Tool Review: MechTech Innovations Bearing Bulldog

Removing seized vehicle parts and components, whatever the case, can be a tedious process. Technicians typically need to rely on ingenuity and a combination of the various tools at their disposal in order to get the job done. Seized wheel bearing hubs are in a class of their own when it comes to troublesome service procedures. However, the Bearing Bulldog from MechTech Innovations is purpose-built to specifically address removing seized wheel bearing hubs from a vehicle easily, quickly, and efficiently.

“With big trucks usually comes bigger conflict removing seized components,” says Eric Moore, fleet manager at Griffin Pavement Striping out of Columbus, Ohio. “The Bearing Bulldog puller helps tremendously in several common situations.” Moore testifies to the Bearing Bulldog’s capabilities after having used the tool in his shop.

Moore says the Bearing Bulldog arrived in simple shipping packaging. The tool was ready to use right out of the box.

“No special set up was required,” Moore says. Though there was no manual included in the packaging, Moore watched MechTech’s video detailing the Bearing Bulldog’s application process.

Moore says that using the Bearing Bulldog is “straightforward” and “easy.”

“Find a bolt pattern that matches the work pieces and it’s ready to use,” he says.

One of Moore’s favorite features of the Bearing Bulldog is the tool’s weight and design. “It really has the weight needed to make short work of stubborn hubs,” he says.

Along with its weight, the time savings provided through the tool’s application is another favorite feature. “On average, our tech was 30-40 minutes faster at removing a seized hub [while using the Bearing Bulldog] than previously performing the same job [without the Bearing Bulldog],” Moore says.

The technicians at Griffin Pavement Striping used the Bearing Bulldog to remove hub bearings on a Toyota Tundra, but “we can see the benefit of using the Bearing Bulldog on other types of repairs also. We have seen axles that are studded on some medium and heavy [duty] trucks that surely could use the Bearing Bulldog to break loose the seal [created by] time and miles,” Moore says.

To do such jobs in the past, the Griffin Pavement Striping team has used various slide hammers, however, “the Bearing Bulldog is by far much heavier and purpose-built,” Moore says.

Time saved on the job and the tool’s heavy-duty design were driving factors behind Moore’s positive review of the Bearing Bulldog. The tool filled a void that Moore and his team had been filling with various tools in the past – a problem they no longer will face.

“There’s a need for this type of tool, and [the Bearing Bulldog] is the perfect size and weight to accomplish [the job]. No more dangerous homemade contraptions are needed,” Moore concludes.