Bearing Puller #6201

georgeG · Post by **georgeG** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 12:33 pm

I am in the process of replacing the bearings, o-ring, oil seal, brushes & gasket of my alternator and am having trouble locating someone who has a bearing puller small enough to remove the 6201 bearing. Has anyone built their own bearing puller that did a good job (no damage to the outer case). If so, please provide details on how you built it. Alternatively, can anyone recommend a product designed to remove this bearing?

Thanks,

georgeG

Jim-Jim · Post by **Jim-Jim** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 1:14 pm

George,

Normally, the way to get that outer bearing out is to heat the outer cover so that it expands and lets the bearing 'drop' out. Don't overheat so the bearing expands with it. If the bearing doesn't want to cooperate and 'fall' out, slap the outer case down on a flat WOOD surface to knock it out. If it still doesn't want to come out, someone probably permatex'd it in - that's a problem. I haven't tried it but there are 'inside race' grippers that fit into a bearing and pull them out but I'm not inclined to think they will grip good enough to get a bearing out that has been sealed in. You might try to remove the seal so you can get at the internals; maybe disassemble the bearing so you can get a grip on the outer race and pull it out. If you get it out, please post how you did it so the rest of us can learn something.

george g · Post by **george g** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 11:30 am

Last night I tried applying heat to the general area twice (let it cool in between attempts) but without any success. I'll try again tonight. Is it possible to determine whether the bearing that is currently in place is the original or not? This would tell me whether a previous owner maybe applied some adhesive in there. The markings on the existing bearing are: 6201NSL2 / NACHI.

Thanks again.

beedub · Post by **beedub** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 6:32 pm

I couldn't get it out any way so I very carefully cut the inner race with a dremel tool and good cutting disc, you can do that without nicking the case if you are very careful. then I levered the inner race and balls out. this left the outer race in place which still didn't want to come so I cut a vee shape in it almost through it also and then used a thin chisel. tapped, levered and cracked it. the vee piece cam out and then with the crack it was loose enough to come out. Nerve wracking.

beedub · Post by **beedub** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 6:34 pm

If i was doing it again, I would apply heat then spray the bearing with freeze mist from an electronics store to try to make it contract.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 6:56 pm

Wouldn't an automotive clutch pilot bearing puller work? Such a tool will pull a pretty small diameter bearing.

beedub · Post by **beedub** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 9:09 pm

Sounds like a good idea but I have no experience of that. anybody?

broook · Post by **broook** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 6:11 am

I know this is a bit late for you now

but another way to get those bearings out is to pack grease in behind it and drive a wooden dowel or bolt through the inner race. When you hit the dowel the grease forces the bearing out.

beedub · Post by **beedub** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 7:37 am

how come the grease doesn't just squirt back through the roller ball cage? I take it there must be enough resistance there, and good thick grease would be good?

jt · Post by jt » Wed Mar 31, 2004 12:46 pm

beedub wrote:how come the grease doesn't just squirt back through the roller ball cage? I take it there must be enough resistance there, and good thick grease would be good?

The bearing is sealed on both sides, the trick is to get a dowel as explaned that is a tight fit but moves freely as you pack the grease in.

When I did mine the I used heat and slapped it down on a piece of wood. used the reverse to install the new one. Heated the cover slightly and had the bearing in the freezer for a while it dropped into place.

Good luck

george g · Post by **george g** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 2:48 pm

Thanks for all of the tips! Tonight when I get home I am going to place the alternator cover in the freezer, then warm it a bit to try and dislodge the bearing. If that doesn't work then I will try the grease method. And if that doesn't work then I'll take out the Dremel. One way or another :twisted: the damn bearing is coming out tonight!!!! I'll let you know how I make out.

george g · Post by **george g** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 12:33 pm

Done

. The freeze and grease methods didn't work. I thought I would try a few dealerships before going at it with the Dremel - six dealerships later I finally found one with a mini pilot bearing puller. It took two attempts before it finally budged!! Stubborn little #&$^.

Thanks to all of you for the friendly advice.

Jim-Jim · Post by **Jim-Jim** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 1:14 pm

George,

Could you give the rest of us exact directions and information on how to obtain that little mini pilot bearing puller? What brand, part number, etc. ? For those whose every effort, like yours, fails to get that da*n bearing out, we could all use that little tool. Especially if someone has sealed it in. Does the puller get a 'lip' under the inner race? This could be invaluable information to obtain such a tool!!!

Many thanks.

george g · Post by **george g** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 9:59 am

A friend-of-a-friend is a mechanic with Ford and used a pilot bearing removal tool made by SnapOn. Here's the link: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/pro_det. ... ir=catalog . He didn't have the tool but managed to borrow it from a co-worker who works on the larger Ford vehicles (buses, large trucks). It took only one attempt to remove it with the proper tool. Moral of the story - don't fudge around with other methods as you will probably drive yourself nuts (as I did), and you may end up damaging the outer case.

beedub · Post by **beedub** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:20 pm

well now that we know about it we can do that! good stuff! I would definitely have found one somewhere!