How do you remove the pilot bushing that is at the back end of the crank? (The crank is out of the engine)

Two choices. One is to buy a dedicated pilot bushing puller or you can try the old fashioned way. If you have a clutch alignment tool, take a gob of wheel bearing grease and put it into the bushing. Now take your alignment tool (or anything that fits the inside of the bushing tightly, a wood dowel will also work well) and tap it into the bushing with a hammer. The force of the grease being squeezed into the void behind the bushing should force it out to where you can get ahold of it. It usually works with no problems. If the bushing is really corroded, or has been set into the crank snout too far it may take a few tries, just pack a little more grease in and try again.

I ended up going to Autozone and borrowing a tool for the job.

Borrowing works good too. Since most shops and parts stores don't loan tools, only rent them, you got off lucky.

I know this is a long time latter... but... Thanks for the clues

I need to replace the thrust bushing in my 72 Z

For the record, a couple other ideas are to use a Dremel to cut a very thin strip out of the inside of the bushing from front to back. This releases the press fit and you can pull it out with a pair of pliers.

Another method is to use a cheapo slide hammer with the correct "scissor" type attachment (not sure of the proper name) but you put it inside the bushing and tighten it up and it spreads out until you can slide hammer the bushing out.

I've hydraulicked out one bushing. That sucked, and I had borrowed a steel input shaft that was cut off just for that purpose. Never again...

i used a slide hammer with some kind of weird tongs at the end

A punch the size of the input shaft---I have used a hardwood dowell in apinch, and sopping wet toilet paper pushed into the hole---whap the dowel, and the toilet paper will act just like the grease and push the bushing out hydraulically.

I have also tapped the bushing, and used a bolt threading it in after packing the backside with either grease or wet toilet paper. Hydraulic pressure or the threading will bottom out and push it out eventually.

I have never had good luck with the dedicated 'puller' type tools. Unless you have one you can really secure on the lip of the bushing they tend to 'mush' together, and slip out the center hole. I have had luck threading the bushing and using a slidehammer, though.

Many different techniques! They all will work if you are careful...

I have a tool that was actually designed to remove hydraulic lifters that does a good job of removing pilot bushings. It just fits inside of the bushing and when I push the button on the hanlde it wedges into it allowing me to pull it out.

Recently I used a broken rear spindle pin, grease and a hammer.

The wonders of imrovised tools!

I borrowed an extractor from auto zone, but it didn't fit

The dremmel ground off enough to get the extractor in

At that point I tryed pulling the extractor....... Old bushing

slid right out. I put the new bushing in the freezer to help

get it to slide in.... Worked like a champ

Thanks for all the good ideas.....

you can also use 5/8" rod in combination with the grease thing

that works well too.