I wouldn't mess with a slide hammer, get the right puller. A lot cheaper then tearing the engine out to split the cases.

 

They are in pretty tight and I have the heartland tool on order through amazon. I appreciate everyone's input and have no plans on tearing the bottom end apart to fish out the bearing pieces. I will be here tomorrow so I can have it up and running to ride to work. The only thing that sux about working 3/12s weekend is Friday mornings?

 

Heartland Tool,,,Keep the old bearing on the tool when you install the new bearing... it keeps the tool from spreading apart.


I swapped my Cams & Bearings back in Dec... they were tuff too,,, but after a few hard turns they backed out fine.

 

Be aware that Heartland changed the cam bearing tool a year ago or so, and not apparently for the better. Can't find it, but there is a thread somewhere on here showing the differences between the old and new tool set.

 

PM sent

 

If you don't have the proper tool to remove them is it a correct assumption that you don't have the correct tool to install the new ones. They do require a specific depth to be installed, which is difficult if you are hammering them in.

 

You need a pre or post 06 puller since the newer bearings are larger diameter. This is the installer, mine came with adapters for both pre and post '06 bearings.

 

There need's to be a new chapter on this forum entitled " I Was Too Cheap To Buy The Correct Tools When I Decided to Wrench My $20,000 Bike Myself And Now I Regret It (And I Am Poorer)!"

 

I just changed cams and the Heartland Collet tip spread on me too installing new bearings. Like you I put old bearing on collet tip to prevent it from spreading and worked like champ! Sent email to Mike at Heartland as I didn't see anything in his instructions & pics about leaving old bearing on collet tip although it showed old bearing on opposite end of collet closest to installer.