Does anybody know any tricks to pull out a pilot bearing?

 

None of my local parts stores have a bearing puller that is small enough to fit through the middle of the bearing. Its a little less than an inch inside diameter. 

 

I tried packing the hole with grease and then taping a bolt the size of the hole with a hammer to push it out with pressure from behind it. But the front seal got pushed off the bearing, so now when I try that all the grease just comes right through the bearing, since its just exposed ball bearings now without a seal to make it air tight. 

 

Its on an EA81. 

 

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I really need to get this tranny in there this weekend and I'm stuck on one little bearing.  Thanks a bunch.      -Scott

I would just pull off the flywheel and tap it out from the back side    I have a pilot bearing puller with both small and large jaws but I have never had to use it on an EA81 or EA82.

 

Good Luck!

Jeff

Edited April 19, 201510 yr by Crazyeights

Take off the flywheel and set it on a flat surface. Get a socket that is about the same size and lay it on the bearing and tap tap tap it out.

Thanks a bunch guys! I can't believe I didn't think even think of taking the flywheel off. Haha. It took less time to take it off and tap the bearing out than to go ask questions about it on the computer, haha.  Thanks again. 

Thanks a bunch guys! I can't believe I didn't think even think of taking the flywheel off. Haha. It took less time to take it off and tap the bearing out than to go ask questions about it on the computer, haha.  Thanks again. 

To be fair this trick doesn't work on a lot of cars

Hydraulic Lifter removal slide hammers work for removing pilot bearings for engines where the bearing is fitted into the crank as well as obviously the dedicated tool for the Job.

But with pushrod V8's being so common in the US you can more easily find a lifter puller than a Pilot bearing puller.

gaaah! others aren't so simple!  my Ford F 150 still has the pilot bearing stuck in it from a clutch job i started a long time ago.

 

pilot bearing puller didn't work

all the youtube tricks didn't work - grease, punching it out.

no one seems to know how to get it out - i called a 30 year Ford technician and the tool doesn't work. 

high quality drill bits walk across the surface.

 

a rsaw has no stroke length and bangs against the rear of the crank and bends the blade first stroke...i got a short stroke saw to try eventually.