Eharrison

So I'm replacing the pilot bearing......

Can I push it out with a socket and dead blow hammer?

Or do I need a bearing puller?

Van

I don't know about the 996, but usually pilot bearings are in the end of the crank, and not the flywheel. Because there's no access to the back end of the hole, they need to be pulled with some sort of puller or slide hammer.

Dharn55

You need a pilot bearing puller. I got mine years ago from Snap-On but this one is similar (actually looks better than mine).

http://www.harborfreight.com/blind-h...mpaign=buylink

Macster

A bearing puller almost certainly would work. The link provided by dharn55 shows one such puller.

I've never used one to remove pilot bearings but instead would pack the pilot bearing hole with thick grease and then use a shaft/rod that fit in the bearing fairly snug and a hammer to force the bearing out with hydraulic pressure from the grease.

If the bearing's not falling to pieces it will come right out. If it is falling to pieces I've used a chisel to carefully split the bearing and remove it in pieces.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Van

Clever trick, Macster.

Eharrison

The grease bit won't work since it's on the Flywheel. Sounds neat to do it that way though.

I'll give it a go with a same dia socket if not it'll be off to Sears for the bearing puller.

Eharrison

I need to clean my workbench.

Macster

The grease trick won't work in that bearing's case. The trick only works if the pilot bearing is in a blind hole which is the usual case cause the bearing fits in the end of the crankshaft.

However, you should be able to drive that bearing out with -- I hate to suggest this but -- by using a properly sized socket and some well aimed and rather gentle blows from a hammer. You want to strike the back of the socket flat with the hammer's face and not damage the socket drive hole.

Check first that the direction you choose to drive the bearing towards doesn't have a ledge/lip/shoulder that would prevent the bearing from being driven out. The bearing shouldn't be that tight a fit so as soon as you land a blow or two you should feel the bearing start to give way.

Sincerely,

Macster.

goliver

Good luck. Mine was in tighter than hell. Broke the Harbor Freight puller listed above. Got one from Sears and it worked good.