Shaking at highway speeds and while braking

[Jason11]

OK. I did some searching but couldn't quite get the answers I am looking for.

So .. I have a shake at around 70 mph. seems to go away at about 85 and above. don't really feel safe driving the 4Runner faster than 95. The shaking gets worse when I brake from those speeds. I do get slight shaking from braking at lower speeds 40 mph or so, but the shake isn't that bad. Its most noticeable at the highway speeds (70 mph). The shaking is there at 70 regardless if I am on the brakes or not.

I thought it was wheel balancing so last night after work I took it in to get wheels balanced. Drove it afterwards and it still shakes. Seems like the balancing helped slightly but 90% of the problem is still there.

So what do you guys think?

I thought it might be the rotors ? maybe the tire rod ends ? hard to say. I'm not too happy with this 4runner so far after purchasing last week. done lots of fixing and still dealing with issues. :cry2:

I did notice some strange breaking behavior while braking really hard; it felt as if i was driving on a washboard, if that makes any sense.

 

[Climber]

OK. I did some searching but couldn't quite get the answers I am looking for.

So .. I have a shake at around 70 mph. seems to go away at about 85 and above. don't really feel safe driving the 4Runner faster than 95. The shaking gets worse when I brake from those speeds. I do get slight shaking from braking at lower speeds 40 mph or so, but the shake isn't that bad. Its most noticeable at the highway speeds (70 mph). The shaking is there at 70 regardless if I am on the brakes or not.

I thought it was wheel balancing so last night after work I took it in to get wheels balanced. Drove it afterwards and it still shakes. Seems like the balancing helped slightly but 90% of the problem is still there.

So what do you guys think?

I thought it might be the rotors ? maybe the tire rod ends ? hard to say. I'm not too happy with this 4runner so far after purchasing last week. done lots of fixing and still dealing with issues. :cry2:

I did notice some strange breaking behavior while braking really hard; it felt as if i was driving on a washboard, if that makes any sense.

Become one with the shakes and enjoy the free massage.... in all seriousness tho, it could be one of many factors(wheel balance-make sure to have it road force balanced with a lug centric adapter-, wheel bearings,warped rotors, and worn steerining components) Its important to remember it is a 14 year old vehicle with over 250k miles on it. The engine may last forever but everything else is bound to wear out eventually.

 

[nevada]

OK. I did some searching but couldn't quite get the answers I am looking for.

So .. I have a shake at around 70 mph. seems to go away at about 85 and above. don't really feel safe driving the 4Runner faster than 95. The shaking gets worse when I brake from those speeds. I do get slight shaking from braking at lower speeds 40 mph or so, but the shake isn't that bad. Its most noticeable at the highway speeds (70 mph). The shaking is there at 70 regardless if I am on the brakes or not.

I thought it was wheel balancing so last night after work I took it in to get wheels balanced. Drove it afterwards and it still shakes. Seems like the balancing helped slightly but 90% of the problem is still there.

So what do you guys think?

I thought it might be the rotors ? maybe the tire rod ends ? hard to say. I'm not too happy with this 4runner so far after purchasing last week. done lots of fixing and still dealing with issues. :cry2:

I did notice some strange breaking behavior while braking really hard; it felt as if i was driving on a washboard, if that makes any sense.

you have 2 different problems.
one is the brakes. the rotors need resurfaced/replaced, as well as the pads. basically a brake job.

the other is a tire/wheel issue. most likely just a balance issue.

 

[99ToyoRunner]

If you have shaking then I'd check to see if your wheels are balanced...I had the same issued on my 4Runner after getting new tires..Also check your U-Joints on your driveshaft it's possible they could bad, the u-joint on my driveshaft was bad caused my 4Runner to be noisy/shakey past a certain highway speed....also sounds like your rotors are warped...that's a pretty simple fix...Also I'm no expert but pushing your 4Runner over 95mph isn't a brilliant idea...

 

[Angryclown5]

70 mph shake

My '99 SR5 had those symptoms when I got it a few months ago. Took it to a shop and had new steering rack bushings and tie rod ends done which eliminated the shaking while rolling.

Then at a later date I had new rotors and pads which fixed the shake when braking.

Then new tires and alignment.

Problem now solved.

Point being that those are all things which wear out and can contribute to front end shaking.

 

[soundmanlpte]

As was already mentioned, you may have two issues. Rotors warp on these trucks a lot. Might as well start with a fresh set of high quality rotors and ceramic pads.

Secondly, what condition are the tires in? Do you have them rotated and rebalanced regularly? 6k miles is a good interval.

 

[Jason11]

Become one with the shakes and enjoy the free massage.... in all seriousness tho, it could be one of many factors(wheel balance-make sure to have it road force balanced with a lug centric adapter-, wheel bearings,warped rotors, and worn steerining components) Its important to remember it is a 14 year old vehicle with over 250k miles on it. The engine may last forever but everything else is bound to wear out eventually.

Climber - haha. not the kind of massage I want, if you know what I mean:lmao:
Yea, 14 yrs old, I suppose I have to expect some problems, just didn't want to have to start wrenching on a car I just bought... but maybe I should go back to the tire place and have them do a road force balance.

you have 2 different problems.
one is the brakes. the rotors need resurfaced/replaced, as well as the pads. basically a brake job.

the other is a tire/wheel issue. most likely just a balance issue.

I did do the balance last night, didn't really help. I suppose I should do rotors and pads this weekend.

If you have shaking then I'd check to see if your wheels are balanced...I had the same issued on my 4Runner after getting new tires..Also check your U-Joints on your driveshaft it's possible they could bad, the u-joint on my driveshaft was bad caused my 4Runner to be noisy/shakey past a certain highway speed....also sounds like your rotors are warped...that's a pretty simple fix...Also I'm no expert but pushing your 4Runner over 95mph isn't a brilliant idea...

Yep, did the balance already but still shaking. Maybe I need road force balance as Climber suggested. Probably will do the rotors this weekend. .. and yes, I won't be going faster than 80-85 in the 4Runner. I've got the M3 for that :car:

My '99 SR5 had those symptoms when I got it a few months ago. Took it to a shop and had new steering rack bushings and tie rod ends done which eliminated the shaking while rolling.

Then at a later date I had new rotors and pads which fixed the shake when braking.

Then new tires and alignment.

Problem now solved.

Point being that those are all things which wear out and can contribute to front end shaking.

I will probably do the rotors this weekend but I wish there was a way to find out if it was the rotors or tie rod ends ? Don't want to spend money where I don't have to .

As was already mentioned, you may have two issues. Rotors warp on these trucks a lot. Might as well start with a fresh set of high quality rotors and ceramic pads.

Secondly, what condition are the tires in? Do you have them rotated and rebalanced regularly? 6k miles is a good interval.

soundmanlpte - the wheels were balanced last night but it wasn't a road force balance, maybe that is the problem. I will probably replace the rotors and pads this weekend. I suppose it wouldn't be wasted money since I plan on keeping the truck for another 150k miles or when ever it dies!

BTW the tires are 90% left, pretty new. even wear.

 

[Angryclown5]

If you experience the shaking at 60 mph with your foot off the brakes, then it's likely not your rotors.

 

[Cree]

Did you balance on a lug centric machine?

A balance and OTE's got rid of all my shakes. Not even a shimmy.

 

[nevada]

Toyota wheels are notoriously hard to balance. if it shakes at a certain speed, then goes away if you go faster/slower its a balance issue.

 

[Jason11]

Ok. made an appointment to have it balanced again on road force machine tomorrow. we'll see if that helps. if not then its off to the next step I suppose. Rotors, tire rod ends, etc.

 

[Jason11]

OK. so i did the road force balance and... it didn't make any difference at all. I still get the shaking at 70 mph.

I had them check the existing balance before they pulled the weights off and it was off as much as 2 oz on some of the wheels. This was just balanced two days ago...hmmm. The shop I went to today was a different one so hopefully they actually did it correctly.

So, not sure where to go next. Anyone know how to test tie rod ends ? is there a way to tell if they are bad before I replace those.

Also is there a test for u joints . maybe its a drive line issue?

 

[98OzarksRunner]

How old are the tires, and are they decent tires? My 98 had some Big-O 'blemishes' when I bought it and they weren't just 'cosmetic' blemishes - they were out of round (guy at tire shop said they showed it on the spin balancer - they would balance, but still shake). I had them balanced, did the usual front end things (tie rod ends, ball joints, rack bushings, shocks - which are not bad things to do on a 4Runner with 220K anyway), but no difference. Put on a new set of Cooper AT3s and it rode smooth as silk.

 

[Cree]

251k Miles, do you have any service records showing any work done on the steering?

Also, you mention the shake, but you don't say where you're feeling it. In the wheel or just in the truck it's self?

Best thing to do is crawl underneath and inspect the boots on the OTE's and may as well check the ball joints while you're there.

Balance. I went through 3 machines before I finally got a good one. Basically you need to find someone who uses a Haweka plate adapter. Long story short, our wheels are hub centric, but you're going to get a much better balance from someone running it on a lug centric machine. It's more consistent than the cone style hub machine, even on a road force balance.

Bottom line for all of it though is if you don't want it to shake, don't settle for shaking. You'll read and hear from people that say it's just a 3rd Gen trait, and I'm going to tell you that's incorrect. Those people just haven't found the problem. I know because mine shook at 60-70 like a mofo, and after going through the front end it's now smooth as glass. Rides better than my wife's new car IMHO.

 

[Jason11]

How old are the tires, and are they decent tires? My 98 had some Big-O 'blemishes' when I bought it and they weren't just 'cosmetic' blemishes - they were out of round (guy at tire shop said they showed it on the spin balancer - they would balance, but still shake). I had them balanced, did the usual front end things (tie rod ends, ball joints, rack bushings, shocks - which are not bad things to do on a 4Runner with 220K anyway), but no difference. Put on a new set of Cooper AT3s and it rode smooth as silk.

the tires are Michelin's Latitude. 265/70/16 They are fairly new about 1.5 yrs old. about 85% tread left. maybe I could try the spare tire on on of the car ? see if that makes a difference. :shrug:

251k Miles, do you have any service records showing any work done on the steering?


Also, you mention the shake, but you don't say where you're feeling it. In the wheel or just in the truck it's self?

Best thing to do is crawl underneath and inspect the boots on the OTE's and may as well check the ball joints while you're there.

Balance. I went through 3 machines before I finally got a good one. Basically you need to find someone who uses a Haweka plate adapter. Long story short, our wheels are hub centric, but you're going to get a much better balance from someone running it on a lug centric machine. It's more consistent than the cone style hub machine, even on a road force balance.

Bottom line for all of it though is if you don't want it to shake, don't settle for shaking. You'll read and hear from people that say it's just a 3rd Gen trait, and I'm going to tell you that's incorrect. Those people just haven't found the problem. I know because mine shook at 60-70 like a mofo, and after going through the front end it's now smooth as glass. Rides better than my wife's new car IMHO.

I don't have any of the paperwork. but the previous owner said she had the rack replaced not too long ago.

You know the more I drive it the shaking seems to be coming from the seat or from the center of the car...not just the steering wheel. Its like its in the cowl. like a shimmy or a wobble, hard to describe the feeling. Its strange because sometimes it feels worse than other times. There doesn't seem to be a pattern to it. and even stranger is the fact that when I'm feeling the wobble and I hit the brakes hard it gets exaggerated. Doesn't make sense. the "times" when it smooths out (higher speed, etc) and I hit the brakes hard...doesn't shake under braking.

One more thing... The rear springs are sagging really badly. I think they need to be replaced. They shocks are ok but probably should be replaced as well. could old suspension cause this ?

 

[Cree]

the tires are Michelin's Latitude. 265/70/16 They are fairly new about 1.5 yrs old. about 85% tread left. maybe I could try the spare tire on on of the car ? see if that makes a difference. :shrug:



I don't have any of the paperwork. but the previous owner said she had the rack replaced not too long ago.

You know the more I drive it the shaking seems to be coming from the seat or from the center of the car...not just the steering wheel. Its like its in the cowl. like a shimmy or a wobble, hard to describe the feeling. Its strange because sometimes it feels worse than other times. There doesn't seem to be a pattern to it. and even stranger is the fact that when I'm feeling the wobble and I hit the brakes hard it gets exaggerated. Doesn't make sense. the "times" when it smooths out (higher speed, etc) and I hit the brakes hard...doesn't shake under braking.

One more thing... The rear springs are sagging really badly. I think they need to be replaced. They shocks are ok but probably should be replaced as well. could old suspension cause this ?

Worn shocks and springs could be transmitting road imperfections up to you. Still sounds to me like a balance issue with the cowl shake. Rotate your front tires to the rear and see if it moves to the wheel. If not, you can rule that out and move on to the next item.

 

[Jason11]

Ok. Update - I replaced the steering rack bushings with the Energy Suspension bushing kit from Wheelers Off-road. They were great to deal with; answered all my questions.

So I battled with the steering rack and really had to try hard to get those old bushings out. It was quite a session. So I got the new ones in and went for a drive on the freeway ....And.... it still shakes. :cry2:
This is so frustrating. Any ideas on what else it could be? Should I try to balance the wheels a 3rd time ?

 

[02SE]

There are tires with poor uniformity too. The last time I bought tires for the 4Runner, the tire store manager went through 12 tires, with me watching, to find 4 that didn't have out-of-round, or other issues. These were all brand new tires.

I recall when I bought my 4Runner brand new, it came with some crap Goodyear Wrangler RT/S tires. Despite numerous attempts by the Dealership, and even an attempt by me at a shop belonging to a friend, they simply would not balance. They had uniformity issues.

I traded those tires for some Michelin's. which had much better quality control, and uniformity. They drove smooth.

The Hunter GSP9700 Road Force Balancer can identify questionable tires, IF the operator knows how to operate the machine.

 

[Mynameistommy510]

Chasing vibrations on the 3rd generation is tough. My issue was solved by replacing out of round brake drums.

 

[BoarderDave]

My 2001 was acting the same.. both cases. Shake at 70mph rolling. And shake when braking.

I took mine into Firestone Complete Auto Care and they did the tire balancing, rotation, and alignment. No more shake at 70.

Still have the shake when braking at higher speeds though. I'm fairly certain that will be fixed when I do new pads/rotors up front and new drums in the back. But she sails smooth as silk while just cruising now though..

Good luck.. Hopefully you find the source of your shakes soon! Keep on the hunt for the right alignment/balancing shop. Maybe they didn't have the proper gear. Do you have a Firestone nearby?