Goodson cam bearing tool

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Kit is adjustable to handle hundreds of sizes

By Mike Mavrigian All photos by author

Goodson Tools & Supplies’ universal cam bearing tool, P/N CBT-300, allows removal and installation of just about any size cam bearings that you’re likely to run into.

A set of four expanding/adjustable mandrels covers a 1.370-inch to 2.250- inch range. The mandrels easily adjust for undersize bearings. The kit includes a 35-inch-long impact driver bar (for servicing the rear-most bearing up to the number 2 bearing, and a convenient shorty 5-inch driver bar for easing service of the number 1 bearing), four expandable mandrels, a guide cone (for centering the long driver bar), four different-diameter backing plates that match to the individual mandrels, two male-threaded driver heads and a very nifty brushed aluminum wall-mount storage rack.

Rather than requiring a hefty selection of size-specif c mandrels that offer a limited range of bearing diameters, this kit is so adjustable that it will literally handle hundreds of different bearing sizes.

Cam bearing installation

In order to install new cam bearings, simply choose the mandrel that most closely f ts your cam bearing I.D. Rotate the drive bar, retract the mandrel, install the bearing onto the mandrel, and rotate the drive bar to expand the mandrel to lock the bearing in place.

Insert the cam bearing into its position (the appropriate camshaft bore in the block), and tap the end of the drive bar with a hammer. The backing plate (positioned behind the mandrel) provides a stop when it contacts the web.

Goodson’s CBT-300 kit includes everything needed to service virtually any size cam bearing, and even features a storage rack.

The mandrels (two sizes are included) feature expandable/adjustable sizing to capture a variety of bearing diameters.

The bearing is fully positioned (naturally, you need to observe the bearing travel to verify that it’s centered in its bore). Rotate the drive bar handle to retract the mandrel, and remove the mandrel out of the installed bearing.

The f exible neoprene sleeve that secures the mandrel’s four-piece assembly provides a secure attachment to the bearing I.D. without damaging the bearing, and replacement sleeves are readily available if needed.

NOTE: Before installing any cam bearing,

The short impact bar included in the kit provides more convenient and manageable access for servicing the No. 1 bearing. the specif c engine block, cam bearing O.D.s can differ, with each bearing designed for a specif c camshaft bearing bore location. Be sure to read the instructions that are included with the bearing kit in order to organize the bearings (for location 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 for example).

We tested our sample kit during the installation of a set of new cam bearings in a GM LS platform block (this particular block was a cast-iron 6.0L LQ9 version).

For the cam bearings in this application, we used the largest mandrel in the kit (P/N CBT-8M).

The mandrel easily retracted to allow slipping the bearing onto the mandrel’s neoprene sleeve.

Once the mandrel was expanded (by rotating the driver), each bearing was securely and safely held in place, providing a headache-free installation at each bore location, with no danger of nicking or burring the bearings during installation.

The wall-mounted aluminum storage rack provides a tidy, organized method of storing all of the kit components, so there’s no need to take up valuable space in a tool box drawer.

This tool, like everything Goodson carries, offers pro-level, no-holds-barred quality, designed for the professional automotive service shop. ● MANUFACTURER’S INFORMATION

Goodson Tools & Supplies 156 Galewski Dr. Winona, MN 55987-0847 (800) 533-8010 www.goodson.com