Cincinnati Area Thread (Tri-State, Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana)

Ok wise, local Tacoma owners, I need some help...

Recently my truck has started vibrating my teeth loose on the highway and I’m trying to decide where to start diagnosing the issue. At about 50 mph and all the way up to 80+ the truck is almost unbearable on the highway. I can sometimes feel the vibration at lower speeds but it gets really bad above 50 mph. It doesn’t change when braking or when I let off the gas pedal and it’s worse on some roads than others. It’s not a side to side shimmy and I don’t really feel it in the steering wheel, it’s more like the entire cab is shaking (I can feel it in my seat, the center console, the pedals and in the back floor board). The problem started out slowly (originally from 50 mph to about 60 mph) but has gotten worse with time. As far as I can tell, it started around the time I had my 285/70/17 C load rating BFG KO2s mounted and since then I’ve done the following:

- had the tires balanced three times, most recently by Discount Tire using the road force machine. None of the tires showed any major abnormalities and they balanced very well for AT tires according to the tech. (no change after each balancing).

- swapped wheel spacers, went from 1” to 1.25” which didn’t change the vibration at all.

- torqued and re-torqued the wheel spacer bolts and the lug nuts in a star pattern, tightening all six on each wheel to 60 ft pounds first, then to 85 ft pounds. Again, no change.

More details... the truck is lifted about three inches, has the ECGS needle bearing replacement and I have a custom one piece rear drive shaft. The front wheel bearings are relatively new, only been on the truck for 15k miles or so. The shocks all have about 45k miles on them. The SPC UCAs and tires are brand new (less than 2k miles) and the LCAs, lower ball joints and tie rod ends are all OEM. The truck has 109k miles on it right now.

At this point, I’m leaning towards it being rear drive shaft related (maybe a bad U joint or the one piece shaft is out of balance), rear wheel bearings (no humming or noise at all though) or potentially something in the front suspension. I wouldn’t know where to start with a front suspension problem but the truck has felt a bit sloppy on the front drivers side ever since the new UCAs went in. I’m open to any and all suggestions because right now it’s hard to even drive the truck on the highway and I’m getting to the point where I’m considering selling it and moving on to something newer. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

 

If it’s a rear drive shaft, you should be able to shake it from underneath and get play at the U-joints (if they’re that bad).

Don’t have a loose cab mount? Transfer case is mounted right? No loose/missing bolts or broken welds on the frame or cross members? Leaf spring shackles are all tight? LCA bushings ok? Can’t think of anything else off the top of my head...

 

I was thinking about removing the rear shaft and driving the truck on the highway in 4H (essentially front wheel drive) to see if the vibration goes away. That should at least identify or eliminate the rear drive shaft as the culprit.

Other than that, I feel like I’d be guessing at it being anything else.

 

Who made these lights?

 

Once upon a time, I drove a ‘76 CJ5 around like that for 2 weeks. Just be especially careful making turns on pavement.

 

Subd for tree fort stickers

 

Theres a *started* 1st gen double cab for a great price near me. if one of you buys it then I can stop almost buying it.
@Breezy
@tacofort - to hold you over a couple years until the 4th gen

On FB marketplace.

 

Does the steering wheel shake more or your ass in the seat?
& how many miles on your driveshaft?

 

That green one? I’ve been eyeing it too

 

Yeah.
I'm legit considering buying it for the GF.
Also trying to talk some car friends into getting it.




































.... I need a fuckin DD

 

It’s more in the cab/seat than in the steering wheel. My teeth will literally chatter if I let them...

 

Unlikely to be in the front end then. But based on your mileage I'd say you are due for some LBJ's.
How many miles on your Driveshaft?
And how frequently do you grease the U-joints?

 

The custom one piece rear driveshaft went in about 20k to 25k miles ago and I don’t know if they greased the U joints when they built it. All I know is they used as much of the OEM two piece shaft as they could to construct the one piece. I have not greased the U joints since it was installed. But the truck did drive very smooth when it was installed.

 

I would recommend a greasing... and if I read that right, that means you likely have oem U joints in there still?

 

Not entirely sure, but most likely. I’d have to crawl under there and see what they look like. I also don’t own a grease gun so... I’ll have to either buy one or take it somewhere.

 

The new ones I just installed or the projectors I just removed?

 

The ones you removed and want to sell. I like them but I’m in WA

 

I’m too lazy to ship.

 

I’ll ship them for you if you can fix this stupid vibration in my truck.

 

The green one with arb bumper and 210k miles. Looks clean