Bad vibes after lift install - Solved? Solved!

[thezentree]

Dude, I've been randomly watching this thread over the last few months hoping for a resolution. I'm in nursing school so I can barely think, let along track down my own vibration issues.... but it seems like mine is very similar to yours!

Stock truck felt great. Stock with new 265 Duratacs were just as good (5k mile road trip from SoCal to Banff and back with not a single vibration or noise. I ordered a full King suspension with 650# springs (normal is 600#)in anticipation of a plate bumper and winch, so naturally it lifted the truck a little more than it was supposed to, but nothing crazy.... INSTANT major vibrations. Like crazy vibrations, and I couldn't tell if it was passenger or driver.

After searching I realized it was likely the CV angle. I forgot to measure what my stock height was, but post lift my Hub to Fender measurement was 22 3/4. So I turned the coils down 8 turns to 21 1/8 and the the vibrations almost completely went away. I turned them up maybe another 1/2 in and I can feel the vibrations but I kind of block them out and don't really notice them.

I got a Napa remanufactured CV axel to replace one of the sides and see if it fixes the problem, and if not, switch it over, but after reading your comment I might just have to keep it as a spare. You never posted photos of the comparison.... could you post them? I'd really appreciate it.

Honestly I think it's got to be the CVs. I have an alignment plan with a crappy chain but maybe next weekend I'll drop it to like 21.5" or 21.75" and see if it's any better. I'm going to be highly irritated if that's the case, but I guess it's not the end of the world since this thing is slow enough on 32s with 4.10s. Probably won't go bigger until I can jump up to like 4.88s or something.

Here are some pics of the NAPA vs OEM axles. Thinking back, the NAPA axles probably didn't cause any vibration, although they probably won't last as long as OEMs. They weren't any cheaper than the OEMs either...

Really the biggest difference I saw was the stub shaft profile. The Toyota CVs had full diameter and fillets the whole length, while the NAPA CVs had relief cuts and sharper edges. I doubt it's something that would cause either one of us issues on 32s but those that are running 35s or 37s especially ought to give it some thought. That would be a crappy place to break a CV.

 

[thezentree]

Just for shits and gigs I dropped the front end to about 1.25" lift (hub to fender is 21.25") and had it re-aligned on Saturday. After driving it all week, I have not noticed any change in the vibration.

Soooo, I'm going to crank the front back up to 2" or so and try to ignore the vibration. Maybe I'll just knock all the wheel weights off so the out of balance tires masks the underlying source of my general frustration with this thing.


:music:








(fml)

 

[TioTijuana]

Any update on the vibrations? Just read through this entire thread and you've been a lot of help, I'm currently in a similar situation.

 

[thezentree]

Any update on the vibrations? Just read through this entire thread and you've been a lot of help, I'm currently in a similar situation.

Not really.

I cranked the front back up to ~2.25" and have just been trying and failing to ignore the vibrations. It's got to be either the rear driveshaft or the CVs based on the frequency and how it changes by pinion angle/front lift height, but apparently I can't do anything about either so I guess I'll just drive it till it dies.

:beer:

 

[128keaton]

The few. The miserable. The vibe-gang. I do not want to chase this issue like you have, but thank you so much for posting your experiences here.

 

[thezentree]

The few. The miserable. The vibe-gang. I do not want to chase this issue like you have, but thank you so much for posting your experiences here.

It's frustrating as hell for me, but maybe it'll help someone else. I don't have a crazy SAS or long travel, but I can give back to T4R with vibration troubleshooting I guess haha.







...SAS would be cooler.

 

[Stone128]

I'm leaning to the vibe being my LCA bushings, wheel bearings, or CVs now. You said the only things you didn't replace were LCA bushings and wheel bearings. Possibility?

 

[thezentree]

I did LCA bushings earlier this year and while they did improve handling a little, they had no effect on the vibration.

Still haven’t done wheel bearings but they don’t howl or act like they’re bad at all.

 

[Stone128]

I've read folks with Tacoma's had no howling or normal wheel bearing symptoms replace with luck, but why would the lift all of a sudden make wheel bearings go bad is my question. Ultimately the wheel bearings and steering rack are the only things you haven't replaced. Ever do/consider replacing rear springs w stock or lesser lift as a test?

 

[4rFrog]

4/3/18 - Driveshaft and pinion angle.

3/23/18 - I think it’s the CVs, driveshaft, and pinion angle. See last post.

1/27/18 - it's gotta be the CV axles. see last post

12/4 - Vibrations are tolerable, but still present. Heavy 285s seem to exacerbate it. See page 3 post.

11/13 - vibrations went away for like 30 miles after ECGS bushing install and new OEM CV axles, then came back after 10-15 miles of interstate driving.

10/30 - vibrations are back, now with steering wheel shake. See update page 3

10/23 - I swapped the front coilovers for a set of BOSS coilovers with 550lb/in springs set to 2.75" (down from around 4") and that appears to have almost entirely eliminated the vibrations. It also rides waaay better. There's still a slight rumble/resonance at highway speeds, but I can't really feel it, just hear it a little, if I'm really looking for it.

After installing my lift (3"toytec/eibach) last weekend, I took my 4R on the highway earlier today and realized I've got some pretty significant vibration at highway speeds. It feels like a bad washboard road. Vibrations vary with wheelspeed, but it's noticeable at around 50mph, then bad at 58-62mph, and then again around 70mph. Throttle on or off doesn't seem to make much difference in 2WD, but throttle makes the vibrations significantly worse in AWD. It's pretty high frequency and I can feel it more through the steering wheel and floorboard than I can the t-case shifter, but that may not mean much. I did inner and outer TREs and LBJs a month or two ago, and the SPC UCAs come with new UBJs. Steering rack bushings are OEM but look ok.

Anyone run into vibrations like this? I'm about $3k deep into this with the lift, front UCAs, panhard, wheel spacers, tires, Tom Woods driveshaft, and new CV axles so I don't want to start throwing more parts at it without narrowing it down to a few culprits (although I don't know what other parts I COULD throw at it at this point..). I've got about 40 miles every day on the interstate with my commute, so I've GOT to fix this.

Things I have done as of 1/27 that have not worked:

- Rotate and road force balance tires at two different shops
- New rear Tom Woods driveshaft
- New NAPA reman CV axles
- Removed Spidertrax spacers
- Removed diff drop
- Reduced rear pinion angle to 3°
- Replaced all 4 tires
- Removed front driveshaft
- Replaced steering rack bushings
- Swapped to BOSS coilovers up front at 2.75" lift to reduce CV angle
- Bought 245s on OEM wheels
- ECGS front diff bushing install
- New OEM reman CV axles
- Swapped Toytec rear springs for OME 890s (dropped rear ~1/2" to 3/4")
- Reinstalled OEM panhard bar (rubber bushings vs heims)
- Replaced all 4 tires with SL265/75R16 AT3Ws
- Metal Tech 4x4 adjustable rear upper links (+3/16" from OEM)

It's your pinion angle, I just installed adjustable upper and lower rear links. Your pinion and drive shaft need to be with 3 degrees or each other. Adjusting mine solved my vibrations after the lift, mine vibrated between 60-70 Mph and 80-90 MPH. The truck runs completely smooth now, zero vibrations.

 

[thezentree]

It's your pinion angle, I just installed adjustable upper and lower rear links. Your pinion and drive shaft need to be with 3 degrees or each other. Adjusting mine solved my vibrations after the lift, mine vibrated between 60-70 Mph and 80-90 MPH. The truck runs completely smooth now, zero vibrations.

1.3 degrees.

 

[4rFrog]

There you go! Basically have it perfect!

 

[Kracker]

End links

So, I had a vibration between 55 & 60 mph. I have a 2" lift. I replaced the front sway bar end links with 2nd Gen ones. They are longer. I replaced the rear end links with 3rd Gen front ones (longer that stock). The vibration is nearly gone. The original end links were worn out. I don't know if it was the increased length or the new end links. This seems simple but there is a distinct difference, now.

 

[thezentree]

There you go! Basically have it perfect!

Sorry if I came off like a dick earlier, had kind of an irritating afternoon.

I've tweaked it a bunch, even had it at 0°, and still can't make the vibrations go away, although getting it under 3° did improve it. I'm considering doing wheel bearings and replacing the transmission mount. Beyond that I think I will have replaced everything that could possibly be causing it.

You're not in KY, are you? Your avatar looks like a 4R I see in town occasionally.

So, I had a vibration between 55 & 60 mph. I have a 2" lift. I replaced the front sway bar end links with 2nd Gen ones. They are longer. I replaced the rear end links with 3rd Gen front ones (longer that stock). The vibration is nearly gone. The original end links were worn out. I don't know if it was the increased length or the new end links. This seems simple but there is a distinct difference, now.

Interesting. I don't have a front sway bar right now, but I'm going to reinstall it with 2nd gen rear links this weekend after a near rollover on the interstate last night. The the rear links are definitely shot and could stand replacing too.

 

[thezentree]

Bump, since I replaced the transmission mount the other day and didn't see any improvement. Just for shits and giggles, this morning I took my OEM driveshaft out and put the Tom Woods that I had checked and "straightened/balanced" by a local shop because it was supposedly out by .060" and the vibrations got harsher.

I guess I'll try a junkyard OEM driveshaft next?

lol fml

 

[JLStout]

Just did a 2" lift on mine. Had some steering wheel vibration when I was done. Took it for an alignment. Still there. Replaced the CV axles on both sides and it's gone. The CV axles had 200,000 miles on them anyway.

 

[Bijan]

Do you have a panhard drop bracket or adjustable upper rear UCAs?

 

[thezentree]

Do you have a panhard drop bracket or adjustable upper rear UCAs?

Panhard setup is factory, but I've got MetalTech adjustable rear UCAs and have adjusted them so there's about 1° difference between pinion and driveshaft.

I need to send eimkeith some money...

 

[PipoToyo]

No more vibes

I had the same issue on my 2000 SR5 2wd. I changed out the stock steel wheels for a set of 1996 Toyota T100 stock wheels and balanced all 4 tires. No more vibration and I can cruise at 75 or 80, no vibes.

 

[thezentree]

FINALLY, four years later, got this BS worked out. After just dealing with the vibrations for a few years I got tired of looking at that Tom Woods driveshaft I bought 3 years ago in my basement and found a different driveline shop up in Ohio. I had them take a crack at straightening and balancing it and lo and behold the vibrations are gone.

It’s a stout driveshaft but it took an extra trip back to Tom Woods, two trips to the local driveline shop, and one road trip up to Ohio to get this thing right. This last shop had to put a bunch of weights on the driveshaft to get it balanced. Would not recommend Tom Woods for a vehicle that sees highway speeds.

Anyway, if you’ve got rear driveline vibrations, and a rear U joint and pinion angle correction won’t fix it, just find a REPUTABLE (ie, builds drivelines for all the race cars nearby) driveline shop and just have them build you a new shaft. It’ll be cheaper than Tom Woods and save you 3 years of headache.