Bearing Tools: Pull a Blind Bearing, Fit Seals and Races Square

An oil seal that won’t let go, a bearing stuck at the bottom of a blind hole, or a new race that starts going in crooked: all three get worse with a bigger hammer.

Here’s how to get each one out, pack it and fit it square. PartsForMachines lists 52 bearing tools, from Sealey, Sykes Pickavant, Draper and Govoni.

How Do I Get an Oil Seal Out Without Scratching the Housing?

Pull on the seal itself with a seal puller, which keeps tools away from the bore. The new seal needs a bore and shaft free of burrs, grooves and scoring to seal properly.

A hooked puller does this neatly. With the VS7002 oil seal removal and installation kit, two hooks catch the seal’s inner edge on opposite sides, and a force screw bears on the shaft end as you wind it out.

Bearing in a Blind Hole: Which Collet Do I Need, and Will the Bearing Survive?

Pick the collet that matches the bearing’s bore, and plan to fit a new bearing. The collet slides through the inner race and expands behind it, then a slide hammer jerks the bearing out.

The AK716 blind bearing puller set has nine collets for bores from 8mm to 34mm, with a 1.5kg slide hammer on a 395mm shaft. Measure the bore and check it falls inside one collet’s range, as there are small gaps, such as 13.5–15mm. Because the pull goes through the balls, treat the old bearing as scrap.

Bearing Race or Seal Won’t Go In Straight: How Do I Drive It In Square?

Use a driver that sits flat on the ring you are fitting and covers as much of its face as possible. For a race or bearing going into a housing, that is the outer ring. Push on the inner ring instead and the force passes through the balls, which can mark the raceways.

Start it square. A press gives the smoothest push; if you use a hammer, strike the driver, never the bearing, as hardened rings dislike impact. The VS7032 bearing race and seal driver set has 49 steel drivers from 18mm to 65mm in 1mm steps, plus 74mm, and works in a press too. For a seal, press on its outer edge only.

Packing a Bearing With Grease: By Hand or With a Packer, and How Do I Know It’s Full?

Either method works, provided grease is forced in until it fills the spaces between every roller and the cage. Packing by hand needs no extra tool; a packer pushes the grease through under pressure.

To know it’s full, look into each gap between the rollers. If any still looks dry, keep working grease in before you refit the bearing.

What Should I Check Before I Buy?

the bearing’s bore (for a blind puller) or the outside diameter of the race or seal (for a driver), and a set whose sizes cover it
whether the back of the housing is open or blind, which decides whether you drive the part out or pull it with a collet
how you will drive it: by hammer or in a press (steel drivers such as the VS7032 suit both)
the thread on any slide hammer you already own (the Sykes collet extractors use ½” x 20 UNF)
the seal and bolt sizes you meet most, against the adaptors in the kit

Browse the bearing tools range, or contact the PartsForMachines team by WhatsApp, telephone or email with the bearing or seal number and its sizes.

Product options, delivery options and returns terms are shown on each product page. A 30-day return policy applies to eligible items.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which driver set covers my race size?

Measure the race, then match it. The steel VS7032 set covers 18mm to 65mm and works in a workshop press. A 10-piece aluminium set such as the VS703 has nine drivers from 39.5mm to 81mm for larger races.

Can I use an old socket instead of a driver?

At a push, yes, if it sits flat on the same part a driver would, so the pressure stays even and the part goes in without cocking. Never hammer directly on the face of a seal.

Should I heat a bearing to get it onto a shaft?

Heat can ease a tight fit on a shaft. Warm the bearing evenly, for example in an oil bath, and never above 120°C. An oil bath does not suit a sealed or pre-greased bearing, so check the maker’s advice for those.

I scratched the seal bore: can I still fit a new seal?

Inspect it closely first. The bore and shaft should be free of burrs, grooves and scoring before the new seal goes in. Clean off loose burrs; if a score still runs across the seal’s seat, have the housing checked before fitting it.

Will a grooved shaft shorten the new seal’s life?

It can. An old seal can wear a fine groove where its lip ran, and a new seal fitted over that groove is likely to leak. Set the new lip so it runs on unmarked metal, or have the shaft repaired.

My new bearing stopped part-way in: what now?

It has probably tilted. Stop, draw it back out and check the bore for damage. Then start again square, with a driver that covers the full ring face. Driving a tilted bearing further in can damage it.

How do I fit a new oil seal without a press?

Draw it in with a bolt. The VS7002 kit uses the original pulley or flange bolt with bolt adaptors from 8mm to 20mm, plus spacers from 10mm to 27mm where the shaft stands proud, so the seal goes in square.

Is there another way to pull a small bearing from a blind hole?

Yes, with a ball-end extractor. The AK999 blind bearing removal kit has ball-end tips that sit inside the races, for 6004–6010, 6201–6206 and 6300–6302 bearings. Check the number on your bearing against those ranges.

What if a seal goes in at an angle?

Take it out and fit a new one. A seal should sit square to both the shaft and the bore, and one installed cocked should be redone with a new seal rather than knocked straight.