Kirby Classic III 3CB front bearing difficult to install. ideas?

[superocd]

Rebuilding a recently acquired 3CB and the old front bearing was a bear to remove. For a while, I thought that it was glued in, but the gluelike crud around the bearing was hardened grease, which I scraped away.

The replacement is seemingly impossible to get into the recess. I've tried tapping it in but don't want to risk damaging the inner or outer races. How do you get a 3CB bearing in?

I'm assuming that the Heritage II Legend is similar to the 3CB (at least it appears that way), I remember the front bearing in the HII Legend I rebuilt being a LOT easier to replace. What gives?

 

[superocd]

Correction: 2cb not 3cb

2cb - Classic 3
3cb - Tradition

 

[lesinutah]

Video

I'm not sure exactly which bearing but here is a video I believe may help. Pics would also help.

 

[kenc184]

Use a blind hole bearing puller. You can use one to remove a bearing from the front plate and then used from the other side, to install one. I picked up a Chicom one from Amazon for forty bucks. It ain't Snap-on but it does the job with no stress on the bearing.

 

[lesinutah]

When

You use a blind pilot bearing puller keep your fingers out of the way. It doesn't feel good smashing them.