[Rory McNeil]

Bobby, are you using a bronze pilot bushing, or a roller or needle bearing? When I first switched my 428 FE Ford bracket car from a C6 to a Jerico and McLeod Soft Lok clutch, after a short period of time, I pulled the clutch out, and found the stock style bronze pilot bushing very badly worn, with the hole enlongated. I figured that the sintered iron dust from the clutch disc was chewing up the bushing, like valve grinding compound. I replaced the bronze bushing with a ball bearing, and that worked fine for a few years, until I found out that the pilot bearing had walked out of the crank, which allowed the input to move up & down excessively. The next pilot bearing I installed into the crank with Loctite, and have had no further issues. On my 302 Stocker, also a Jerico/Soft Lok, I use the factory Ford needle bearing pilot, 7 seasons, not a problem.