Mazda Repair: Mazda wheel bearing replacement, wheel bearing replacement, lower ball joints

Question
QUESTION: I have a 97 Mazda Protege. Repair shop game me a quote of $500+ to replace the wheel bearings.

I'm kicking around the idea of doing this myself, but I am unsure of what it means to have the bearings "pressed". It appears that only a mechanic or a machine shop can do this.
Please explain what this means as well as any other tips on replacing the bearings.

Thank you!
Derek

ANSWER: pressing a bearing is done using a hydralic press the bearing is slightly under sized for the spindle shaft it's pressed on to you can remove the steering knuckle yourself and take them to a machine shop to have them pressed off and new ones pressed on it will save you some money as long as you have tools to seperate the lower ball joints and tie rods with-out damaging them you'll need and ball joint selerater and tie rod seperater you may be able to borrow the tools or rent them from a rental shop i know where i live there's a canadian tire that has a lone a tool program. you pay a deposit for the tool and when it's returned in the condition you got it in you get the deposit back you don't even pay a rental fee.

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QUESTION: I'm a little confused about the parts I should buy. There is a wheel hub; a wheel bearing; and there is also a wheel hub bearing. If I bought a wheel hub bearing would I not need to get the bearing pressed? (The wheel hub bearing is more expensive than the bearing or the hub)

Answer
if you buy a hub assembly i don't believe you'll have to have anything pressed i don't have the book on hand but it should just boly on with 3-4 bolts. you'll have to look behind the hub to see the bolts but you may still have to seperate the lower ball joint and tie rod to get the axle out of the knuckle to remove the hub bolts i suggest the haynes repair manual for home mechanics it's helpful for some pictures and general step by step removal