Tacoma Specific: Tire balance issues

08 DC OR TP, the original RT tires I was able to squeeze 45K miles out of. I went for some Pepboy's Dakota tires, got two good ones and two bad ones, got a full refund. Went down the street and ordered in a set of Hankook P265/75/16's. Look good, ride good, except between 55-70 MPH. At these speeds the truck steering wheel shakes back and forth like un-balanced tires. Not real bad mind you but I figure a full set of $800 worth of tires should ride like glass at all speeds. Took it back today after work and they only have an hour until they close at 6 PM. Only had time to do two on the road force machine, the front two. I only was able to get to 60 MPH on the way home due to 2 million other vehicles on the road and it is now WORSE than before. The first time they did do the lug centric balance as they knew I had issues with the Pep-boy's tires and they also know Tacoma's are a wee bit sensitive to the front tire balance. I guess I will camp down there every afternoon until it gets done to where the steering wheel does not shake on me. I fought the PB tire balance issue for the last 4 months and finally gave up and demanded a refund after I saw two of them were oblong and out of round. Got the refund, got new more expensive tires and I am right back where I was with balance issues.( The overall ride with the Hankooks is much better than the PB tires, it is just that annoying steering wheel shake at those speeds)

They say the road force machine checks the whole assembly, tire and wheel and both were real good as far as runnout was concerned. So why is my Taco shaking like this between 55-70 MPH?

 

you would be surprised how this may work.

Draw a thick chalk line across your tires, at least one front and one back
Drive a short distance, then stop and look at the line.
If the middle is more worn than the edges - you have too much air (psi)
if the edges are more worn than the middle - you dont have enough air

While you are doing this, keep track of the tire pressures.
You will probably find the back and front are best at different pressures.
in fact on my truck, i found the best to be 34psi front / 24psi rear.
Probably because our composite beds are so light.

but while your adjusting psi to find out whats good for your truck
take note on how the truck drives at the different pressures
especially when driving the speeds that are giving you troubles.

 

Thanks Skistoy, I will look into this. I had noticed that they had put 36 #'s in all of them when I first got them. I had specifically asked the manager what my pressure should be and he says the computer printout told him 29 front and 29 rear. Quite a bit of difference between what the bay guys did and what the paper had said. I did notice that the first time I lowered them to 31 front, 33 rear, the balance issue got a little better. It was so close I was almost ready to live with it then I decided I needed to get these right before I get too many miles on them and they bring in a new tire or something and now I am mismatched in tread height.

EDIT: I just went and checked the pressure, now it is still 100+ degrees in my garage right now even at 9 PM but, it appears they put 36 #'s back in ALL of them. I will lower it down before tomorrow's 23 mile trip to work to see if that helps any.

 

let us know the results

 

Called early AM and made an appointment for after work. Got there at 5 PM and they went to work doing something to it. On the way home, same thing I could only get to 60 briefly but tonight it seemed NOT to shimmy in the same place and speed it did yesterday on the way home. Maye they road force balanced the back two tires and then put the best of the batch on the front two. Tomorrow's ride to work will tell if they were successful.

 

I am having the exact same problem with my new Hankooks Dynapro ATM RF10. I have been back to Discount Tire 3 times now and they are better, but still shakes at 55-65. I know this is crazy, but it seems to be worse in the morning after the truck has sat for a day, and then as I drive it, the shakes becomes less. Almost like my old Jeep that sits for months and the tires get a little flat sided.

I am getting my 30K mile checkup at the dealer on Friday and am going to have them give balancing these tires a try. Hopefully they can get it right since I really like these tires performance and how quiet they are...when I am not shaking.

Keep us posted.

 

Well they found the sweet spot on mine yesterday as I did not feel even a hint of a shimmy or steering wheel shake at all at any speed or on any road surface. I called and thanked them for working with me on this issue and I asked what did you do differently. He said they just got in a new laser balance machine last week and just got it up and running and they had learned how to use it. Said they did all 4 tires with it. I am now so relieved to NOT have that 55-75 MPG shake/shimmy as before.

I will do the chalk line deal this weekend, that makes perfect sense to me. Terrible T, I noticed that too. First thing in the morning it would shake at a certain speed on a certain stretch of HWY. After warm and on in the day you do the same place, the same speed and nothing. Rather confusing huh? I think it still comes down to they were just not balanced perfectly and the Taco exaggerates this. They did not change any tires as they do not stock these. I too like this tread technology and want these tires to do well for me.

 

skistoy, How far did you drive before you got out and looked at the chalk lines. I plan to do this this Sunday and did not want to mark them and drive 5 miles and the chalk line is totally gone. Thanks man.

 

As a matter of fact I noticed this once before too on my way into work one morning. I had pulled out of my neighborhood and felt a slight vibration on the steering wheel...actually could see my wrist vibrating back and forth ever so slightly. I figured it was just the roadway. Then later that day going over the same portion of road, nothing, smooth as glass. And I'm running on the stock Sport tires barely over 3k miles that came on my truck bought brand new in June. Weird.

 

Just took a 300 mile round trip this AM. The new Hankook's did very well at HWY speeds. The slight vibration between 70-80 seems to come and go depending on the road surface and is so subtle only someone looking for it would even notice it. We will see how they do down the road.

I just did the chalk line deal and mine ended up being 32 front and 28 rear to make the line even up. Drive 100' or so and get out and look. I have an email into Centramatic to see if any of their products fits the Tacoma. That would be nice to have a device to keep on there forever if it smooths things up like silk.

Not sure if the Tacoma TPMS will allow the Dynabeads to go through it, anyone know for sure? Otherwise I would have to pay for cracking the bead open to drop in the bead bag and take a chance of knocking existing weights off, moving the tire on the rim, etc. I would take the time to install them through the valve if I knew they were gonna fit.

 

I'm going to try an set of centramatics. I drove a big rig once with a set on them. I thought it made a difference. I know I'm going to need spacers for the front to make them fit.

 

Update got the rear set on. Already an improvement. Just waiting for my spacers for the front. I just hate going back and forth to the tire stores trying to get tires to balance. And I did buy a set of MT that were a little feathered but that's my fault. But to get anyone around here to just balance a set of tires instead they insist on selling you another set of tires.

 

What number Centramatics did you order? What spacer for the front? I told Centramatics that you have had inquires since 2005 for Tacoma balancers why not just make some. He said he forwarded it to those that might do something about that. We will see. I was thinking of some for the back also. Every little bit helps.

 

I'm using the balancers for the Toyota 6 lug and for the front a pair of Spydertrax spacers. Just putting the back ones on made a big diference. I should get my spacers tomorrow. And I will pick up a new tube of red loctite.

 

Where did you get your tires balanced?

 

Discount Tire new laser balancer.

 

Which location, my discount tire only has the basic balancer, no roadforce balancing

 

Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano, Texas They have both road force and regular plus the new laser balancer. Talk to Lanny, he will remember me as I was there a few times and what they did the last time took care of 98% of any tire balance issues.

 

Thanks!!! I've got 2nd gen wheels on mine, and when I put them on the didn't balance them too well.

 

How did the front ones do?