Ok, I need to replace my clutch as I am having some issues with slipping with my stock clutch. I should have replaced this when I replaced the flywheel, but I guess I was trying to get out of things cheaply. The clutch was in bad condition at that time, and now has an additional 20 thousand miles on it. 65 thousand miles on the car now.

I know I can purchase a pilot bearing removal tool through Mazdatrix, but it is 112 bucks.

Does anyone have one locally that I could borrow. I would be willing to pay you a "rental fee" as an incentive for you...or if there are others who are interested in going in on the purchase of the tool, maybe we could split the cost and share the part.

Thanks in advance.
Keith-Fontana, CA area.

 

called the Autozone in La Puente and checked their inventory of rental tools. They have the center portion of the pilot bearing removal tool (basically, the slide hammer portion), as well as a blind hole removal tool. I was reading on the RX7 site that most guys were having success using the blind hole removal tool. I'm going to try this, because we purchased a pilot bearing removal tool from Harbor Freight for another rx8 clutch install, and it didn't work.

140 deposit at autozone for the blind hole removal tool....refunded upon return. Wish me luck.

 

UPDATE...Blind Hole Puller works....The inner "cage" with the needle bearings needed to be rmoved first, but after that, tool worked fine. Had a couple of unsuccessful attempts at the beginning, but just keep tightening till you can't tighten the tool anymore...