'01 with slight vibration

[Fjatheart]

Whenever I go over a bump at highway speeds I get a slight side to side vibration in the steering wheel. I just had the tires replaced and balanced. The ride is fine besides slight vibe over bumps.

Could it need an alignment or is this a ball joint symptom? Possibly the rack bushing?

73k miles on the clock.

Thank you!

 

[Baja Runner]

My first thought would be ball joints.

I had a similar experience and replacing the lower ball joints fixed my problems.

 

[96743runner]

Do you also feel a greater resistance in the steering when turning? That seems to be one of the signs of bad lower ball joints that other members have experienced.

 

[Fjatheart]

Do you also feel a greater resistance in the steering when turning? That seems to be one of the signs of bad lower ball joints that other members have experienced.

I don't have any resistance turning. Rides and turns smooth until you go over a transition in the road, then you get a slight side to side vibe.

Besides ball joints could it be shocks or springs? It's got the originals on it.

Thanks guys!

 

[Fjatheart]

Taking it to the shop tomorrow. Guy on the phone thought it sounded like shocks. We'll see!

 

[Fjatheart]

Shop says the front end is aligned, ball joints are in good shape, shocks and springs are fine and that the rack and pinion steering is tight. They don't know where the slight vibe/side to side steering wheel movement is coming from when it's driven over a bump. The shop test drove it and felt it, but still can't place what is going on. They said if it gets worse to bring it back.

Any ideas?

 

[cfranck1]

Sounds a little like what I have. My wanders on the highway, always correcting it. All suspension pieces are tight.
I did find this on a Tacoma site, which sounds like the problem I have minus the rattles.
slightly loose steering wheel

I'm surprised I didn't find this sooner!

 

[Fjatheart]

I'll check this out.

For some reason I'm not getting alerts when someone replays to this thread, even though I've subscribed to this thread.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[rajuncajun]

Any sounds when you get the shaking?

 

[Fjatheart]

No sounds at all.

 

[jmildoc]

I am so gonna do that, just to see how much it helps anything.

 

[p nut]

Bit of an older thread, but steering rack bushings could be a part of the problem. Tightened up that loose/shakey feeling after hitting a bump on the freeway on my old Tacoma.

4Runner Steering Rack Bushing Kit - Wheeler's Off-Road, Inc

 

[jmildoc]

Yeah I was gonna check those first. There probably easier to replace too