it's true, sometimes you have to do 'dental work' to get the remains of an
old pilot bearing shell out.
( I've spent hours doing that a few times ) ..
but normally, there is  find little handy tool just for the job .
It's even called a pilot bearing puller...
it's a slide hammer puller with small expanding jaws on the end that get
right in behind the pilot brg ...
I have never had one not come right out of a waterboxer crankshaft.

'transmission input shaft seal' I think was meant, not output ..that would
be the flanges to the axles of course.
Vanagons Rule !

Scott

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob" <becida@COMCAST.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, June 20, 2010 1:42 PM
Subject: Re: pilot bearing was- Clutch - revisited - Shim question

> In 91 had an '86 Syncro GL and the transmission output seal developed
> a leak. This was my first water cooled VW. I pulled the engine and
> went to change the seal, then I noticed the pilot bearing was shot,
> but how to get it out?
> I ended up going to the dealer and asked to talk to a mechanic, they
> brought one out (sounds weird to say it like that) and I asked him
> "how and the heck do you get that bearing out?" He told me with a
> dremil tool very very carefully. I did and put the new bearing in.
>
> Rob
> becida@comcast.net
>
> At  6/20/2010 01:21 PM, Kurt Grotz wrote:
>
>
>>Big problem was getting the destroyed pilot bearing out.  There was
>>nothing to grab on to, as it was just the outer shell