Vibration while driving after lift change

[panzer]

Tire Balance

There could be a myriad of problems causing your vibration. Most will agree the first and most possible issues is a wheel balance issue. Many shops have a problem balancing large tires and our 4runner's wheels.

For example, I own two 2001 4unners with identicle suspension, wheel, and tire setups. My 4runner has zero vibration issues. My wife's 4runner was plagued by vibration issues. After replacing parts (end link bushings and steering rack bushings) and after having 4 tire balances at the same shop, I had the tires re-balanced at a different shop. Guess what, the different shop could balance my tires correctly. All it was, was a balancing issue with 1 tire. You have to realize that different shops (even though they may have the same company name) have different machines, balancing machines that may be calibrated correctly/incorrectly, experts or idiots balancing your tires, etc.

The vibration issue with my wife's 4runner differed from 55+ vibration (no sound) to a vibration that moved my steering wheel 1/2 inch each way at 30mph. Every time they "balanced" my tires I had a slightly different vibration until I finally changed to a different shop.

Try a different shop and let them know your issue that you're having. Actually stay and watch them (if you can) balance all of your tires. Make sure they don't do a JTF (Just The Fronts) balance on your tires if they are lazy or in a hurry (this info came from a co-worker) who use to work at Discount/American Tire. If they're open to it maybe you can actually stand in the shop and talk to the tech as he/she balances each of your tires and ask them if they see any issues with the tires.

Hope this info helps and all that is plaguing your vibration is a simple out of balance issue with the tires.

Here are some vibration links for your reading pleasure that helped me:
Vibration Problems
hub centric or Lug centric - YotaTech Forums
http://www.ih8mud.com/tech/tsb/ToyotaLandCruiser/tsu00296.pdf

 

[GX4SEVEND]

A little update for those who care........

When the vibration starts around 40mph, if I shift into neutral it goes away. Put it in drive and give it gas it comes back.

 

[fightman80]

A little update for those who care........

When the vibration starts around 40mph, if I shift into neutral it goes away. Put it in drive and give it gas it comes back.

I've got the same issue....I think has something to do with the drive shaft. I'm thinking the angle of the driveshaft is producing this vibration.......what do you all think about that?

 

[durrell]

I've got the same issue....I think has something to do with the drive shaft. I'm thinking the angle of the driveshaft is producing this vibration.......what do you all think about that?

Well you're definitely changing the pinion angles pretty substantially so I'd think it could be u-joint or driveshaft related. I'll leave that diagnosis to the experts, though..

 

[GX4SEVEND]

Yeah I had a guy from a local shop tell me to check the u joints. He also said to take it out and get it dirty, not wheel it hard just get it nice and dirty and drive it for a couple days and then check for any shiny metal. He said that will tell me where the parts, if any, are rubbing and making contact.

 

[GX4SEVEND]

Another update:

Had alignment done again and tires rebalanced again.........no change.
It starts around 15mph and goes away until about 40mph and once I hit 60mph you can feel the wheel shake. I know there are a few guys taller than me with no issues so i'm unsure what it is. I will have to take it to a shop i guess.

 

[Elton H]

im still thinking its cuase of the rear end being pushed over its binding a u joint

 

[GX4SEVEND]

yeah its definitely in the drive line. Here is a shot of my rear end :frisky: lol. sorry I couldnt resist. Trac bar is nowhere close to parallel

 

[Scotty_T]

any new updates on this issue?

 

[hartsgt]

i know this is an older thread and not sure if you figured anything out but i have been chasing the same problem. here is what i have found. basically you need to fix the rear end either by a track bar or a drop bracket. i know this is a whole other debate but basically with the rear end off to one side the vehicle will not track straight down the road. when your alignement is done if they do not reference off the rear wheel also than bascially they set the toe with the front wheels straight but this is not how the vehicle is driving. you are turning to the right to compensate for the rear end being off to one side so now your toe is incorrect since the front tire do not turn at the same radius. what i ended up doing on mine was i made a drop bracket and had it realigned. this removed 80% of the vibration. after reading on another forum i than incresed my toe in by 1 flat on the tie rod and this helped. i ended up going 2 flats of toe in increase and now 99% is gone. not sure if this will fix your issue but thought i would share what i found

 

[GX4SEVEND]

I don't think its the rear end anymore. Aside from the track bar issue everything else is perfect. Had the shop owner drive it and he also said its definitely coming from the front end. He said to remove the diff drop and start from there. He also said the u joint isn't bad but also isn't the best either.

 

[brian2sun]

This is what I think...
Because you have no extra weight on top of your 882s (rated for an additional 150+ lbs.) and then you added top spacers to them, you have pushed the front suspension as far as it can reasonably go (way farther IMO if you're going for off road functionality). You are probably close to or at full droop at rest and that probably makes it impossible to align accurately because every adjustment that can be made is maxed out or on the verge.

A lot of people lately seem to be ignoring the extra weight rec.s on these coils and now some are wondering why they are getting weird vibrations and such. I say the coils are too stiff for your weight, your control arms and CV angles are maxed out, and you have no droop left. I know that's not really what you want to hear, but you've gone beyond what has been tried, tested, and recommended.

 

[hartsgt]

brian, i think you are right that is a big part of it. i think that is why mine seems to be sensative to toe in setting. i know the front of mine is to high and i think this throws the angle of the tie rods versus the a arms off so the toe changes as far as bump steer. i need to lower mine down but i hate the rake from the lc coils. no offense to anyone but reminds me of air shocks from the 80's if there is to much rake

 

[GX4SEVEND]

Oh it definitely sits high up front......but I guess I was hoping maybe I had missed something and it was an easy fix because there are a few people running the same set ups with no issues like this.

Gues i'll just have to add a bumper to fix the issue :naughty:

 

[Kotrin]

So just finished lifting mine and have similar problems that the alignment fixed most of them minus a whirling noise maybe only when coasting, it goes away upon accelerating or breaking. I read what Brian said about the weight and since I got the extra 150 lb coils in front too figure that is part of my problem..I do NOT get the vibration of a drive line so figure ill keep driving it till I can get some cash for the front end and weigh it down

 

[THEREALTOR1]

Similar problems with mine. After I had the 99 coils and the rough country shocks/struts put in, it seemed to handle like a dream, but I wanted the front taller so I put my 1" daystar coil spacer/levelers back in.

Now my mechanic didn't disconnect the swaybar or loosen the uac when he did his thing because he didn't want me to have to get an alignment (he doesn't realize I have the FS lifetime), so he said he couldn't get the spacers in "no way/ no how". So when I put them in, I removed the SB, and loosened the uac's and finally got them in. Put the wheels back on, dropped it back down and tightened everything up. Put the SB back on with the poly ES bushings.

Since i've done this, it handles a little more stiffly (haha) than it did right after my mechanic had done his thing, and there's a slight pull to the left, so I know i've gotta get the alignment done (scheduled for this sunday). But the big thing i've noticed is the vibration at around 50 mph. Not in the steering wheel so much as others have indicated but sorta the entire truck, and i've got the bassy "tire noise" going along with it.

I'll obviously update everyone on Sunday after FS does there thing, but was doing some thread searching before then and came across this so figured i'd put in my experience and see if I can lend any feedback.

EDIT: Something I was thinking about. After I tightened everything up I drove it for a day or two and then re-tightened everything again starting with the tophat post nuts, uca's, then the top nuts on the end links. Is there any specific order in which everything should be tightened back up?

 

[44runner02]

just want to bump this thread back to the top if anybody found the solution to this with the 882s rated +150 additional weight because i am planning on getting a front bumper for a winch in the upcoming months. After installing my toytec lift i also notice that between 50-65 mph the steering wheel begins to shake, so far im hoping that its what brian said and with extra weight up front with a new aftermarket bumper by 4xinovations my shake will stop

 

[FreshSeabass]

Reviving an ancient thread :hatsoff:
After installing my own Toytec; (Adjustable coilovers 650lb coils(extra front weight), superflex rear, long travel bilstein 5160 Resi's, I noticed my vibration got progressively worse over time. I drive a manual and I could hear the vibration under me in the truck's driveline and also in the shifter. I went ahead and got an alignment, balanced tires 35" BFG M/T (aftermarket wheels), no success. I purchased two heavy duty u joints from Trail Gear (either buy oem replacement or trailgear which are meant for wheeling). This solved my problem, smooth as butter, next on my list was a Sonoran steel adjustable panhard bar, this will center your rear axle and you won't have any more wandering. Last on my list but possibly most important was the UCA, uniball Is the way to go and it will correct any alignment problems I.e. Caster and other obvious problems.