Front Dust Cap Issue on New Wheel Bearing

Greetings TW;

I had to replace my front wheel bearings on a 2010 V6 4x4 TRD Sport - no mods. I got was available to me and had no problems removing the old front bearing assemblys* and installing the new.

When I went to install the dust cap on the driver side, the cap was too small. I.e. It just fell right off. It fits nice and tight on the other side like it did on the OEM bearing assembly.

Attached is a pic of the boxes they came in. All I can figure is different lot #s and poor manufacturing tolerances. Any suggestions besides pulling the left one off and sending it back?

(*Both replacements of the orginal. The right bearing last a little over 150k miles. The left lasted just over 100k miles. )

 

Couple of ideas:

- Put a strip of molding tape around the dust cap

- Lather the area in cosmoline and don't run a cap.

 

If you have a vise with a good flat anvil spot on the back, take a small hammer and start hammering (lightly) the lip from the inside, moving around the perimeter. It'll stretch the metal and should expand it to where you can get a snug fit. Go slow, don't pound the piss out of it and check it from time to time.

 

It’s possible you bent the old one taking it off. Probably too late to test that theory by putting it on the pass side. You can measure the diameter to see if it is exact across several points, and hammer it out as mentioned. I see new ones on Amazon for $22 a pair.

 

Thank you all for your replies and suggestions. I tried the cap on the passenger side and it fits nice and tight. The passenger side cap falls right off the driver side just like the other one.

I miced the caps and there's less than .01" difference around. The wheel bearing assemblys are another story. The OD's are the same. The ID's where the dust caps ride are at least .010" different however.

I decided to break out a can of peach grapefruit mango cherry bubbly water and contemplate. I chugged it down (pinky out of course), belched, broke out my wife's good kitchen scissors, plunged them in the side, and cut out a few shims to go around the cap lip. It took 2 but it worked. I just need someplace to go for a while until she cools off over the scissors.

@Chuy, my daughter used to live in Santee when she went to school at SDSU. She was in an apartment across from the HS at Mast and Magnolia.

 

I am a grad from SDSU. Class of 89. I have a good friend a couple blocks from Mast and Magnolia.

On the caps, consider a thin bead of silicone to keep the water out.

 

OP sometimes one is surprised when they open a BA part box and find OEM parts inside. Obviously this is not one of those times. If this were mine I would obsess over the matter (needlessly of course) until the wifey demand I just get the correct one. I would also be in deep trouble if I used or even thought of using the cherished scissors...your choice.

 

Well, I've been known to make some bad choices in the past so...

I does drive me nuts but I need the truck so shims and silicone will work for now. I sent an email to Rock Auto to see if I can exchange them or what. We'll see what they say.