Help with Vibration issue

[Gremmie]

Hey, I'm obviously new here but have had my 4runner for about 2 1/2 years. Bought it used in 2010. It's an '06 SR5 2WD. It just rolled over 100,000 miles this past week and I've been noticing something "odd" when I drive it and was hoping someone could point me in the right direction.

I hate to classify this as a vibration because I know that people will automatically say wheel out of balance but right around 50-55mph I feel a very faint vibration or "something" in the steering wheel and as I go faster I can feel it in the gas pedal. It's hardly noticeable in fact I don't think my wife notices it at all but it's enough to tell me that something may be not right. I'm thinking it's a drivetrain issue since I can feel it in the wheel and in the pedal. It's a totally different feel than when a wheel is out of balance. I've had that one before and it's pretty apparent.

:thanks:

 

[NJshadow93]

Sounds like a transmission issue. Did you get the transmission serviced at or around 90K?

 

[Gremmie]

Sounds like a transmission issue. Did you get the transmission serviced at or around 90K?

I have not. We kind of blew right through 90k on the way to 100k. Have actually been meaning to pick up a service manual and determining what needs checked on as I'll be making a long trip with it this summer.

 

[Roadtripr]

wheel bearing? Does it increase or disappear if you turn left or right?

 

[ronsta]

strange I recently noticed a vibration recently after getting an inspection, feels like someone put a marble or a rock in my exhaust and its like metal clanging on metal

 

[Gremmie]

wheel bearing? Does it increase or disappear if you turn left or right?

Well I can't really say. Don't notice it under 50mph and I don't make too many turns at that speed.


My wife did mention hearing a grinding (her words) type of noise once when turning to the left but it's not a recurring thing.

 

[Bigrupp]

I would say wheel bearing. Hopefully anyways. Relatively cheap and easy fix.

 

[Gremmie]

I would say wheel bearing. Hopefully anyways. Relatively cheap and easy fix.

Would there be anyway for me to verify that's the problem? And if so how hard is it to do myself?

I have a lift, jack stands, most normal tools, not too many speciality tools. Have done my own brakes, fluid changes, etc....

If I had to have it done at the dealer what kind of cost am I looking at?

Thanks.

 

[cabowally]

Get the FSM

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/100275-service-manual-download-links.html

You've already said you don't think this but: If the vibration starts at 50-55, what happens as you go higher? If it stops at 65ish +/- 5mph then the balance is the first thing to check. Are the balancing weights still on the rim?

Another potential cause I saw just 2 weeks ago was a friend's 2005 with 160k (she described it exactly as you do), turned out to be severely worn sway bar bushings. Super easy to check.

While it could very well be a bearing, when they start to wear, my experience is that it's more of pretty loud whirling noise, with no vibration, and usually starts around 25 mph and gets worse from there.




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[talonjade]

I was able to solve some of my shaking issues with new sway bar bushings and endlinks. here is the link to this http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/114337-heavy-duty-tie-rod-ends.html

if yours are all seeping and torn like mine were then that could be it. or it could solve the symptom and not the problem...either way its worth a look.

 

[Gremmie]

Get the FSM

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/100275-service-manual-download-links.html

You've already said you don't think this but: If the vibration starts at 50-55, what happens as you go higher? If it stops at 65ish +/- 5mph then the balance is the first thing to check. Are the balancing weights still on the rim?

Another potential cause I saw just 2 weeks ago was a friend's 2005 with 160k (she described it exactly as you do), turned out to be severely worn sway bar bushings. Super easy to check.

While it could very well be a bearing, when they start to wear, my experience is that it's more of pretty loud whirling noise, with no vibration, and usually starts around 25 mph and gets worse from there.




.

As for the balance....vibration doesn't stop or get worse at any speed...basically it's the same, it only is noticeable in the wheel or the pedal above 55. I'm 99% it's not a balance issue...weights are all still on and having had a few vehicles out of balance it just feels different.

I will check out the bushings. Hoping it's something simple and inexpensive....really love my 4runner so far and want to keep it for a long time.

 

[superman3043]

I experienced a steering wheel vibration at highway speeds ~65 MPH or so.

I did have a bad wheel bearing and to answer your question I think this aweful stealership took me for about $500 bucks or so for that job. They replaced the entire hub assembly. Had I not been crunched for time, I would have done the job myself.

Anyway, the wheel bearing was not the culprit, becasue the vibration still persisited afterward. The issue was feathered tires. I was on those aweful OE Dunflops that only had like 20K miles on them. First and last set of Dunlops I'll ever own. However I can't say that I felt a vibration in my pedals though, so it might not help with you issue.

Either way, I hope this helps a little. Good luck and report back when you get it sorted out.

 

[Bigrupp]

I just replaced both of my front bearings last fall. I had the same symptoms as you initially- over fifty some mph and you could feel a vibration in the steering wheel and in your pedals. I put it off for awhile and by the time I got around to replacing them you could always feel the vibration no matter how fast you were going and it was loud as hell. Don't pay someone to fix it! If you can change a tire you can change out your bearings, you just have to either buy the whole assembly or have someone press the old ones off and the new ones on. All in all for both sides I spent a little over two hundred for the new bearings, grease, seals and the machine shop.

***Disclaimer- As I have not actually been there to diagnose your ride, there is a possibility that it isn't your bearings.

 

[cabowally]

Be sure to come back and post what you found.




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[Gremmie]

It was time to rotate tires so I decided to use the opportunity to see if I could diagnose the vibration. I also figured that rotating the tires would help me eliminate them from the equation as if it was a specific tire giving me an issue likely the vibration might change? Not sure if that thinking is sound but I figured it was worth a try. Anyway, took all the tires off, put the truck on jackstands and crawled under to check things out without any weight on the drivetrain components. Driveshaft looked good, U-joints didn't seem to have any play in them. One interesting thing I did find was that the front skid plate (under the front sway bar and radiator) was missing a bolt and would vibrate. I thought there was a slight possibility that it could be the culprit so I took it off completely until I have a chance to get a replacement bolt. Put everything back together and took it out for a drive and no luck...still getting the vibration.

I did notice on a trip this past weekend that the vibration doesn't really get worse the faster you go. I was routinely driving around 70-75mph on the interstate and it was about the same or even lesser than at 55-60. So I'm kind of perplexed. No way to really know if it's the bearings is it? Hate to replace something that may not be bad but this vibration drives me nuts (I don't even think my wife notices it but I do).

 

[Sungod]

Mine feels like someone is hitting the steering wheel with a hammer. Kind of like that feeling when you get with the ping on an aluminum bat. That is normal if that is what you are feeling.

 

[Gremmie]

Mine feels like someone is hitting the steering wheel with a hammer. Kind of like that feeling when you get with the ping on an aluminum bat. That is normal if that is what you are feeling.

That feeling somes it up pretty good. Only thing I would add is that it feels like the steering wheel is a tuning fork that just got hit. That's the type of vibration I feel. Can't agree that it's normal though. It hasn't always done it...and now I'm noticing it around 30mph as well...but then it goes away until about 55.

 

[Gremmie]

Just got back from the dealer. They say it's the Driver side front wheel bearing.

Quoted 227 for parts and 642.62 installed.

I told them to hold off. Was hoping I could do it myself for much cheaper.

Parts listed:
90312-96001 T203D2 Seal, Type - 21.39
43521-35010 T202E2 Nut, Axle - 24.32
43570-60011 T1762C2 Bearing AS - 181.83

Is that all I'll need parts wise? Can I get them anywhere cheaper? Anyone know of any good resources to walk me through this process? What tools will I need. I have most normal mechanics tools although I'm not sure how big of sockets I'll have or the top end torque setting on my torque wrench right off the bat. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks.