Steering Wheel Shimmy, too much information

[kiana]

I'm having the steering wheel shimmy from my 4Runner at various speeds, mostly high speeds like 50MPH and on highway 70MPH. It's annoying as hell and there is a hundred different threads about it and YouTube videos but there is WAY too much conflicting information. My issue is just like this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkTmB3y_n2M.

Can anybody chime in on if they had their steering wheel just like the video and what you did to fix it? I've heard of a hundred different solutions, just need to know what to go to first. My wheels are BALANCED.

 

[nevada]

I'm having the steering wheel shimmy from my 4Runner at various speeds, mostly high speeds like 50MPH and on highway 70MPH. It's annoying as hell and there is a hundred different threads about it and YouTube videos but there is WAY too much conflicting information. My issue is just like this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkTmB3y_n2M.

Can anybody chime in on if they had their steering wheel just like the video and what you did to fix it? I've heard of a hundred different solutions, just need to know what to go to first. My wheels are BALANCED.

that's a tire problem.

take it to a competent tire shop. not les schwabs, or any of the other national chains. find a good small town, owner/operated place. they will figure it out.

 

[kiana]

that's a tire problem.

take it to a competent tire shop. not les schwabs, or any of the other national chains. find a good small town, owner/operated place. they will figure it out.

Really? I should try a new tire shop then since the people that have been balancing mine haven't done it right. Brand new Hanhook DynaPro AT's as well (less than 500 miles on them).

I should also mention the car itself is not shaking at all, smooth as can be. Only in the steering wheel.

 

[TheDurk]

So, in all that reading, you didn't learn how to look to see if you rack bushings are worn, if your tie-rod ends are loose, or your shocks are shot? The tough answer is any of a lot of things can be the problem, and in many cases it's more than one.

I had onset of the steering wheel shakes about 55mph six years ago. I went over everything and found I needed the following:

new shocks
new rack bushings
new tires w/RoadForce balancing (needed these anyway)
OTRE's
Front end alignment

All were original except the tires.

With each thing I did, the onset speed rose by ten or fifteen MPH. Now I can go 90mph and all is steady which as fast as I go. Still the same after six years.

At a certain point asking for internet guesses is futile; you need to troubleshoot YOUR rig. And, at the age of our rigs, if nothing has been done, prepare to do multiple things.

 

[kiana]

So, in all that reading, you didn't learn how to look to see if you rack bushings are worn, if your tie-rod ends are loose, or your shocks are shot? The tough answer is any of a lot of things can be the problem, and in many cases it's more than one.

I had onset of the steering wheel shakes about 55mph six years ago. I went over everything and found I needed the following:

new shocks
new rack bushings
new tires w/RoadForce balancing (needed these anyway)
OTRE's
Front end alignment

All were original except the tires.

With each thing I did, the onset speed rose by ten or fifteen MPH. Now I can go 90mph and all is steady which as fast as I go. Still the same after six years.

At a certain point asking for internet guesses is futile; you need to troubleshoot YOUR rig. And, at the age of our rigs, if nothing has been done, prepare to do multiple things.

RoadForce balancing seems like a bigie for me. I'm going to inspect steering rack bushings today and gonna go ahead and order a replacement bushing set since my steering feels loose anyway regardless of the shimmy. New tires are already on and alignment has been done. Thank you so much

 

[scoobydew]

I had the same problem and just had it align and it went away, it wasn't that bad but it was there and bugged me.

 

[Aelfwine]

New LCA bushings fixed mine. It was doing the same thing. I recommend biting the bullet and replacing everything up front you haven't yet.

 

[nevada]

Really? I should try a new tire shop then since the people that have been balancing mine haven't done it right. Brand new Hanhook DynaPro AT's as well (less than 500 miles on them).

I should also mention the car itself is not shaking at all, smooth as can be. Only in the steering wheel.

yes.



that is a tire problem.

 

[soupkitchen]

i agree with the tire issue. Need rebalancing. Are you on the factory wheels?

 

[RedRunner97]

Same problem, it's not Terrible. Vibrations at around 45mph but go away after around 60mph. Will take the advice of some of these posters and check it out. Thanks for making a thread!

 

[OldManKamps]

Definitely give us an update!! I have the same issue! Do you have any vibrations that you feel in your seat or that you can hear?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[nlwrfa]

Sorry for bringing this up again... have a 2015 4runner sr5 4x4...just got back from two tire shops, phone call to bridgestone and a body shop. Everyone who has ever touched my car, aligned my car, rotated my car in some way has given me proof that everything was done to specs and are still in spec UNTIL it's mounted on the vehicle... balance was in the green for tires on the machine... mounted tires back on and one was off by a whole 1.25... most run in the .10 range... but this was a whole number then a decimal and more numbers ... I went through 80k tires in 20k miles. Completely bare. The guy at the body shop is old school and did the whole measure and string thing like they did back on the days to have to align cars... it's the rear axle. the rear axle is offset and crooked by over half an inch compared to the other side measuring from the same place on the front of the car to the middle of the rims as the other side. Have the same shimmy problem when i'm hitting around 65 mph. Called toyota dealership in warsaw, of course they blamed everyone else, didn't have an appointment open for weeks... told them i'm not going to buy new tires because the problem isn't fixed.. they said well you've already driven around on an unsafe car, whats another few weeks.... are you flipping kidding me?!?!? Called toyota 800 number... she didn't give two shits either. Makes a Honda look more appealing everyday.. i'm calling the dealership back tomorrow... and the 800 number AGAIN. This car has been nothing but issues.. including paint separating from the vehicle due to poor prep (was fixed by toyota at no cost as it was deemed a paint defect)... so maybe something for everyone else to look into... body shop guy thinks it's a poor weld job because you can't adjust the rear axle as it is fixed

 

[gamefreakgc]

Sorry for bringing this up again... have a 2015 4runner sr5 4x4...just got back from two tire shops, phone call to bridgestone and a body shop. Everyone who has ever touched my car, aligned my car, rotated my car in some way has given me proof that everything was done to specs and are still in spec UNTIL it's mounted on the vehicle... balance was in the green for tires on the machine... mounted tires back on and one was off by a whole 1.25... most run in the .10 range... but this was a whole number then a decimal and more numbers ... I went through 80k tires in 20k miles. Completely bare. The guy at the body shop is old school and did the whole measure and string thing like they did back on the days to have to align cars... it's the rear axle. the rear axle is offset and crooked by over half an inch compared to the other side measuring from the same place on the front of the car to the middle of the rims as the other side. Have the same shimmy problem when i'm hitting around 65 mph. Called toyota dealership in warsaw, of course they blamed everyone else, didn't have an appointment open for weeks... told them i'm not going to buy new tires because the problem isn't fixed.. they said well you've already driven around on an unsafe car, whats another few weeks.... are you flipping kidding me?!?!? Called toyota 800 number... she didn't give two shits either. Makes a Honda look more appealing everyday.. i'm calling the dealership back tomorrow... and the 800 number AGAIN. This car has been nothing but issues.. including paint separating from the vehicle due to poor prep (was fixed by toyota at no cost as it was deemed a paint defect)... so maybe something for everyone else to look into... body shop guy thinks it's a poor weld job because you can't adjust the rear axle as it is fixed

Well, if you know your axle is bent it's going to eat tires, no way around it. Old suspension components will do the same thing too. I suggest swapping out your rear axle with another unit, they cost less than a set of new tires from a junkyard.

 

[TheDurk]

Sorry for bringing this up again... have a 2015 4runner sr5 4x4...just got back from two tire shops, phone call to bridgestone and a body shop. Everyone who has ever touched my car, aligned my car, rotated my car in some way has given me proof that everything was done to specs and are still in spec UNTIL it's mounted on the vehicle... balance was in the green for tires on the machine... mounted tires back on and one was off by a whole 1.25... most run in the .10 range... but this was a whole number then a decimal and more numbers ... I went through 80k tires in 20k miles. Completely bare. The guy at the body shop is old school and did the whole measure and string thing like they did back on the days to have to align cars... it's the rear axle. the rear axle is offset and crooked by over half an inch compared to the other side measuring from the same place on the front of the car to the middle of the rims as the other side. Have the same shimmy problem when i'm hitting around 65 mph. Called toyota dealership in warsaw, of course they blamed everyone else, didn't have an appointment open for weeks... told them i'm not going to buy new tires because the problem isn't fixed.. they said well you've already driven around on an unsafe car, whats another few weeks.... are you flipping kidding me?!?!? Called toyota 800 number... she didn't give two shits either. Makes a Honda look more appealing everyday.. i'm calling the dealership back tomorrow... and the 800 number AGAIN. This car has been nothing but issues.. including paint separating from the vehicle due to poor prep (was fixed by toyota at no cost as it was deemed a paint defect)... so maybe something for everyone else to look into... body shop guy thinks it's a poor weld job because you can't adjust the rear axle as it is fixed

This is the 3rd Gen ('96-'02) forum. We avoid stinkin' dealers. I suggest you look in the 5th gen forum and find a place to ask your question; someone may be dealing with a similar issue.

But thanks for making me glad I have a 3rd gen.

My $0.92. There are four points of attachment that could be out of register, either on the axle or the frame where the control arms connect. It should not be that hard to take your tape measure, get under there and figure out where the issue is if it is really a half inch out, especially since that means the attachment point should be out by roughly twice that, unless both upper and lower on one side are out. That will give you more ammunition in talking to the stealer. I'd also check your parts diagram and confirm control arms are the same on both sides. I doubt they are different, but if not, that's another possible issue if they went on backwards.