One of my buddies is changing the front wheel bearings on a 97 Geo Tracker. It's got this fufnky wheel bearing lock device that must require some kind of special tool to take it off. Have any of y'all ever dealt with this on a Tracker or know where you might could buy one of these tools. He's bought a couple online that didn't work and looked around ebay ect. with no luck. Any ideas?

I see a snap ring. I also see a large ring that can probably be driven backwards (carefully) with a punch and small hammer. I have no knowledge of this, but am going from what I see. Good luck.

Need a pair of snap ring pliers to get the snap ring off, then use a spanner socket to get the nut off

Remove snap ring then remove nut. If you don’t have a spanner wrench or socket you can use a punch and hammer.

He can get the snap ring off, but this bearing lock and spring locker on just the 97 trackers apparently require some special tool.

The snap ring needs to come off then see about getting the right socket for that nut. I don't want to call it a castle nut, but that's what it kinda sorta looks like. Cheap sockets will break.

Plus that one has been on there a long time. Might need a smoke wrench and apply a little heat for help. I've had to make sockets for things just like this before.

You might beat that thing to pieces and not get it off if you dont remove that snapring first. I dont really want to talk about how i know that.

So, if can remove snap ring, next step is heat a little with the blue tip to expand slightly staying away from the inside as much as possible. Then get on it with the right tool spanner socket to remove.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265358519071

From your pic, that just looks like a nut that will spin off. Maybe I’m missing something, obviously remove the snap ring.

I use one similar to remove wheel bearings on honda dirt bike . Im guessing the 4 ears will push a spring back at same time so the nut can be removed . The snap ring hold the axle in place

The snap ring looks like it's smaller diameter than the threads holding the nut on. Maybe the rise where the snap ring pliers go on is slightly larger but that's not the issue.

The spring should hold the nut in place because you can only tightening bearings so tight . Over tightening will burn them up