"brettd": I have taken a few ceiling fans apart just to see "how they are made", as in "reverse engineering". The one's I have taken apart had the roller bearings put into the fan motor shells, then held in place by "rolling over" the metal (usually aluminum). Then the motor shell (normally called the end bell) is pressed on to the shaft. With what you are doing is try to use the motor shell to remove the bearing from the shaft, and this is not going to be easy. You will probaby end up breaking the motor shell first. Sorry about the broken wire, but a new fan is in order here.