Help! Spacer lift, now vibrations

Hi All - I'm embarrassed this is my first real post, but it is what it is....

I had the below spacer lift professionally installed yesterday on my 2019 Tacoma TRD OR double cab. As well as installation, alignment was done. Lastly, I'm running the stock wheels and tires.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/123466420010



I love the look, but since install, the truck has developed a vibration that I can feel in both the steering wheel and floor board. On three individual rides (the only rides since install) the vibration is present from when I start the truck (cold) until I go approximately 10 miles. After 10 miles (warmed up) it's gone. Alternatively, if when driving during those first 10 miles when the vibration is present, I flip the truck into four wheel drive, the vibration goes away. Flip the four wheel drive back off, and the vibration comes back.

I reached out to the manufacturer of the lift and they have been super responsive with great customer service. They advised that it might be best to remove the drop-diff. I pulled the skid plates and the drop-diff tonight, but the vibrations are still present.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Currently not feeling so hot about the money spent...

Thanks in advance,
MJA

 

Welp that stinks. Are you saying the vibration is there when sitting still idling?

 

Your going to get lots of responses telling you to take off the kit and buy some $2k suspension system. Thats not helpful for you though.

Since you are at the 3 inch mark, go out on a straight road, and put it in 4wd. If the vibration goes away then its the front needle bearings.

 

Sounds like needle bearings to me

 

How did I not even see that he did the 4wd thing already... guess I was looking for the number 4 and not the word.

 

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-8536125-toyota-8-clamshell-bushing-eliminates-needle-bearing.html

 

No, only when moving. It kind of sounds like a bad wheel bearing, it's a waa waa waa.....waa waa waa.....waa waa waa.

Tell me more about these needle bearings please. I've only owned the truck for three months.

Also, is it Ok to drive in it's current state?

Again any help is hugely appreciated.

 

maybe shims maybe not. I dunno. I leave em' stock. Maybe needle bearing.

 

its a hit more miss with the needle bearing... guess you got hit with it...

 

Thanks for the responses. So, I have the 100,000 mile or 10 year comprehensive warranty on this truck. Would this cover the needle bearing replacement or would Toyota see the new lift in place and say, "Sorry bub...this is the cause of your problem" I.e., I should probably have the needle bearing replaced elsewhere... Any advice would be great.

And lastly, this thing is safe to drive like this for awhile, no?

 

They’re probably going to say it’s caused by the lift. And you might be SOL

 

With a 2” lift in the front and 1.5” rear, I had similar issues. First I did the ECGS bushing and it made a HUGE difference in eliminating the rhythmic vibrations you are describing.

The bushing did not completely solve the issue so I did the OME carrier bearing drop. This also eliminated many remaining vibrations.

At certain speeds I can still slightly feel some vibes but it’s barely noticeable. These trucks are very finicky once you start modifying them.

In the near nurture I’ll also be upgrading my UCAs to get the alignment back to exactly where it should be and my hope is it’s completely dialed in at that point.

Good luck with this and don’t expect the dealer to do anything given you’ve modified the suspension.

 

Yea, safe to drive but know that the longer you wait, the more pieces the original needle bearings may be in.
Research East Coast Gear Supply front differential bushing. Read the posts, watch the videos and decide if you can do the repair or maybe a local TW member can help you (there is a special tool that makes it easier).
Warranty will not help, the issue is because of the lift.
Good luck, and welcome to TW!

 

I know everyone always points to the aftermarket bushing in the front diff and a lot of times this fixes the problem , but anytime you change the height of a vehicle , you also change the driveline angle .
I would also be looking at universal joint operating angles .
Although this thread below is in the second gen fixes , the same physics apply to 3rd gen trucks .
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/just-fixed-driveline-vibration-for-free.153050/

 

If you decide to do the bearing yourself there’s a loaner tool TW has been passing around if you can find the post. (it sounds scary but relatively simple paired with a YouTube video)

 

Thanks for all the information, fellas. Super useful. I went out and put a hand on the driver's side CV axle and gave it a tug. It does have a little movement there compared to the passenger side. All indicators seem to point to the ECGS bushing replacement. For the ECGS replacement "special tools" are being noted. Are these special beyond the pullers my local mechanic has in his shop already? I was going to go ahead and purchase the bushing today. Any insight before I pull the trigger would be great. Thank you again for this hand-holding. I appreciate this community already!

 

Yes, the special tools being referenced are simply puller and install tools. Some members on the forum have made their own or gone without so it’s not necessary, just makes it easier. If you have a mechanic that is going to be doing this, he might already have something that fits the bill!

 

Thanks for this response. I'm going to watch the videos later today to see if it's something I want to try on my own, but good to know my local mech. can be my big-gun backup.

 

I ran into the same issue you're having in my '15. Had a Bilstein 5100 lift installed at a local shop and had vibes after. I found a TSB for the needle bearing issue and brought it in to the dealership. I didn't say anything about a lift and they didn't ask. They replaced the needle bearing free of charge and never said a word about anything and the issue was fixed. I couldn't believe it then and I still can't believe it actually happened now.