The threaded holes near the hub are there specifically for the
puller. If it were perfectly OK to hit the flywheel off-center to get it
off, they would save a few pennies (on every car) and not bother to
drill and tap those holes.

   This reminds me of the folks that remove battery terminals with a
big screwdriver instead of a terminal puller. The terminal indeed comes
off the post either way, but the seal at the base of the post is ruined
if you use a screwdriver. When the seal is ruined, the post will corrode
and fail in a few months. These same folks install the terminal with a
hammer. This also ruins the seal. When you mention this to someone
wielding the big screwdriver, they invariably say, "Been do'in it this
way fer years. Works jes fine."

Bill Dube'

That is hardly a good analogy as it is easy to see the damage
on a battery post seal. It is impossible to find the damage on
any rotary engine part after removing the flywheel with a good
wack :)

BTW In 60 years of fooling with cars I have never seen
anybody use a gear puller on the battery cable clamp :)
But then again I don't fool with electric cars (other than
the occasional road test for Pop Science or one of the
SF local newspapers.)

Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.

I use a large brass hammer - doesn't harm the structure of the steel and
causes the flywheel to pop off. The treaded holes are probably there
because the engineer for the flywheel was concerned that if is was stuck
some Mazda tech's might hit the same side of the flywheel too many times
and cause it to get cocked at an angle when it comes off.

-dave