The crankshaft is equipped with a pilot bearing in the rear, made of a needle roller type, which gets factory prepped with grease does not require any topping-up; it supports the front of the transmission input shaft. It should be checked whenever the clutch parts are taken off; if there is any suspicion about the status of the bearing because of the difficulty in reaching it, it is best to change it. Early models may have a single-piece, oil-impregnated bronze bushing instead of a bearing, which are normally press-fit and usually have to be removed with some kind of puller. When the clutch assembly has been pulled out, examine for signs of wear and tear, fine scratches, greasing deficiency, dryness or apparent harm; any of these are symptoms of a weakened bearing; put on the flashlight to brighten the area. For removal, there is a specialized puller and slide hammer and, in a bid to avoid distortion, a standard and comparatively sized steel bar can be used. The bar should fit tightly up to the bearing and the space behind it should be filled up with thick grease so as to eliminate air. Swinging heavily on the bar with a hammer the bearing will be forced out by the grease. In the case of installation, it is advisable to lubricate the outside surface of the new bearing with multi-purpose grease and fitting it into the recess from the outside with a soft-face hammer with a view of having the seal on the outward side. The remaining steps are in the reverse order of removal steps, we have taken.