Odd Vibrations…

While driving at normal rates of travel, in our 02 SR5 AC Tundra, not braking, and also while coasting, I’m getting a rough, light vibration….

It’s feels almost like the difference between a drill motor and an impact driver….

Wondering if it could be drive shaft, wheel hubs, or…?

Does not seem to be engine related, as it occurs either under throttle or idleing, and just had the wheels and tires rotated and balanced.
And it had the same vibrations before balancing as well. ( That was my first thought)

Does not seem to be an alignment issue as it tracks quite normally, with no side pulling at all…

Actually had not noticed if the vibration ceases with braking or not.

Current mileage around 240k miles…

Thoughts?

 

Vibration in the seat or steering wheel?

 

Can’t recall, really… it’s kinda slight but obviously present…
Does that make sense?
What might it be for either?
Seat = shaft?
Steering = hubs?

 

Had to change the driveshaft in my wife’s sienna this week. Vibrations were only under load and not coasting. Rear U joint was toast. Vibrations were felt throughout the van but not steering wheel

 

Seat = rear suspension
Steering wheel = front suspension

 

Uhmmm? Do you mean like shocks?

 

2wd or 4x4?
Any work done before it started?

Check trans mount bolts, & if 4x4 when you grease the driveshaft check to make sure it was put back together correctly.

 

Shocks, driveshafts, wheel bearings, tires, anything to do with suspension and driveline.

 

We’re 2WD, No know previous work, recently just bought it…
I had asked before about lubing the drive shaft, and it was suggested that my model does not have zerks.

I’m currently in my seventies an it’s tuff on an old phatt guy to crawl around under there, lol!!!

 

I think 2wds suffer from vibration when the trans mount gets loose.

Jack the front up & give the front wheels the wiggle test.

 

So…? If it passes those three wiggles, then it’s in the rear end?

 

My vibration was cause by my brakes slightly dragging. Had a leak inside the master cylinder.

the tie rod end wiggle is best done jacking up one side at a time.

sorry pretty much all the troubleshooting i can think of needs be be done under the truck.

 

Thx! Interesting point, a side issue I thought would be unrelated, but you mentioned it… brakes… As I mentioned in the op, the vibration occurs without touching the brakes… but I can’t say it goes away or gets worse when braking…

Ya see, there is a longer than I’d prefer pedal stroke before engagement and I was thinking maybe have a shop replace and bleed the brake fluid as a hopeful fix for the long stroke… (bubbles, etc…)

hummmm?

 

Wait, did I read correctly above: It happens while idling stationary and while driving?

 

When he said idleing i think he meant coasting.

 

If it's vibration while in motion, one big determining factor can be whether the vibration starts/stops in one of the following conditions:

• Starts during acceleration
• Starts/stops when you let off the pedal (i.e. begin coasting)
• Starts/stops in specific speed ranges
• There are a couple other cases I'm not thinking of because brainfog

Based on the confusing explanation above, what I'm interpreting from OP's symptoms is we've got a bad u-joint afoot. OP can grab on either side of each u-joint while under the truck and attempt to grab the driveshaft on either side of the u-joint and push each hand in opposite directions to check for play in the joint (some play is normal at carrier bearing, so don't overreact if found)

 

Interesting illustration. Thank you! I'll want to check mine next time she's up!

 

yeah I meant while coasting at idle throttle speeds…

in the mean time I’ve watched a few videos and the hubs may be more than I can do…

but I might be able to do the carrier bearing…

I’ll go out and check the drive shaft tomorrow and also check for zerks…

 

2wd do not have zerks

 

From the factory

If they were ever replaced along the way, it is possible that greaseable ujoints were installed. Definitely worthwhile for the OP or his shop to take a look.

It does sound like a bad ujoint somewhere.

 

If any of the wheel bearings are failing, they are typically noisy before showing signs of significant play.

Once I had a bad tire, it had a slight vibration at all speeds and more noticeable when going 50+. It always balanced out perfect on two different machines. When I finally broke down and replaced the set with only 30k miles, the vibration was gone.

Just something to keep in mind, new tires that balance good don't always mean vibration free.

 

I have a new set on mine that seems to vibrate when cold, but it goes away when all warmed up. It didn't seem to do that when brand new just installed. I definitely know it is a tire because when I moved her back, she stops vaping at the front.

Sam balanced them, but didn't remove to have a peek inside it isn't bad by any means, but you can see the wheel vibrate and water in the bottle looks like dinosaurs walking in Jurassic park movie. Anyone remember that scene?

 

Hi guys! I want to apologize for getting everybody excited or whatever!
But, first off I’m lazy and old, so it’s really tuff for me to get motived enuff to get up off my ass and go out there to check the truck.

maybe I’m borderline agoraphobic, but I actually have not even been out of the house since last Thursday…. I no, I no…

I promise to update as soon as I get out there.

Thank you all for the assistance and help for us!!!

 

Yay! I actually got out there today and gave the center support bearing a little shakie - shakie…

imho it wiggles but not enough to replace?
( I took a video clip with the iPhone, but it says the video does not have an allowed extension… I’ll try a few other things to get it uploaded for you all…)

also I did not put a wrench to the trannie cross member, but it seems tight enough to be good to go…

so, I guess, next step would be a shop to check other things with a lift

 

If you go to www.imgur.com and drag/drop the video into that site, then link us to the resulting page, it should auto-embed here.

 

Looks like Imgur worked…

https://imgur.com/a/QEXYAMR

 

That's just as much play as my low-mile carrier has. But I also see you've got a tear there at 6 o'clock...

 

Yeah, I noticed that. Does that in itself warrant a change?

or???

AND Sir Shifty, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND SKILL SHARING WITH ME HERE!!! I really do appreciate all your help!!!
Your the best!!!

 

No sirs here. Just shifty.

The boot is there for a reason: To keep things in, and to keep things out. For something like that, simple tear, you can actually clean it up really ell and use galvanizing bike tire patches to mend it. But the gist is, if it's not making noise, no need to replace (yet).

I reckon Toyota's take would be diff't though: Boot is torn, replace. I just personally wouldn't ... yet.

 

Thx! I was leaning that way as well…

I’m thinking my next step is to take it somewhere for a checkup and opinion seeking…