Pretty much the best way is with a slide hammer. Just get one and it will be obvious how to attach it and get it to work
There are other ways to get it off though if you want to try other things. I have even taken the knuckle off the car and just tapped it out from the back side with a hammer. But a slide hammer is not that expensive so it is really the best bet.
The best thing to upgrade is find the front knuckles and brakes off a 96 up car and rear drums. You don't need the entire rear brakes, just the drums. Grab the 13 inch rims while you are at it and upgrade the whole thing. The advantage is you can now find tires a lot easier and you get a bit better gearing for mileage. Also don't forget to grab the 13 inch speedometer gear to keep your speedometer reading accurately. The wheel bearings on the 96 up cars are much easier to replace also. No slide hammer required for 96 up cars.