Serious front wheel wobble when braking

I took a recent 400+ mile trip through the mountains. While descending a pass and applying the brakes the front wobbled ferociously .. I think a bit more than the common complaints I've read about concerning vibrations in the front suspension/steering etc.

It wobbled - shaking the steering wheel pretty darn good for a couple of times I applied the brakes on the downhill, then it stopped doing it and acted normally.

What gives? Any ideas?

My truck is a 2019 with 74K+ miles. I bought it used with not much less miles.

I am going to install the 2021 off-road shocks I bought from a forum member recently and will have to get an alignment afterwards, as I'm dropping the lower control arm to get the coilovers out. I will probably see at that time what is not right, maybe. I surely don't think it's a wheel. The tires are Hankook DynaPro HTs and I've been running Hankook tires on all my vehicles and as well when I drove for a Fed Ex ground contractor that is what we used on the truck that went all over Green River Moab La Sal area. Excellent tires.

The front has hit a solid object in the past that has dented the round thingy that people use to jack the truck up, it's in the center of the front crossmember. Not really a serious hit though.

The left front tire as viewed from behind looks like the camber is off but the truck has a full tank of gas sitting there in the driveway and it may make the left front look like that due to the well known sag. Not sure.

So, open to your thoughts and suggestions..

Thank you.

 

Actually now that I think about it the camber is off since the wheel/tire appears with the top of the tire farther out than the bottom. The taco lean would make it look the opposite.
So what would cause the camber to be off like that?

 

This has never happen to me, but the fact that you were using the brakes while descending a mountain makes me suspect an issue with the brakes. Were you overusing them to the point they might have over heated? Its best to use the engine to help slow the truck on long steep descents. If you have an auto, put it in s-mode.

It could also have been the road surface.

Alignment is not something I would suspect. Too much play in the front suspension joints seems more likely, but not on a truck as young as yours.

 

Could be a few things. 1) warped rotor - tend to be really noticeable on hard braking or when they get heated up as going down a mountain. 2) loose/damaged wheel lug(s) 3) loose hub 4) tire separating or damage. Get it checked by a shop. Did you get the truck inspected prior to purchase?

 

Thanks and no I was not over using them at all... I've done that drive a million times in my 93 Toyota Pickup and Toyota cars with no wobbly results. I know to use gears to decelerate as much as possible when possible.

No I didn't get a formal inspection prior to purchase. Anyone in the used market for a Taco today knows that the vehicle can dissapear to another customer if you decide to do that. The used market here is more ferocious than the wobble. I inspected it and it drove nice when I drove it and inspected it.

 

Any maintenance records of brakes ever being done? Could be a warped rotor as already mentioned.

 

Check the torque of the lug nuts.

 

First, you simply cannot eyeball camber. Even if you could, it would have nothing to do with your issue. My guess from what you described is that you over heated your brakes. Not something uncommon when in mountains driving an automatic. Beyond that without looking at your truck, it is impossible to know. Could be something in your steering and suspension is bad. Wheel bearings, worn parts, etc. No way to know and undoubtedly you will get every component guessed as being bad. You are really wasting your time guessing. Once you put your new coil overs on, get the alignment checked. They will check (or should) check all your parts before adjusting.

 

I have a 2019 SR5 and a few months back I was fully loaded (Heavy) for a camping trip to Oregon and we camped up in the Norcal Sierra at high altitude. Excited to get to Oregon... I may have descended the road a bit too quickly and my brakes were smoked at the bottom and a severe wobble when braking. After the rotors cooled it wasn't as bad (almost gone), but there is still some warping and wobble feel . I just ordered these, from what I've read the stock rotors are pretty weak. Theses should be an upgrade.

$192 Power Stop K137-36 Front Z36 Truck & Tow Brake Kit, Carbon Fiber Ceramic Brake Pads and Drilled and Slotted Brake Rotors For Toyota 4Runner FJ Cruiser Tacoma 6 Lug

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005UB8X94?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

 

Were you engine braking?

 

Yes, I was in sport mode too.

 

Only when hard braking? Most likely warped rotors.

 

...

 

Im guessing you didn’t use a low enough gear. I don’t have mountains near me, but I haven’t found a descent where I needed to ride my brakes. I do notice that a majority of drivers in my area do ride the brakes down descents though; judging by their brake lights.

 

Most likely the rotors. my SR5 does it too and i have not gone to a mountain or anything like that. Not sure if previous owner but on the highway if i use the brakes it shakes a lot.

 

I had a wobble I just bought my truck a few weeks ago with 65k km. They changed the drums its like brand new now

 

Warped rotors for sure. Swap in new rotors and get back to us with your results.

 

Will be much better, but will still have the OEM brake dive. You should have gotten 2" Bilstein 5100s to get rid of the dive.

This would be my guess too, especially with brake dive going downhill....

 

If the truck has the original pads n rotors, they are gonna be pretty worn down, and rotors likely need to be trued; replace or resurface accordingly.

 

Yeah I think you'all are right about the rotors and prolly brake pads need replaced.. the truck was used for towing by previous owner. Thanks for the replies