Hubcaps / Grease caps popping off while off-roading?

Hi crew. I had and odd experience with my TRD Pro while off-roading last weekend. After getting off the trails and airing up my tires, I started to hear a rattle while driving. I thought I had broken something and it turned out to be the grease caps behind the TRD decorative hubcaps rattling inside the decorative hubcaps; it took me taking it to the dealer to find this out. I was sweating that I was gonna leave the dealer with a hefty repair bill but they came back smiling telling what had happened and didn’t even charge me... This is a brand new truck with 3k miles on it. Is it possible for these to fall off after riding on rough roads? I did ding up one of my wheels, but the fact that nothing else fell off ir broke (even the exterior decorative TRD cap), just the grease caps inside, is weird to me. Seems like a factory miss maybe?

 

Never heard of that. Sounds like QA dropped the ball at the factory.

 

Wheel bearing dust caps. More than likely just a freak accident because I have never seen them come off. Maybe they had to do some work before it was sold to you.

 

Usually the "grease" caps are on there pretty tight and need a lot of hammering with a screwdriver to loosen. They might have been disturbed when yours was reworked with Pro suspension bits at port. I know my local Toyota specialist mechanic likes to remove the axle nut and push in the CV axle from the hub when doing suspension work, to avoid inadvertently pulling the axle shaft out of the inner joint when the spindle is moved far away.

 

I actually never looked under them. Is that really a ‘grease’ cap? This was in Arizona where it is super dusty. Should I be worried that anything got in there? Or is it sealed beyond that cap?

 

^There's no grease there. All the cap does is to prevent water entry so the CV stub shaft doesn't rust seize to the hub, not a concern in Arizona. Most FWD cars (including Toyotas) don't have a cap there at all.

 

I suppose I'll eventually have to remove one on my 4R, but hopefully not for a while. I've done it a handful of times on other vehicles and it always feels like I'm going to wreck it in the process. It's hard to imagine what else might have caused it.

 

^I did wreck one while replacing a wheel bearing on my 2nd gen Tacoma back in 2018. Replacement cap is ~$30 if I remember correctly. Spray FF or cosmoline around the flange and subsequent removals will be easier.

 

Good to know. Maybe I’ll take a look at it next time I get under the hood - I know this is not under the hood, but when I check the antenna fluid , I’ll make sure to check the caps again! Thanks for the quick responses. I knew I could count on fellow 4Runners!