Rear Wheel Bearing replacement
 

I need to replace one of the rear wheel bearings and have seen reference to a tool called the hub tamer. How does one aquire such tool or can it be fabricated? I have access to all kinds of pullers or pushers and shop equipment to make attachments.

The Hub Tamer is an OTC tool and available through most tool dealers and parts stores. I have one and it's the shnizit but it isn't really a required tool. Somebody with the proper press adaptors and the knowledge to use them can successfully do the job. The difficult part is supporting the knuckle while pressing.

The main thing to remember is to keep the pressure on the race and not transfer it through the rollers. That is the number one cause of repeat failure. The number two cause appears to be over-tightening the lower lateral link bolt and distorting the knuckle. Some say the third cause would be the 'packing' or 'shipping' grease that needs to be cleaned away and repacked with designated wheel bearing grease, and that is certainly not a mountain to die on. However, I'm beginning to think that the first two culprits are the real problems. I've seen a lot of bearings come shipped with that amber grease and I've never had a problem...

You can use the HubTamer on the car but I don't. It's much easier to take off two more bolts and toss the knuckle in a vise. Then again, if you don't have an alignment machine, that might not be a financially prudent idea. I just like that it has a way to support the knuckle for pressing the hub out and saves me from having to dream up a rig/jig/setup for each new knuckle.