EDIT: The issue has been resolved and everyone running large tires and wheels should read. Go to last post to read resolution.

RIG: 2017 TRD Pro - has around 61K miles on it and the issue has been persistent since I purchased it with 17K miles.

ISSUE: At any speed there is a slight wobble to the steering wheel and a sound that sounds like a dull nail is in a tire or a wheel weight is missing or perhaps a wheel bearing is out.

Sometimes there is ZERO wobble but there is a distant sound of a very distant thump, thump, thump. You can feel it in the steering wheel but there is no steering wheel wobble.

There are times when I will be driving down the road at 40ish and there is no sound or wobble then I come to a stop at a stop light and upon acceleration the wobble returns as does the distant thump, thump, thump sound as if there is a missing wheel weight or even a dull nail in the tire.

At speeds of 60+ on the highway the sound and steering wheel vibration are less pronounced but the issue is still there.

WORK I HAVE DONE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE

SOLUTION: New tires and alignment.

RESULT: Steering wheel wobble and sound still present.

SOLUTION: New wheels and new tires.

RESULT: Steering wheel wobble and sound still present.

SOLUTION: New brake pads (all around), new rotors (all around) new front left and right CV axles.

RESULT: Steering wheel wobble and sound still present.

I have checked the wheel hubs, however, there is absolutely no play in the wheels. If this is the issue I would be blown away because as I mentioned in the beginning of the post when I purchased the rig with 17K miles on it the issue was present the day I drove it off the lot and for wheel hubs to be bad at that mileage would be very rare.

Bottom line is I have no idea what to do next or what the issue is. The last rotational item I can address are the wheel hubs but before I go spend more money on chasing this issue I wanted to know if anyone here has any ideas what they think might be causing this.

Thanks.

Sounds like your going down the right path....I had a jeep once that had a similar issue...everything was tight and looked good sitting still....one day I was under neath it and noticed that the steering box had a loose bolt. I tightened it up and it was like I rebuilt the front end. That 1/4 inch of flex magnified itself through the steering. Anyways..,check all steering joints and rack mounting points. You did not mention going through steering.

That's worth a try, however, I can feel the repetitive thump, thump, thump, which leads me to believe it has to be a rotational issue. I will slide under tomorrow and figure out where the steering wheel box is and take a peek.

Agreed, but its always good to eliminate every possibility no matter how unlikely. Logically you feel it in the steering wheel, work from there to the source.

Does the noise get worse or better if you're in 4Hi?

Good logic. I've done a little research but am not finding a specific reference to what you are mentioning. Can you guide me to something that will point me in the direction I need to go?

Does it follow speed or RPM?

It may take disconnecting the driveshaft and being towed flat to really see where this is coming from.

I’m all for extreme experiments.


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As I mentioned in the initial post there is no rhyme or reason nor have I found any correlating circumstances. At times it is not present and then I come to a stop or just slow down and upon acceleration it appears again.

I can shut the engine off, park, go inside and get back in and start up and drive off with no steering wheel shake or feeling and then it will magically just start up again. Most bizarre thing I've ever encountered in a vehicle.

Anytime I am in 4WD it is unnoticeable because I am off road and feeling everything else so while I am sure the issue is still present the uneven terrain I am on drowns out the steering wheel shake and thumping feeling.

Have you tried just driving on some pavement in 4Hi? This way you can maybe narrow down if the issue is related to the axles/differential, it's one way we check the needle bearing noise because it tends to go away when loaded.

It sounds like when I ever so slightly bent a CV axle in a FWD car. No shake or shimmy but a very distant and remote feeling that just barely was felt through the steering wheel and heard in the normal highway drone if the radio was off.

Has it ever occurred to you that the previous owner may not have flipped it for profit but was offloading the vehicle because he “sent it a little too hard” or got high centered on something and now has this mysterious issue no one can fix?


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Check for the front differential needle bearing issue. There is a TSB on that:
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...54805-9999.pdf

No, I haven't. Are you asking me if the noise, wobble, and thumping feel is present in 4HI or if it all goes away?

Thanks.

I already replaced both front CV axles.

Hmmm...interesting. Seems to be similar to what BlackWrksInc recommended above. I will find some flat pavement and put it into 4HI and see if the noise and wobble is present.

Will update shortly.

Thanks for this notice.