2000 Toyota Tacoma - Wheel Dust Cap

What is a Dust Cap?

A wheel dust cap, also called a wheel bearing cap or grease cap, protects your vehicle's wheel bearings from debris, such as dirt, dust, sand, or water. Dust caps are the small, round metal covers attached to the center of your wheel hub, and are often pressed or driven in place to ensure a tight seal and secure fit. Without these protective caps, your wheel bearings could quickly become damaged by road debris that contaminates the grease supply. Dust caps also hold extra grease for the wheel bearings to ensure proper lubrication and performance throughout their life. Over time, or due to improper installation or in an accident, wheel bearing dust caps can be damaged or begin to wear out. If you hear whining from your wheel bearings and notice grease leaking around the dust cap, it might be time to service the wheel bearings and replace the dust cap. If the wheel bearing dust cap becomes especially loose, it may also fall off. If you attempt to reinstall your old dust cap and it doesn't seem to fit properly, or if it is loose in the hub, it should be repaired or replaced. When replacing the dust cap, it is important to also clean the hub and ensure there is plenty of grease around the wheel bearings before reinstalling the cap to ensure the longest possible wheel bearing life. Make sure and completely fill the inside of the hub and dust cap with grease to ensure that grease is always available to the bearing. You can also learn more about wheel bearing symptoms and replacement with our helpful How-To Hub resources. O'Reilly Auto Parts carries wheel bearing dust caps, replacement wheel bearings, hubs, spindle nuts, and more for passenger vehicles and trailers to help you complete your repair.