$2 Motorcycle Wheel Bearing Puller

I think you make a good point and in principle I agree sometimes in some repair situations it is a waste of time, money and a safety risk that should be avoided. In this case I don't think it is as the risk is small, the bearings are small, not like a car wheel bearing needing a press to extract. My idea of an avoidable dangerous task is changing coil springs on a car, even with the right tools thats scary scenario when doing it for the first time, and unnerving thereafter. I am talking more about car repairs and mechanics here but idea is the same. I have a very good car mechanic and he is of the approach "if it aint broke dont fix it" which saves money in short term, but I am more of a "while your at it replace that as well" approach so I tend to overspend on a simple repair in exchange for longterm reliability of the repair and parts around it. If there is something I can do mechanically, I do it because the parts I buy even oem quality are way cheaper, the mechanics around me tend to overcharge on parts(maybe its a guarantee thing or softens the labour cost). I buy brand new oem quality aftermarket parts online at automotive parts sites not ebay at 25% of the parts price the mechanic charges - so it makes sense replacing some wear items around the repair - I leave the harder jobs for the mechanic and bite the bullet paying his bill rather spend days getting myself out of a bind trying to repair something beyond my competance.

Maybe this is the "right" tool if it works. High grade bolts are probably stronger than consumer grade extractors and if someone damages a screwdriver, it's a learning lesson to use something stronger. This is a DIY, not how to shop or pay someone

Depends on what you mean by "janky"...by that definition, a collet to you probably looks "janky." This works on the same principle as most machine tool holders, using a lever to translate force from linear (the wedge in the mandrel) to angular (outward grabbing force on the bearing). You speak of the balance of time and money; most of the people here are here because they have the former and not the latter. Personally, to quell your issues with a screwdriver I might substitute a similarly beveled cold chisel with some length but the principle does not change and the idea is to avoid owning a $60 tool with a singular purpose when the same can be had for a bit of labor and more than likely less than $1.00. It doesn't matter whether you use an expensive tool or a cheap tool, the mechanical forces exerted on the rim are roughly identical. Any interference fit bearing is going to require significant impact or other force to remove. The bearing will be completely ruined, but it should come out as a complete unit and not damage the wheel. The device he has made is one of the oldest clamping tools devised for machining; you may not like it, but it's mechanically sound in the ways that count.

OP: Nice instructable! I was looking for a way to pull/install bearings in a different scenario and came across this one. Won't work for this instance but loved the creative use of a homemade mandrel.

Ok you used your big words here I get the principal but you obviously are showing your lack of mechanical experience. It's one thing to talk in theory but honestly how many hours have you actually spent turning wrenches? I was not trying to cause trouble but I have thousands of hours logged in the technical aspects of power sports and it does matter if you use a cheap or expensive tool or procedure for that matter. Just trying to point people in the right direction.

I'm a full time mechanic working on multi-million dollar equipment for the federal government as well as an auto mechanic on the side and understand your complaint. The thing is, you're absolutely right about the aspect of doing things correctly. However, if someone's here looking at an Instructable, they're probably in a position where cost or distance or some other factor is limiting. I don't think it's irresponsible of the original poster--where I work, we have a huge budget and a room full of parts and expensive specialty tools and yet I wind up making tools, arbors, jigs, and all kinds of things because the manufacturers of the products I maintain don't always provide quality support for their product and the designers aren't the manufacturers and so you wind up with a product that is made by whoever bid the lowest and no aftermarket support because it's used in one product for one industry.

You're using a lever to create a wedge, which by proxy becomes a slide hammer in reverse. It's not the best way to remove a bearing, but I really don't see much harm coming to the race; if anything, I can see a situation where a bearing's inner race comes free of the cage and bearings during the process, so I'd definitely recommend safety glasses and gloves. But the technique provides pretty evenly distributed force, and is less likely than a drift (as you'd use on a rear wheel bearing or a trailer bearing) to score the land where the outer race fits.

But do I recommend this technique over a bike shop or a bearing puller? No. Only for expedient repairs when the correct tool is not available. My admiration is for the creative use of leverage to create an ad-hoc puller out of cheap, hardware store parts. Let's not have a war over whether sometimes quick and dirty, while not ideal, is apropos.

The tool pushes bearing out perfectly straight without the side forces hitting one side causes. High forces break bearings

There isn't always enough space to get a screwdriver (or a proper drift) between the spacer and the bearing.

I dunno about that, I see what you are saying but anyone who is smart enough to change out their own bearings ought to be smart enough not to need to ever pull a bearing road side. That would be a hell of a job - and I once had to replace my reg/rec & wiring roadside.