55 MPH+ vibration

I am trying to figure out a high speed vibration on my 2001 Tacoma. My first thought was a tire out of balance but I just had them balanced and it's not a constant vibration. It seems to smooth out a little above 70 and is most noticeable between 55ish and 70. Once I get to those speeds it shakes/vibrates the truck for a bit and then it fades away or stops and then in a few minutes comes back. I have tried letting off the gas, pushing in the clutch, accelerating once it starts and nothing seems to effect the vibration. The tires aren't perfect (previous owner ran way too much air and the centers are cupped a little) but I would think if it was one of them it would be a constant vibration. I have greased the u joints and although they look old they don't seem to have slop in them. Carrier bearing seems fine as well.

Any ideas on what could be causing this?

 

Had the same issue with mine. Shook the whole truck over 50. Ended up being the tires though. One of the knobs had worn unevenly so when it hit the regular knobby part again it shook the truck like crazy over 50. How violent is your vibration? Mine made the bed shake like crazy and even went as far as shaking the steering wheel, and it was the rear left tire.

 

The vibration does get pretty bad sometimes. I haven't checked for bed shake but it does start shaking the shifter pretty bad and I do feel it in the wheel at times.

 

Get them rebalanced again.From what I've read and know personally Tacoma's are finicky about wheel balancing especially with aftermarket rims.
I've had this problem from 55-70 MPH.Taken them back multiple times.Local Big O dealer has more than once had balancing issues on my American Racing 509 rims with Goodyear Wrangler A/T's 31's and 2 sets of BFG AT's before that.Truck has never been wrecked and rims are undamaged/straight.
Discount Tire has gotten balance right every time over the 135000 miles and 3 sets of tires miles on my 00 Taco.Maybe they have a higher quality tire balancing machine or just take a little more time.

 

Yep!! I'm having the same suspicions. Have been going to big o for quite a while now because it's local. Have had a balance issue since I bought her three plus years ago. Finally got new tires from discount 30+ miles away from me as it's the closest one and the vibration was gone. I have recently had them go out of balance again and went to big o to rebalance and an alignment. And neither was rectified. I'm actually going to discount later this afternoon as I'll be in that area. I'll report back with results. See if our little theory on this is correct!!

 

I don't drive too much except in the summer when I drive a couple thousand miles or so in the interstate. I've had the same problem on my 1998 TRD but with two different sets of tires. It happens about the same speeds as yours, from 50 to 70+. It will start out of nowhere beginning at hardly noticeable and increasing to a moderate shake that I could feel on the steering wheel. Enough to be rather annoying but not enough to so anything about it, and it did go away. That was at about 24K miles on the first set of tires (which were cupped). I moved the tires front to rear and that's when I found the right rear wheel cylinder was leaking badly. I installed new shoes and wheel cylinders.

A few months later I bought a new set of Michelin LTX tires. The vibration reoccurred in June and then again in September, each time lasting about 5 to 10 minutes on the interstate. The first time I thought it was a bad road but when I drove that stretch again 3 months later the vibration did not at that place. I checked my brake drums and found that one was out of round so I replaced it. About 600 miles later it came back, but not too bad. That time it lasted about 10 minutes, gradually fading in and then back out.

I've since had the tires rotated in an "X" pattern and will see how they run the next time I'm on the interstate, probably next spring.

 

No matter how many times I've had them balanced over the years, my DuraTracs cause a vibration around 55 mph.

 

Awe crap. I completely forgot another reason why I haven't gone to discount. They won't service my truck unless I take the wheels down there off the truck. Because I have 1/4" spacers up front... Sigh oh well.

 

i had the same issue, and it was one of my tires, as soon as i bought my new ko2s it was gone

 

So can anyone verify if discount uses a better machine than big o?? I just called discount and I begged them to make an exception with my spacers, and they just won't do it. They consider it a major hazard. Bullshit. Never had a problem with it. Or heard if anything. Maybe with shorter studs like he had mentioned about not enough thread grip.But I explained I have extended studs. No go

Do I just gotta break down and get bolt on spacers so they can do it. But that means I gotta go back to oem studs as well first! Ugh. So I'm probly gonna be looking at spending a couple Benjamin's just to get it set up properly before I can even attempt to get it balanced. At least it's not as horrible as it was before I got new tires. I can live with it for a while longer I guess. Really don't wanna mess with big o anymore. Or anyone have any other suggestions on any reputable chain stores/shops that might service my setup??

 

Go to Americas tire they dont care if theyre the ones that dont just go between your rim and stock hub or just take them off for now if you have that style

 

My truck does the same thing, it started when I put BFG AT's on, took it back to be rebalanced 3 times and it never got any better. Each time the shop would blame the tires. 265/74/16's btw. I gave up and just drive it this way. I am rarely on the highway anyhow. Truck is getting a lift and suspension/steering freshened up this week. Also going with new Method Standards and 285/75/16's. We'll see how that all turns out...

 

Hmm. Well I can't take them off. The rim will scrape the caliper. Something the previous owner did. That's why I got extended studs. A couple studs were stripped as there was hardly any threads on lugs.. I'll just have to wait until I get bolt ons.