A/C compressor and clutch advise requested

[Randy McCall <randym@schiller.com>]

Listers,

I was told a few months ago that I might expect a problem with my A/C 
compressor and its now past time to correct what's going wrong before it 
actually does!  Reading posts from '98 via the search tool (am I the only 
person that can't search this years posts since the conversion to the new 
server?) my problem may be a simple bearing replacement for the compressor 
clutch.  I haven't had the A/C belt off lately (but its got less than 
10,000 miles on the entire belt set), so I can't tell if there is radial 
play in the clutch, but the compressor does work and provides cold air; I 
just can't get rid of the belt squeal that happens at times on startup, and 
when revving the engine at times.  I have adjusted, and readjusted belt 
tension to what seems to be the correct tension without change in when and 
how often it squeals.

I can also turn the outer plate of the clutch by hand and it feels as 
though the compressor is stiffening during a compression phase with no play 
or bad sensory stuff coming through for this operation.  My thoughts are 
that the compressor is working fine, but the clutch is experiencing a 
bearing problem that will not get better.  Does this agree with anyone 
else's BTDT?   Any other opinions or diagnostic approaches I could try? 
 Igor Kessel's compressor clutch R&R post listed a bearing supplier back 
east for the clutch bearing that's about 1/5th the cost of new clutch and 
since things are still working my plan A is to remove the clutch and 
replace the bearing (don't have to open the refrigerant system this way). 
 Which of course brings out the next question:  Does someone have the 
extractor tool I could rent/borrow/buy?  Scott Mockry claims to have 
removed some by hand without the extractor tool, but past experience says 
don't count on it.  My bicycle crank remover looked like it might be the 
right tool, but its not the 24mm x 1.25 thread pitch Igor described. Since 
I don't have a handy lathe/milling machine to crank out the correct outside 
diameter and threads I'm afraid I won't be able to make this particular 
tool!

TIA

-Randy
'90 200Q - 92k and catching up with the "fix-it" list