Bearing puller

[signcrafter]

Want to pick up a couple bearing pullers/separators to use with the press. In my quick search it looks like there is either cheap stuff or expensive stuff, not much middle of the line. What is a decent set of bearing pullers for occasional use that won't break the bank? Don't want **** that will explode when using either so willing to pay more if needed to avoid that. Are the amazon ones and HF complete garbage and not worth risking them exploding? Or will they do for the occasional use? Is there a middle of the line one that I'm not seeing?

 

[garfunkle24]

What do you mean by "bearing puller"? Do you mean a bearing splitter/separator?

 

[signcrafter]

What do you mean by "bearing puller"? Do you mean a bearing splitter/separator?

Yes

 

[B_Bimmer]

I'd find a few old OTC ones on ebay if I was trying to do things cheap. Pullers and bearing splitters are not things I've ever seen done well by cheap manufacturers.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Harbor Freight barely lasted for 2 wheel bearings when I did mine 2 years ago. Not sure if the quality changed. The threaded part bent on both sides but the silver parts held up extremely well.

 

[BarrelRoll]

I have some China Freight ones at home, they've worked fine for wheel bearings and axle gears though I wouldn't use them at work (industrial maintenance). The newer OTC stuff I've used is junk. Snapon puller stuff is amazing quality though a little spendy for the average diy guy. No experience with the proto stuff though it looks like it's middle of the road pricing wise between China and Snapon and made in USA.

 

[corn chip]

check ebay. thats where i found a usa proto bearing splitter for cheap. seems like it hadent even been used. cant remember the price as it was couple years ago but probly not much more than **** from hf

 

[four.cycle]

search Ebay for "Owatonna puller"

the older ones are not marked "OTC" and the sellers of many of those older pullers have no idea what they have.

$65 + shipping https://www.ebay.com/itm/265547132270

$70 + shpping https://www.ebay.com/itm/175175402430

YMMV

 

[Steve_P]

I have Proto, OTC, HF, and an ancient SK. They honestly all seem about the same to me as a home user, and the screws will bend on all of them depending on abuse level

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Mine are from a 4 piece Proto kit. You'll eventually damage the edges if you're maxing out the press on that thin metal.

Cheapo units die quickly, keeping the adjustment nuts in contact with the bearing splitter to avoid spreading under pressure will help units of any quality. Most people really only need one size.

 

[zmotorsports]

I have a few OTC's that I picked up at a pawn shop as a set about 15+ years ago that work well.



However, hands down my favorite bearing separator is my Snap-on CJ-951. I purchased this about 34 years ago and I have used the **** out of it and it just keeps taking it.

 

[ChevyEFI]

I have had good luck with new OTC units purchased 20 - 25 years ago. So I am not obsessed with going ultra vintage.

If you go out if your way to hold the puller against a flat surface (hydro press table,) for example, while pulling, you'll never bend the screws. Sometimes getting the job done matters more than saving a tool, of course.

Sometimes tightening the knife edges behind a race to pull the bearing off a tiny bit make all the difference getting a pull started.

Other times a bearing splitter makes a semi-useless 2-jaw pulling on the sides or on protected screws work wonders.

 

[techkelly]

I agree with Mike on the snap-ons. but they are expensive.

Also agree with ChevtEFI if they are setup right makes a big difference. If the splitter is not supported right
the rods will take most of the load. They are the weak link.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I have had good luck with new OTC units purchased 20 - 25 years ago. So I am not obsessed with going ultra vintage.

If you go out if your way to hold the puller against a flat surface (hydro press table,) for example, while pulling, you'll never bend the screws. Sometimes getting the job done matters more than saving a tool, of course.

Sometimes tightening the knife edges behind a race to pull the bearing off a tiny bit make all the difference getting a pull started.

Other times a bearing splitter makes a semi-useless 2-jaw pulling on the sides or on protected screws work wonders.

That assumes your arbor plates aren't bent. LOL

 

[B_Bimmer]

US made current production OTC remains very good quality. It's the "stinger" stuff you've got to watch out for.

 

[signcrafter]

I have a few OTC's that I picked up at a pawn shop as a set about 15+ years ago that work well.



However, hands down my favorite bearing separator is my Snap-on CJ-951. I purchased this about 34 years ago and I have used the **** out of it and it just keeps taking it.

For fun I went to the snap on site just to see if it might make sense to spend some extra money and pick the CJ951 up since it's quality and I'm assuming lifetime warranty. 274 bucks. I'm sure it's worth it if you use it a bunch but for the occasional use I don't think I can justify that kind of price.

The OTC 4518 is a 5 ton that comes with two separators and a cross bar and extensions for about 120 bucks. Doesn't say stinger but made in Taiwan. Or I can get a used one if that is a better route. If that OTC 4518 set will get the job done I may pick that up and then keep my eye out for some used ones. Need to pull a pinion bearing for now. May just pick up the HF set and see if that works, if it doesn't I can just take it back. And then keep an eye out for some quality used ones.

 

[zmotorsports]

For fun I went to the snap on site just to see if it might make sense to spend some extra money and pick the CJ951 up since it's quality and I'm assuming lifetime warranty. 274 bucks. I'm sure it's worth it if you use it a bunch but for the occasional use I don't think I can justify that kind of price.

The OTC 4518 is a 5 ton that comes with two separators and a cross bar and extensions for about 120 bucks. Doesn't say stinger but made in Taiwan. Or I can get a used one if that is a better route. If that OTC 4518 set will get the job done I may pick that up and then keep my eye out for some used ones. Need to pull a pinion bearing for now. May just pick up the HF set and see if that works, if it doesn't I can just take it back. And then keep an eye out for some quality used ones.

Just for shits & grins here are several used ones on eBay that can be cleaned up and work perfectly fine.

$150/free shipping.

Snap on Bearing Separator CJ951 CJ 951 for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Snap on Bearing Separator CJ951 CJ 951 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

$125 + $11.94 shipping.

Snap on Bearing Separator CJ951 CJ 951 for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Snap on Bearing Separator CJ951 CJ 951 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

$129/free shipping.

Snap on Bearing Separator CJ951 CJ 951 for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Snap on Bearing Separator CJ951 CJ 951 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Just a thought rather than buying new.

 

[jgme]

Harbor Freight barely lasted for 2 wheel bearings when I did mine 2 years ago. Not sure if the quality changed. The threaded part bent on both sides but the silver parts held up extremely well.

The Harbor Freight unit failed on the first try when I rebuilt the rear axle on my Sierra. The replacement OTC unit worked great.

 

[428PI]

When using those bearing splitter type pullers in a press always put a 1x2 inch plate under the threaded rods to help in keeping them from bending. I try to take the rollers off with a chisel first and invert the knives and tighten the nuts. Helps with the bending of bolts too.

 

[Olafur]

Just a small tip: Look at the picture posted by Mike:

Notice in this setup there is no (to speak of) bending moment on the bolts (threaded rods) in the puller. Turn it 90 degrees and then you have plenty - likely to bend them. Needless to say, coming from Mike, this is the right way to do this. Lacking vocabulary - the shiny parts of the puller should bridge between the arbor plates, not the bolts.

------
I have used Toptul and other Taiwan made separators and they seem to be just fine. On larger things I have mostly used Gedore (Germany), separators and I can recommend them, they can take serious abuse.

 

[ecotec]

I can only find one of my bearing splitters. Here is my MAC PB958. I think it may have been manufactured by OTC.

I have a bigger one and a smaller one somewhere.

My bearing pusher/pullers are MAC as well.

 

[BarrelRoll]

E-bay is the way to go for snapon puller stuff. CJ950-951 are real common and can be had pretty reasonably if you wait for one to pop up. I used my used ebay special CJ950 with ebay special snapon 2 jaw puller stuff yesterday on a saw bearing assembly, worked awesome.

The only thing in this drawer that wasn't half of retail was the CJ949 which I bought new off the truck for some dumb reason to fill out the collection and the bearing and race driver I bought 20 years ago.

 

[senlow]

The Snappy bearing separators are just about bulletproof. Unfortunately, they are also pricey. The Proto separators that I have are very good and cost way less money.

 

[marinusdees]

The Snappy bearing separators are just about bulletproof. Unfortunately, they are also pricey. The Proto separators that I have are very good and cost way less money.

Urrea tools are Mexican made clones of Proto. In my (limited) experience, as good. And, Urrea has a distribution center in San Antonio. And, yes I have their pullers. And, they work. Urrea has an agreement with Proto to manufacture (and now sell) clones of Proto.

 

[KnurledNut]

Urrea tools are Mexican made clones of Proto. In my (limited) experience, as good. And, Urrea has a distribution center in San Antonio. And, yes I have their pullers. And, they work. Urrea has an agreement with Proto to manufacture (and now sell) clones of Proto.

Someone say Urrea?


I snapped this pic a few years ago doing a little project, while using my Urrea 10-ton straight puller and 4-1/2” splitter. The puller is made from USA steel in Mexico. Cant remember the content origin of the splitter right off...

 

[signcrafter]

Thanks for bringing this back from the grave, guess I never did update it. After Mike suggested some ebay options for a used snap on i went ahead and picked one up. Havent used it much since but it's ready and willing for when I do need it. Thanks

 

[BarrelRoll]

The Snappy bearing separators are just about bulletproof. Unfortunately, they are also pricey. The Proto separators that I have are very good and cost way less money.

Yep. My ebay special CJ950 had slightly mangled jaws, a quick clean up with the die grinder and they are good to go. If they get too mangled I'll just have the snappy guy warranty them out for me. Warranty on commonly mangled things like pullers, punches, chisels, and ratchets makes snappy really appealing if you do this stuff for a living. I think I average about 1 air hammer bit a month warranty wise, they have more than paid for themselves.

 

[marinusdees]

Someone say Urrea?


I snapped this pic a few years ago doing a little project, while using my Urrea 10-ton straight puller and 4-1/2” splitter. The puller is made from USA steel in Mexico. Cant remember the content origin of the splitter right off...

View attachment 1875404

Years ago, Mexican tool distributors asked Proto to let them market Proto in Mexico. Proto wasn't interested. So they asked for and got permission to make and marlket Proto clones in Mexico (only). Then when Proto got swallowed up by Stanley or some such Urrea was able to market in the US. They have a distribution center in San Antonio, I dunno what sort of marketing scheme they use. I have a couple of their pullers, direct clones of old Protos, and as good.