It sounds like you were trying to force it into the crank unevenly.

You don't necessarily have to have a pilot bearing puller to get
the pilot bearing out.

First, find a deep well socket with an O.D. slightly smaller than the hole
through the pilot bearing. Then fill the inside of the socket with duct tape
and also wrap the outside of the socket with duct tape, so that the
socket just fits snugly into the bearing. Fill the void in the end
of the crankshaft behind the pilot bearing with some cheap wheel bearing
grease. Place the socket into the pilot bearing hole and hit the end of
the socket firmly with a hammer until you feel the socket hit the crankshaft.
Each time you hit the socket with the hammer, the hydraulic action of the
displacement of the thick bearing grease pushes the pilot bearing outward a
bit. Once the socket hits the crankshaft, remove the socket and refill the
void behind the pilot bearing. Repeat this process until the pilot
bearing is free.