A hub assembly includes a hub having a spindle with a flange and a shoulder at one end of the spindle and a formed end turned outwardly at the other end of the spindle. In addition, the hub assembly includes a bearing having two cones set end to end and an outer race in the form of a housing located around the cones, and tapered rollers arranged in two rows between the outer race and cones. Initially the formed end of the spindle exists as an axially directed end portion of the spindle. The bearing is installed over this end portion and moved further along the spindle to bring the back face of one of its cones against the shoulder on the flange. The back face of the other cone lies at the end of a spline that leads out to the end portion on the spindle. A coupler ring having exterior and interior splines is installed over the spindle end porotion with its interior spline engaged with the spindle spline. Thereupon a circular clip is installed over the skpindle end portion and brought against the end of the interior spline on the coupler ring. The clip has circular cross-section, and this presents a contoured surface of generous radius beyond the interior spline. Finally, by rotary forming the spindle end portion is deformed over the contoured surface of the clip and against the end face of the coupler ring to create the formed end, so that the coupler ring and cone of the bearing lie captured between the formed end and the shoulder. Torque is transferred to the hub through the coupler ring when the ring is engaged with a drive train.