Intermittent Steering Wheel Wobble on Highway

Funny thing, I am at 17K as well and mine started doing this about two weeks ago. Around 60 it gets a back-and-forth on the wheel and you can feel vibration and it goes away around 75 (or is less noticeable really) and is non-existent at lower speeds. I am running stock wheels and Duratrac's for the last 12K miles without feeling the same issue. I will probably get it in here soon to dealership and have them tell me my steering wheel is bad or some stupid crap...but I'll update if I find a culprit.

 

Update as of yesterday and my 20K service (at 18K but took it early) I discussed with my service manager the bouncing that started about two weeks ago. I showed him video I took of the shake and speed, the tire pressure (starts at 34 goes up to 37-38) and it's at all pressures. He claimed it was a balance issue, I probably lost some weights and would have to charge me to re-balance all the wheels...after convincing since they had to take them off to rotate anyway they comped it and got to work. Called at lunch and said it was out of balance and they were taking it out for a drive to make sure they fixed it, picked it up at 1500 and drove home...it has less vibration but is still there. I am going to call them and say it's not fixed but it's not as bad so I will watch it and watch this thread to see if anyone else updates.

 

had this with my method wheels. googled and googled and tried to determine the cause.

16" methods with factory good years (didn't want to just toss them). first time out they shook. Took them back and they did a static balance (weight in the middle of the wheel vs each side). Sometimes this is the only option on deep dish wheels and big tires. was pretty smooth and no erratic shake on the highway.

fast forward and had them rotated. shake was back, but intermittent. (if imbalanced, would always be or not, not sometimes) shop did a balance, said they were all off. not sure how possible as no weights were lost. took it out, it was better, but still there especially at 65.

took it back and had a 'pro' do a dynamic balance again. he checked and said the tires were round and a good dynamic should do it. i stood there while he balanced each one. one wheel had almost 12oz on it. so he spun it 180* and it only needed 2oz. all of them were green on the dynamic balance. Took it out, same intermittent shake.

put my oem OR wheels on with the same tires. standard dynamic balance. Smooth as glass.

So what's the difference? My guess is the hub.

Though the methods are lugcentric and should center the wheel correctly (and confirmed this with the manager), i think something is still causing a slight uncentering of the wheel due to harmonics or possibly something else. with a hubcentric wheel, that slight ability to move due to harmonics or other issues is gone.

this is a known issue with tacoma's and 4runners. the steering racks are just very sensitive.

since i proved the wheels were the issue they were willing to accept the return. i've since ordered a set of wheels that are hubcentric to the tacoma at 106mm (or 106.1mm) and once i decide on tires, should prove my theory.

some as a workaround get 106 to 108 hub spacers but none i've found have decent reviews. Some have stated on this forum it's solved the issue, others report no change.

 

Hey man have you figured this out yet? I also have an intermittent steering wheel shake, but it’s around 30. It seems to happen a lot more often nowadays though.

 

No. I believe it is because my lug centric wheels were balanced on a hub centric machine without adapters. I am going to attempt a lug centric balance in a couple thousand miles.

 

Did you mean a lug centric balance?

 

Yup. Mis spoke.

 

Hey, I have a 2018 with 22,000 on it that just started having this same weird steering wheel wobble issue around 65mph. Alignment is good, just got the tires re-balanced, no change in wobble. One weird thing I did notice is when I put it 4 wheel and accelerated it goes away but as soon as i stop accelerating is comes back. Has anyone pin pointed anything new with this issue? It almost seems like a mini jeep death wobble which would be tie rod/ steering related I think?

 

My 5-lug Tacoma used to wobble like crazy when we bought it (used). We removed the 20" wheels, low-rider styled, that were lug-centric. We installed steelies that were 17" tear-offs from a Rav4 or a Highlander. These Toyota wheels are hub-centric. Now the major shaking is all gone. But I'm left with an occasional mini-wobble, like y'all, at speeds over 60, especially certain rough highway texture brings it on.

When I was deep in the internet one night, before I bought Toyota wheels and tires, I saw how some people are changing out a spring in the steering rack to stiffen up some valve in there. This is a fuzzy recollection but I think there is a TSB available on 4-runners or another vehicle that uses the same rack.

I'm not sure how helpful my rambling comment is. But I think there has got to be a way to fix this common yet occasional Tacoma wobble.

 

I'm getting this same mini-wobble in my 2019 with factory wheels and Goodyear Duratracks. Low miles on the tires so i don't think it's a balance issue? Ill inspect the steering components when it warms up a bit.

 

If it goes away when you go into 4 wheel drive, it is the needle bearing in the front diff. Google ECGS bushing (east coast gear supply). Pretty common. I recently changed mine for the ECGS. Check for play in your drivers side CV axle at the transfer case. If you can wiggle it, you'll want to upgrade from the needle bearing to the ecgs bushing.