colored e30?

I like the color, looks like a nice ride !

[Crazy_Canuck]

whats with the gay orange colored e30?

Looks like Hennarot

[wkohler]

whats with the gay orange colored e30?

Looks like Hennarot

It sure is Henna and this car is awesome. You'll never hear me say that about an E30 - other than the M3 or the 320is - and I guess maybe a touring.

Charles, what's so different between the crossmember mounts? Could something be fabbed?

[Karl Grau]

That's a nice lookin' E30. Very clean.

whats with the gay orange colored e30?

I like the color, looks like a nice ride !

whats with the gay orange colored e30?

Looks like Hennarot

It sure is Henna and this car is awesome.

Thanks for the compliments. That picture had some weird lighting. It looks different in better light.

local shop up in north county, same shop carl at la jolla uses for all his trans converstions. lopping an inch or two off your existing d/s would be a cakewalk for them...........
they'll even p/u and deliver..!!

Jim, thanks for the FYI. I just dropped it off at Carl’s. It will be going to O’side tomorrow.

Charles, what's so different between the crossmember mounts? Could something be fabbed?

Chris, the dogleg box only has one “ear” and thus the crossmember only has rubber mount thingy. I think Carl will be able to track one down.

the tranny is pretty easy, once the exhaust is off and DS out of the way, i can pull it in about 10 minutes on the ground easily.

(as usual)
10 minutes my ass! How about a friendly wager of $1,000? Not only am I willing to travel to any adjoining county to see you perform this feat, I'll even let you double your ridiculous time estimate

[Nebraska_e28]

[Bimmerguy2002]

i can get the tranny out in 10 minutes, seriously i got all the m20 stuff down like clockwork. When i pulled another members trans, i pulled it in about 10 minutes, ive done it so many times thats why.
I dont think you are going to drive 7.5 hours to see me yank a transmission....

[mojocoggo]

The bread thing worked for me too. AWESOME.

[Karl Grau]

local shop up in north county, same shop carl at la jolla uses for all his trans converstions. lopping an inch or two off your existing d/s would be a cakewalk for them...........
they'll even p/u and deliver..!

Jim, good call. They got my driveshaft this morning and I'll have it back tomorrow

I dont think you are going to drive 7.5 hours to see me yank a transmission....

Round trip or each way?

[Bimmerguy2002]

each way

[DaRedRocket]

Gah, I still can't get over how freakin' sexy your E30 is!

[tig]

Mutli-grain bread with little seeds works too.

A 15/32" drill bit shaft fits perfectly.

[Karl Grau]

A 15/32" drill bit shaft fits perfectly.

I think 12mm would work better. And thanks for the surprise Xmas present assuming that you were the Secret Santa (and i think you were).

[Dave_in_VA]

So would white bread work as well as the wheat? What about a honey wheat? Or for a german car pumpernickel a better choice?

[a]

So would white bread work as well as the wheat? What about a honey wheat? Or for a german car pumpernickel a better choice?

Wonderbread is ideal, simply because it squishes easily into a non-compressing paste that is cheaper and not as messy as grease. I used Italian bread because it was all there was. I wasn't gonna waste home made on this. It is a neat garage trick. Rexmo, posted about it ages ago. This and a few other neat fixes and some cool forums. Rex C Lingon has 2 chemical engineering degrees from Cal Tech, brewed his own ale, is a gear head from an early age. He was one of the many characters I met at a ski lodge in NC Memorial Day weekend 2003. Then, just like D. Day in Animal House , he disappeared. Hey this old BMW thing is a freaken gas. Truth be told, it could have been just about any mutual attraction. The interweb has allowed people from the world over to communicate with others like-wise obscessed. I lucked out, I met a great bunch of guys. You know who you are and I am known to you. We kept on running into each other in parking garages on Memorial Day WE , then it was vineyards and runs to Mississauga ON and passports. Guys, I know only through the interweb. I am the better for hanging out with you bozos. Thank You for that. E 28 ers are cool people , just saying. Happy New Year , Y'all
those are big Lebowski shades.

[Dave_in_VA]

So would white bread work as well as the wheat? What about a honey wheat? Or for a german car pumpernickel a better choice?

Wonderbread is ideal, simply because it squishes easily into a non-compressing paste that is cheaper and not as messy as grease. I used Italian bread because it was all there was. I wasn't gonna waste home made on this. It is a neat garage trick. Rexmo, posted about it ages ago. This and a few other neat fixes and some cool forums. Rex C Lingon has 2 chemical engineering degrees from Cal Tech, brewed his own ale, is a gear head from an early age. He was one of the many characters I met at a ski lodge in NC Memorial Day weekend 2003. Then, just like D. Day in Animal House , he disappeared. Hey this old BMW thing is a freaken gas. Truth be told, it could have been just about any mutual attraction. The interweb has allowed people from the world over to communicate with others like-wise obscessed. I lucked out, I met a great bunch of guys. You know who you are and I am known to you. We kept on running into each other in parking garages on Memorial Day WE , then it was vineyards and runs to Mississauga ON and passports. Guys, I know only through the interweb. I am the better for hanging out with you bozos. Thank You for that. E 28 ers are cool people , just saying. Happy New Year , Y'all
those are big Lebowski shades.

Haven't thought of rexmo in awhile. Visited him at his home in Ladue once to pick up some euro lights that he had gotten from another STL guy who was no longer with us, can't remember his name but his handle ended in "mo".

[tschultz]

Details on the bearing via bread removal process? I am not following how you do it...

[Dave_in_VA]

Details on the bearing via bread removal process? I am not following how you do it...

It's the same thing as using grease. Just a different hydraulic medium.

[Mike W.]

So would white bread work as well as the wheat? What about a honey wheat? Or for a german car pumpernickel a better choice?

Wonderbread is ideal, simply because it squishes easily into a non-compressing paste that is cheaper and not as messy as grease. I used Italian bread because it was all there was. I wasn't gonna waste home made on this. It is a neat garage trick. Rexmo, posted about it ages ago. This and a few other neat fixes and some cool forums. Rex C Lingon has 2 chemical engineering degrees from Cal Tech, brewed his own ale, is a gear head from an early age. He was one of the many characters I met at a ski lodge in NC Memorial Day weekend 2003. Then, just like D. Day in Animal House , he disappeared. Hey this old BMW thing is a freaken gas. Truth be told, it could have been just about any mutual attraction. The interweb has allowed people from the world over to communicate with others like-wise obscessed. I lucked out, I met a great bunch of guys. You know who you are and I am known to you. We kept on running into each other in parking garages on Memorial Day WE , then it was vineyards and runs to Mississauga ON and passports. Guys, I know only through the interweb. I am the better for hanging out with you bozos. Thank You for that. E 28 ers are cool people , just saying. Happy New Year , Y'all
those are big Lebowski shades.

Haven't thought of rexmo in awhile. Visited him at his home in Ladue once to pick up some euro lights that he had gotten from another STL guy who was no longer with us, can't remember his name but his handle ended in "mo".

MoPete? He passed a long time ago, I wasn't even sure if it was roachfly or here.

[Dave_in_VA]

So would white bread work as well as the wheat? What about a honey wheat? Or for a german car pumpernickel a better choice?

Wonderbread is ideal, simply because it squishes easily into a non-compressing paste that is cheaper and not as messy as grease. I used Italian bread because it was all there was. I wasn't gonna waste home made on this. It is a neat garage trick. Rexmo, posted about it ages ago. This and a few other neat fixes and some cool forums. Rex C Lingon has 2 chemical engineering degrees from Cal Tech, brewed his own ale, is a gear head from an early age. He was one of the many characters I met at a ski lodge in NC Memorial Day weekend 2003. Then, just like D. Day in Animal House , he disappeared. Hey this old BMW thing is a freaken gas. Truth be told, it could have been just about any mutual attraction. The interweb has allowed people from the world over to communicate with others like-wise obscessed. I lucked out, I met a great bunch of guys. You know who you are and I am known to you. We kept on running into each other in parking garages on Memorial Day WE , then it was vineyards and runs to Mississauga ON and passports. Guys, I know only through the interweb. I am the better for hanging out with you bozos. Thank You for that. E 28 ers are cool people , just saying. Happy New Year , Y'all
those are big Lebowski shades.

Haven't thought of rexmo in awhile. Visited him at his home in Ladue once to pick up some euro lights that he had gotten from another STL guy who was no longer with us, can't remember his name but his handle ended in "mo".

MoPete? He passed a long time ago, I wasn't even sure if it was roachfly or here.

Yeah it was over 10 to 12 years ago. I remember his son came on to tell us that he took his own life in the kitchen. I don't believe we were ever told why.

[Mike W.]

So would white bread work as well as the wheat? What about a honey wheat? Or for a german car pumpernickel a better choice?

Wonderbread is ideal, simply because it squishes easily into a non-compressing paste that is cheaper and not as messy as grease. I used Italian bread because it was all there was. I wasn't gonna waste home made on this. It is a neat garage trick. Rexmo, posted about it ages ago. This and a few other neat fixes and some cool forums. Rex C Lingon has 2 chemical engineering degrees from Cal Tech, brewed his own ale, is a gear head from an early age. He was one of the many characters I met at a ski lodge in NC Memorial Day weekend 2003. Then, just like D. Day in Animal House , he disappeared. Hey this old BMW thing is a freaken gas. Truth be told, it could have been just about any mutual attraction. The interweb has allowed people from the world over to communicate with others like-wise obscessed. I lucked out, I met a great bunch of guys. You know who you are and I am known to you. We kept on running into each other in parking garages on Memorial Day WE , then it was vineyards and runs to Mississauga ON and passports. Guys, I know only through the interweb. I am the better for hanging out with you bozos. Thank You for that. E 28 ers are cool people , just saying. Happy New Year , Y'all
those are big Lebowski shades.

Haven't thought of rexmo in awhile. Visited him at his home in Ladue once to pick up some euro lights that he had gotten from another STL guy who was no longer with us, can't remember his name but his handle ended in "mo".

MoPete? He passed a long time ago, I wasn't even sure if it was roachfly or here.

Yeah it was over 10 to 12 years ago. I remember his son came on to tell us that he took his own life in the kitchen. I don't believe we were ever told why.

I think his son posted a little bit, MoAdam. IIRC he had terminal cancer from what I heard here, I guess he wasn't going to wait for it to do it's thing on him.

[Tammer in Philly]

Details on the bearing via bread removal process? I am not following how you do it...

Stuff pieces of Wonder bread in through the middle of the pilot bearing. As it gets full, compress it with a suitable drift and a hammer and shove more in. Eventually you will hammer out the bearing with the bread pushing it from behind. Much cleaner than grease, easier to do and to clean up IME.

[tig]

A 15/32" drill bit shaft fits perfectly.

I think 12mm would work better. And thanks for the surprise Xmas present assuming that you were the Secret Santa (and i think you were).

Are you telling me you have a full set of metric drill bits? Up to 12mm?

Yes it was me.

[davintosh]

Details on the bearing via bread removal process? I am not following how you do it...

YouTube is your friend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00OlG5E8vLk

I've done the same thing in the past using grease, and with paper soaked in water.

[Mike W.]

The kludge has been on here for a few years now, but I don't think I've done one since it has been here. All I can say is I wish I'd known. Grease doesn't work well with an open bearing, or one with a sloppy seal. I suppose in an entertainment sense, it might be amusing to see how far grease will go with application of hammer and drift, but having been there, up close and personal, it's an experience I wouldn't miss if I hadn't done it. BTDT and worn the resulting grease spray.

[a]

Observations : Either 3 slices of bread doesn't compress into much volume or the hole in the crank is way bigger than the bearing. It took awhile. I'd roll 3 slices into a ball and start. I did a slice at a time. A real mechanic just uses a hook ,or a screw and a vise grip. Bread takes too long for flat rate. Pilot bearings don't get changed very often .