I had a clutch replaced several years back, and the shop installed a bearing instead of a bushing, saying it would last longer.

What is the consensus here?

Bearing or bushing?

 

I've used both. MANY MANY times each.

No problems of any kind with either, when properly installed and maintained.

I prefer bearings nowadays but wouldn't hesitate to use a bushing if I had one in my hand. Used to keep bushings in bulk, boxes of like 25, on my shelf.

Part of it is that the quality of grease in general has improved slowly but incrementally over the years. Kinda like my M1... there's a spec for some kinda mil spec grease from 1942 for it, and people are always posting about "where can I find xxx.xx mil spec grease"; but EVERY SINGLE kind of grease you can buy off the shelf at any parts store today, FAR EXCEEDS that spec. Back when bushings were the article of choice, part of the reason was that bearings needed grease too often, such that you'd have to pull the transmission, daub some in there, and re-stab the trans, every coupla 10k miles. Today, not so much.

I think you'll be fine with the bearing.

 

I've never seen a bushing break or make noise. I have seen bearings break and some make noise.

 

Depends on what transmission you use. Some transmissions are designed to be used with a bearing, but the older transmissions may not last long with bearing. The quality of the bushings today has gone way down. If you get a bushing that will stick to a magnet don't use it. The good bushings are made of bronze and will not stick to a magnet.

 

I AGREE. The good bronze bushings use "Oilite Bronze". Porous bronze, made with approx. 20% oil, impregnated inside the alloy. Just about never needs re-oiling.