Shutter at 55 and up

[TurtleAdventure]

What do you guys think about this.
98 SR5 4x4 automatic all stock, 160K miles. Basically it is my winter car and some random other season driving.

Anyways. It shutters at 55 and up kind of bad. It was doing this and I felt steering vibrations and shake. So I new LBJ, UBJ, outter tie rods, new tires, rims, alignment.

Now there is nothing in the steering. There isnt even any slack in it. Going 55 shutter starts and I can let go of the wheel and it goes straight. I dont even feel much in the wheel. But the whole truck is shaking.

Anyone else have something similar? My guess is something in the drive line like a messed up drive shaft.

Thanks friends


Update
Interesting thing happened. It drove smooth at 70 on my way home. I hit a pothole and it started with the vibration/shutter again. Then again a few potholes latter 70 and smooth. When it isnt ice and snow everywhere I will jack it up and see what is loose. Hopefully and easy fix.

 

[Outrider]

I ran into an issue like this, years ago. I thought my engine was about to explode or implode. With some research on this forum, either by searching tons of posts, or by asking questions (I don't recall which method), I found out that it was the u-joints of my driveshaft.

The way I confirmed it was to crawl underneath, and grab the shaft near each u-joint and give it a good shake. If you feel any movement when you shake it, then it must be that u-joint. So, I suggest you try that.

I ended up repairing that $1,500 driveshaft for about $100, including the arbor press that I needed for the job, and kept mounted to my workbench, for future use on other things. If I recall, the new u-joints cost me $50-$60, but they have Zerk grease fittings on them, and they are removable and replaceable. If they should ever wear out, which they won't, because I grease them every year or so. It was a pretty involved job, requiring surgically cutting out the u-joints, and pressing in the new ones. I have tools and am handy with them, but it wasn't an easy or simple job.

The OEM design is really crappy, as the u-joints are neither maintainable or replaceable without surgery. It is either the result of beancounters telling Toyota engineers what to do, or it is planned obsolescence.

 

[IBallEngineer]

What do you guys think about this.
98 SR5 4x4 automatic all stock, 160K miles. Basically it is my winter car and some random other season driving.

Anyways. It shutters at 55 and up kind of bad. It was doing this and I felt steering vibrations and shake. So I new LBJ, UBJ, outter tie rods, new tires, rims, alignment.

Now there is nothing in the steering. There isnt even any slack in it. Going 55 shutter starts and I can let go of the wheel and it goes straight. I dont even feel much in the wheel. But the whole truck is shaking.

Anyone else have something similar? My guess is something in the drive line like a messed up drive shaft.

Thanks friends

The symptom you are describing can only be a rotating imbalance. The speed sensitive nature makes me inclined to point at the wheels or tires. I know you say you installed new tires and rims. Can you give more information about them? Either they are not balanced correctly(dynamic) or are faulty. Of course you could also have an issue with the front hub/rotor, as they rotate too.

 

[thegipper]

You got any snow/ice build up in wheels? It's usually obvious but sometimes its not. Or has it been doing this pre-winter?

I like the other suggestions too (Ujoints or wheels/tires).

 

[calimobber]

Im thinking driveshaft also since you not really feeling it in you steering and its tracking straight.

 

[Outrider]

Im thinking driveshaft also since you not really feeling it in you steering and its tracking straight.

Me too, and the driveshaft is very easy and quick to check. Nothing to remove or take apart. I am fond of checking the simplest things first (took me a while to learn that - lol).

 

[4Runner4Leon]

BTDT, was about to tear my whole truck apart until I went back to the basics - tires. Tires are a lot of mass being rotated at high speed, so it's the best place to start. New tires alone may not fix it, you should get them road force balanced (not every shop can do that).

Do that first, and see if helps - it's the cheapest and easiest place to start.

 

[phattyduck]

Vibration (BZZZZZZZZ) at speed is probably driveline - driveshafts/u-joints or transfer case and pinion bearings.

Shake (wobble, wobble, wobble) is tires or steering components (and sometimes alignment).

At least, start from those places.

-Charlie

 

[96RedRunner]

I'm with crowd saying driveshaft, mine would start at 45+ mph.
Ended up being U-joint at rear diff.

 

[TurtleAdventure]

Vibration (BZZZZZZZZ) at speed is probably driveline - driveshafts/u-joints or transfer case and pinion bearings.

Shake (wobble, wobble, wobble) is tires or steering components (and sometimes alignment).

At least, start from those places.

-Charlie

Thanks for this. yes Vibration not shake.

 

[TurtleAdventure]

I ran into an issue like this, years ago. I thought my engine was about to explode or implode. With some research on this forum, either by searching tons of posts, or by asking questions (I don't recall which method), I found out that it was the u-joints of my driveshaft.

The way I confirmed it was to crawl underneath, and grab the shaft near each u-joint and give it a good shake. If you feel any movement when you shake it, then it must be that u-joint. So, I suggest you try that.

I ended up repairing that $1,500 driveshaft for about $100, including the arbor press that I needed for the job, and kept mounted to my workbench, for future use on other things. If I recall, the new u-joints cost me $50-$60, but they have Zerk grease fittings on them, and they are removable and replaceable. If they should ever wear out, which they won't, because I grease them every year or so. It was a pretty involved job, requiring surgically cutting out the u-joints, and pressing in the new ones. I have tools and am handy with them, but it wasn't an easy or simple job.

The OEM design is really crappy, as the u-joints are neither maintainable or replaceable without surgery. It is either the result of beancounters telling Toyota engineers what to do, or it is planned obsolescence.

Thanks, I will check it out. Ive never had a driveshaft go bad and I looked at it but didnt see anything crazy. I will try shaking it. That is really the test of everything LOL

 

[jkeith.w]

check the output shaft of the transfer case for up/down movement - there's a bearing there that can be an issue.

 

[Outrider]

OP - just curious if you have identified the problem. Any success?

 

[gamefreakgc]

Thanks, I will check it out. Ive never had a driveshaft go bad and I looked at it but didnt see anything crazy. I will try shaking it. That is really the test of everything LOL

If shaking it around doesn't reveal anything, pull the rear driveshaft and pop it into 4WD. Get it up to highway speeds and you'll know real quick if it's the rear driveshaft or not. Did this to chase down a vibration I had and was able to eliminate the driveshaft as the culprit.

It's only 8 bolts to get the shaft out. Compress the slip yoke a little (push it towards the transmission) and it'll fall right out.

 

[JMat]

I had the same situation happen in my '98... A buzzing vibration(not shaking) that originally started at 60 and would disappear at 70 and just continued to get worse. I checked for play in the U-Joints an there was none to speak of... Turned out to be my rear U-Joint. After trying to diagnose myself and a few shops trying too I took it to a driveline shop and they tore it apart and found the bad U-Joint. Runs smooth now. My take away is there isn't always play in a bad U-Joint.

 

[zoombyu86]

I currently have the "wobble wobble wobble" and some days its better or worse, one minutes its better or worse. Likely the wheel/tires even though ive had it balanced every which way by numerous shops.

I had a U-joint develop a hair line fracture which was noticeable around 40-ish mph and was bad enough above that that I WOULD NOT drive faster than 35 to get home. It literally felt like Godzilla was chasing me down the street is shook/vibrated so bad.

Do as they said and spin the driveshaft. grab a light and inspect closely as even the smallest defect in a part spinning that fast will cause a big upset in the driveline. If nothing is seen, you can also remove one driveshaft or the other and test in 2wd/4wd to determine if it the rear or front DS.

 

[IBallEngineer]

I currently have the "wobble wobble wobble" and some days its better or worse, one minutes its better or worse. Likely the wheel/tires even though ive had it balanced every which way by numerous shops.

I had a U-joint develop a hair line fracture which was noticeable around 40-ish mph and was bad enough above that that I WOULD NOT drive faster than 35 to get home. It literally felt like Godzilla was chasing me down the street is shook/vibrated so bad.

Do as they said and spin the driveshaft. grab a light and inspect closely as even the smallest defect in a part spinning that fast will cause a big upset in the driveline. If nothing is seen, you can also remove one driveshaft or the other and test in 2wd/4wd to determine if it the rear or front DS.

A factor commonly overlooked is that balance is not always the cause of your bad tire/wheel creating a wobble. Shape is most often the bigger problem. You can mount a square wheel on a balancer and achieve a balanced wheel, but try driving on it. Match mounting can help, but sometimes the tire is just a big ol' smokin' turd.

 

[levee-11]

When I bought my 4runner, I had the same problem. Got new tires a few days later and it went away. Tires may need to be changed, however, it could also be your bearings. Lift the truck and shake the tires and see how much play there is in the bearings.

 

[BoomerBob]

It was tires not balanced correctly on mine. A regular tire shop doing regular balancing can do a good job if they choose to. Many shops get within 1/4 oz and call it good. That may work okay or at least not that noticeable on the back but on the front it can go right through the front end parts to the steering wheel. Just happened to me. Rotated the wheels front to back and the steering stopped shaking. Took it back and had them re-balance the wheels I paid good money to have balanced right the first time. The road balancing thing is probably more precise but a good standard balance, IMHO, should be adequate for these rigs. They aren't Ferrari's or GT40's. Saw the movie over the weekend. Good stuff!

Also had a small bit of play in my rear u-joint which caused a kind of low roar. Driveshaft shop said I needed a new driveshaft too because it was .040 out of being straight. A PO had dropped it to flat tow the rig. Literally dropped it on the asphalt which apparently can be enough to put that ever-so-slight bend in it. I kept the driveshaft. If the one in my 98 goes bad I may just put it in it with new u-joints and see if I really did need to buy a new driveshaft or if I just needed new u-joints. I've had bad luck with shops in my smallish town. They talk the talk but they can't walk the walk or they are simply trying to con their customers. I think it's probably more of a con than anything else. I think they know better. I'm running at about 50% good; 50% bad.

 

[OrRunner]

Before I did anything I'd rotate the tires front to rear and see if the vibration moves to the steering wheel. If it does you have a tire out of balance. I'd then remove the rear driveshaft and drive it in 4wd. The two things will go a long way toward narrowing down the issue.