6lug steel balancing - lug or hub centric?

What brand are the tires? Are the valve stem dots lined up correctly?

 

To answer some of the questions posed:

-There has never been fix a flat used
-The tires are Firestone Destination LE2, in 245/75/26 (stock size)
-The tire shop that installed the tires and I returned the truck to 4 times, claimed on the last time to perform a Hunter Road Force balance. Whether they did or didn't, or did anything other than move my truck from one parking spot to another, I don't know.

I'll be picking up a bubble/static balancer later next week and hopefully next weekend I'll see for myself what the balance looks like.

 

if the truck wasn't shaking when u had the OEM Dunflops, and then u in stalled the Firestones LE same size I would say its the new Firestone tires that's causing this, it shouldn't take 4 tire balances and road force balancing to get new tires of the same size on steel rims not to shake or shimmy, also again have u had the front end aligned? this could be another area that could cause high speed steering issues, at least have them check the numbers they wont charge u for that.

 

What does that have to do with it?

 

Did an experiment this morning...

Put the truck up on jackstands, with the rear end supported by the axle. Started it up, turned off the traction nanny’s, accelerated to 70mph. Shaking was present - and this is with the front wheels at a complete stop. Working on the assumption that my issue is limited to a rear tire, I removed the rear wheels and reinstalled the lug nuts on the drums. Ran it to 70mph, no shake. I have long suspected one of the wheels as the problematic one due to the number of weights on it. I left that wheel off and installed the other rear wheel. Ran it to 70, no shake. This further confirmed my suspicions. I used a marker and marked the weight location and values on the suspect wheel (just for future reference) then I removed each weight - no weights at all on this wheel. I removed exactly 6oz of weights from this one wheel. I reinstalled the wheel, did my test again and observed no vibrations.

I’m going to take it for a jaunt down the highway in a bit to see how it fairs. I know my above experiment is Mickey Mouse way of doing things but I really had nothing to lose. I’ll report back after a road test.

And just for kicks, the below is a picture of the wheel resting on the hub. It is in contact all the way around, this is hub centric wheel. The lug nuts would center the wheel rotationally around the hub (you can see where I placed it the studs are not centered in their holes). However, the wheel is centered by the center bore restings snugly on the hub.

 

There is usually a marker on the tire of where the heaviest point is and that should be placed in conjunction with the valve stem either aligned or 180* depending on the tire brand.

 

Yea but since everyone RoadForce balance does that even matter anymore?

 

Just a follow up note, the truck drives considerably smoother with the rear driver wheel relieved of the 6oz of weights. It is no longer rattling me, but is not glass smooth. I’m more and more confident that this is the result of improper balance work and not a bent or damaged wheel or tire.

Hubcetric ring arrives today to allow the wheel to fit the Harbor Freight static balancer - which I still need to stop at HF to purchase, later in the week.

 

Your making progress, but honestly it sounds to me like you have a faulty rim or tire,

If you were my customer I’d remove the tire altogether and check the rim.

It all depends on the track record of the tires, when I worked for H,A & BMW we wouldn’t mount anything but Michelin’s... that’s it....

Just saw so many issued and we thought we saw less issues with Michelin’s. So management stepped in and said nope to anything, with one exception. We could get Kumhos for the smaller Civics, hahaha

 

Appreciate the input, especially given your background, the issue for me is that I’ve lost confidence in the tire shop that installed the tires and it’s also been the better part of a year. I want to see it through with the static balancer and see what that nets me. If it still has the vibes afterward I may just take it to Toyota for a balance/assessment.

 

Sounds exactly like what I went through... I even reached the point of getting rid of the truck. A year of anyone's time is worth considerable so I just broke down a bought the adapter and take it with me when my tires are balanced.
The Toyota bulletin was first issued in 1996 and appears below. As I mentioned earlier it gets periodically reissued and is still applicable.
Someone sent me a copy of a bit stronger language than that shown on the 1996 version that seems to have appeared sometime afterward making the adapter a mandatory tool. I have not personally seen this on Toyota letterhead and can't confirm so take it for what its worth.

"To ensure that Toyota and Lexus customers get a smooth ride for the life of their vehicle, Toyota has made the Flange Plate Adapter system mandatory to all dealers again...If the wheel is not balanced using the Haweka Flange Plate adapter system, the wheel could create an unnecessary and undesirable vibration in their vehicle."

 

Did you try putting the spare on in it's place?

 

Following up:

I picked up a Harbor Freight static balancer, assorted weights, and a hubcentric ring to adapt the Tacoma wheel hub bore to less than 4” so it would properly fit the balancer cone. That worked well.

I won’t go into detail about using the balancer. There’s a ton of YouTube info on it for anyone interested. I will say, make sure you have hours of time and patience. On/off the balancer so many times is a back breaker, these wheels are heavy, 2 people makes it lots easier.

Just returned from my test drive, happy to say it is improved to the point where I really have to question whether or not I can feel anything. I wouldn’t call it perfect, but it’s within my tolerance of acceptable.