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Steering Wheel Still Shaking

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by mystert, May 23, 2018.

  1. May 23, 2018 at 7:01 AM
    #1
    mystert

    mystert [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Eric
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    I am stumped about the steering wheel shake I get in my truck. When the pavement is smooth it doesnt shake, seems like the steering needs a damper like my buddys F250 has. Its a shake and not a vibration, the wheel turns right or left about a 1/8-1/4 inch. The truck has a new Cardone steering rack with inner/outer tie rods & poly steering rack bushings, Bilstein 5100 set at the top notch for 2.5" lift with stock TRD Sport springs, stock upper control arms. Ive had the tires balanced 5 times, had the truck aligned a few times. My caster is at 2.3deg, camber is .5-1deg positive, and a 1/16 of toe in. The brake rotors are true and straight and I have had the wheels rotated to see if they are causing it and it still shakes. Ive check the upper and lower ball joints and they are solid as well. The wheel bearings and needle bearing in the differential have also been replaced recently.

    Ive read here that with a 2.5" lift you need 3deg of caster. Might that be causing the truck to grab the grooved freeway and shake? The truck drives great other than the shake. No vibrations and drives straight, no changing lanes or anything. Feels like it needs a steering damper or something.

    And tires are 265/70R17 General AT2
     
  2. May 23, 2018 at 7:04 AM
    #2
    Bebop

    Bebop Old fashion cowboy

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    6inch lift sitting on bilstein coilovers. Lexus is300 studs in front to keep stock wheels, general grabber red letters, nfab front bumper.
    Why was the rack replaced? Was it an attempt to fix the shake or some other reason?
     
  3. May 23, 2018 at 7:08 AM
    #3
    mystert

    mystert [OP] Well-Known Member

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    It was leaking bad from the passenger side boot and the rack bushing on the drivers side was falling apart.
     
  4. May 23, 2018 at 7:24 AM
    #4
    TexasWhiteIce

    TexasWhiteIce Well-Known Member

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    Any video you can post?
     
  5. May 23, 2018 at 7:24 AM
    #5
    NOLA ItsNotOva

    NOLA ItsNotOva Well-Known Member

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    Have you tried jacking up one side in the front, and grabbing the wheel at 9&3 and 12&6, and pulling to see if there's any play? Something else could be loose. Only other thing I could think of would be bad balancing, bad tire, or bent wheel.
     
  6. May 23, 2018 at 7:53 AM
    #6
    mystert

    mystert [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I tried to upload a video from my iphone but it says incompatible file extension.

    I did grab the wheel as suggested and there isn’t any play. Ive had 2 different Evans Tire locations and Discount tire balance the tires and they didn’t find anything. I am stumped.

    What I find odd is how easy it is to rotate the wheels about the steering axis with the engine off. When I turn the wheels engine off in my car it requires much more force to rotate the tire and turn the steering wheel than in the truck. That’s a sports car with heavy steering though.
     
  7. May 23, 2018 at 7:55 AM
    #7
    ChadsPride

    ChadsPride Tacoma Owner & Enthusiast

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    Upload to YouTube and post the link
     
    Hellapeno likes this.
  8. May 23, 2018 at 8:01 AM
    #8
    mystert

    mystert [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Ill try that when i get home from work.
     
    ChadsPride[QUOTED] likes this.
  9. May 23, 2018 at 12:36 PM
    #9
    REDdawn6

    REDdawn6 Well-Known Member

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    Not going to help with the shaking but your alignment numbers should be caster +2.5+., 0 toe and 0 camber
     
  10. May 23, 2018 at 1:01 PM
    #10
    mystert

    mystert [OP] Well-Known Member

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    2.3 was the highest caster the alignment tech could get without throwing the camber to far out. I was in the shop and watched him adjust it all. I'm not a fan of zero toe, always had good luck with 1/32 a side, 1/16 overall.
     
  11. May 23, 2018 at 1:05 PM
    #11
    DirtJumper14

    DirtJumper14 Well-Known Member

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    Intermediate shaft possibly? What kind of wheels?
     
  12. May 23, 2018 at 1:25 PM
    #12
    mystert

    mystert [OP] Well-Known Member

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    The intermediate shaft u joint was tight when I replaced the rack a few months ago. There isn’t any noticeable slop in the steering. It’s very direct and responsive to driver input.

    I have FN/Konig wheels, 17x8.
     
  13. May 23, 2018 at 1:38 PM
    #13
    unixadm

    unixadm Well-Known Member

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    1. Hub centric wheels?
    2. Bad tire(s).
    3. Balancing five times does not mean anything. What kind of balancing are they performing? Same place performing the balancing? Have you had the wheels and tires checked for run-out and bad spots? Does rotating the tires front to back make any difference? Find a shop with a road force balancer.

    I had a steering wheel shake/wobble after my BFG AT KO2's were installed. The manager at Discount Tire took care of me after me returning and said he balanced them differently than the first tech did. It was NIGHT AND DAY better. I also installed hub-centric rings but didn't notice much of a difference.
     
    lo2hi and DirtJumper14 like this.
  14. May 23, 2018 at 1:55 PM
    #14
    mystert

    mystert [OP] Well-Known Member

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    1- Wheels are hubcentric
    2- They have about 10k on them now and no noticeable cupping or bumps.
    3- Two separate Evans tire locations, two balancing at each location. Last balance was at Discount Tire with a road force balancer, they said the tire wasn't out enough to rotate it on the rim. As per original post rotating the tires doesn't make any difference. I asked each time to check out the tires for issues and I can only assume they looked at them.
     
  15. May 23, 2018 at 3:20 PM
    #15
    unixadm

    unixadm Well-Known Member

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    Know anybody with another set of stock wheels/tires you can swap onto the truck that are known to be vibration free? Have you tried swapping in your spare for one of your front wheels? Which brand wheels? Are the lugs conical or the OE Toyota lugs?
     
  16. May 24, 2018 at 10:22 AM
    #16
    mystert

    mystert [OP] Well-Known Member

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  17. May 24, 2018 at 10:54 AM
    #17
    unixadm

    unixadm Well-Known Member

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    That's exactly what mind did with balancing issues on my 2015.
     
  18. May 24, 2018 at 11:01 AM
    #18
    DougSD

    DougSD Well-Known Member

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    Are tires cupped at all? My General AT2s DO this due to toe was out when I first got tires, now its worn into the tires and im screwed until I get new ones..I think the compound on the Generals is too soft
    Im in San Diego area also
     
    smw62891 likes this.
  19. May 24, 2018 at 11:08 AM
    #19
    smw62891

    smw62891 Well-Known Member

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    Exactly what I think my problem is. Also on board with this small shake. Everything else minus highway speeds is perfect
     
    DougSD[QUOTED] likes this.
  20. May 24, 2018 at 12:01 PM
    #20
    mystert

    mystert [OP] Well-Known Member

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    The thing is, it doesn't do it all the time, seems like it does it most on the freeway where it is grooved in the direction of road. I took that video this morning, I had the tires rotated three days ago when I got them rebalanced. I am thinking maybe its from the poly rack bushings?
     

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