Is this normal?

New Tundra owner.
I have owned Silverados for the last 20 years. The ride of the chevy truck is something that I always liked, similar to a car ride at least until the tie rod inevitably wore out.
No worries $150 have it replaced and back to the smooth ride. It is rare for me to be in the same truck for over 100K miles. Sell it and get a new one when approaching 100K.
Well I always wondered about the legendary Toyota reliability so I thought I would buy one instead of the Chevy this time.
Bought a 2017 Tundra SR5 double cab with the 5.7 in Janurary 2018. Yep, I buy the previous year model to get the best deal possible.
First test drive there was a wild shimmy when applying the breaks, salesman said he would fix it. He said this happens some times when the truck has been sitting for a long time on the lot without use. Next test drive process consisted of running a few miles up and down the highway in front of the dealership. Appeared to have fixed the problem. The steering was a little looser and the ride a little rougher than what I was used to in my Silverado but not horrible. My wife liked the back seat and amount of cabin space.... so what the heck made the buy. Well Im starting to think this was a big mistake.
First time out on I95 for a long drive I quickly noticed the shimmy at 65 and above, bouncing around on an admittedly rough road, cabin noise, and seemingly endless vibration in the steering wheel and all parts of the truck being touched. I mean this ride will wear you out just from the jiggling of your insides over a hundred miles.
Took it back to dealer and they said tires out of balance causing shimmy over 65 but all other complaints are normal. Well that appeared to fix the shimmy problem. However, I cannot help but notice how it seems every crack in the road can be felt in the steering wheel and also translates to vibration everywhere in the truck at all speeds. The truck does not pull in any direction and brakes fine. It is just a rough ride.
Im not trying to talk down or up either of the trucks/brands. Perhaps some people like to feel the road in the steering wheel and the stiff ride in general. So I am not cutting down the Tundra, after all I own one for now.

Just would like to know from other Tundra owners if this is normal and expected?
Thanks in advance for any reasonable responses.

 

I would have to say not normal. Mine drives and rides great.

 

I’ve had 2 Tahoes and a Suburban. Traded a 2013 Tahoe in on my Tundra. My first impression was that the Tundra ride was at least as good which surprised me going from an SUV to a pickup even with my Tundra having AT tires. I will say that there are a couple of bad roads back home in Louisiana that made me almost miss my Tahoe, but overall have been very pleased. I’d say you’re ride is not normal.

 

100% normal. Tundras drive like old trucks lol. The platinums ride a little softer but for the most part tundra won’t hold a candle to how the other brands ride and the features they come with. Only thing that Toyota has on them is reliability ratings. People are screaming for an update but all Toyota does is refresh. Same frame, engine, and suspension from 2007

 

I do not have any shimmies, rattles, cabin noise, etc. in my 2016. That doesn't sound right at all IMO.

 

I've test driven a few tundras and now own a 2016, and I want to say it's normal. Especially if you have AT tires.

 

Not normal....I'd check the balance on the tires...I can go 70+ in mine with no vibrations or issues at all....

 

I’d say not normal I’ve had mine 70+ and no issues ride is smooth as butter
I do have pro suspension not sure if the ride is going to be a huge difference that would allow yours to shake and shimmy
Hope it all works out

 

Ride quality is subjective but any shimmy is not normal.

 

The shimmy during braking and at highway speeds is not normal. I've had mine (2016, stock 1794 edition, no sway bar) up to over 90 mph without any vibrations coming through the steering wheel. Seems like you still have a tire balance or alignment problem. As for the ride comfort there are stretch of highway around here (Interstate 405 near UCLA) that makes mine feel like it's trying to give me a whole body massage. The highway was laid down with a surface irregularity and it just happens to be very close to the Tundra's suspension natural frequency. I had an Acura RL before and it got bouncy but not like the truck. I'd suggest you test drive another Tundra and if possible take it down a road you have driven your Tundra on. Then you can make a better comparison.

 

I have the TRD Off road package and the ride is definitely a bit bouncy compared to my 2008 Silverado, It took me a while to get used to it, what you can do is go to the dealer and ask to test drive another truck with the same equipment as yours so you can compare them.

 

Check the tire pressure to make sure some ass hat hasn't over inflated the tires if you are feeling every crack in the road.

 

are you driving on a concrete highway? going over the expansion joints can cause a ridiculous amount of vibration. in texas, my ride on the highway is smooth, but when I drove out to California recently, those concrete highways caused massive vibrations throughout the truck.

 

Agree on tire pressure and balancing. Mine gets rough over 35. However, I am wondering why all of a sudden the forum is getting all these "My old Ford/GM was great because of..... and I wish I hadn't bought a Tundra because of.... " posts. Seems like Ford and GM have hired some trolls to take down the Tundra. To the OP if you are not a troll I apologize but it does seem weird how you feel compelled to say how great your other truck was in your long preamble. Why not just ask your question without the Tundra....just saying?

 

I agree with this. It is all subjective at some point.

If you let someone else drive your Tundra and clearly they're complaining also then obviously you have an issue.

 

the rides in GMs, et al, are smoother because they probably figure the thing is never going to make it to any kind of off roads so they soften it up to make it feel more like a car. there's a reason why Toyota's rule in third world countries and you hardly ever see ISIS driving anything but.....even those guys want durability and functionality.

 

I have an 08 SR5 and it's pretty smooth. Rougher than my van was, and definitely not a car as you described the GM. I drove a friends 2016 GMC extended cab 4x4 for a weekend, and I would say my Tundra was close to identical.

 

Definitely doesn't sound normal. Before I bought my Tundra I test-drove a Sierra and it was admittedly a much smoother, less "truck-like" ride, but my Tundra rides nothing like you're describing. That issue could very well be why that particular 2017 was still on the lot in January. I'd keep taking it back until it's fixed, or else pursue a buyback if it doesn't get resolved.

 

Yes, I usually look at what ISIS is driving before I make any vehicle purchasing decisions.

 

My 2017 TRD drives like a dream... no shimmy/ shakes etc...

 

Mine too.

 

If you drive on concrete roads that might be your issue my truck drives great on pretty much any road except highways with concrete and I have done the 2012 tsb

 

Thanks for all of the responses. Here is my update:

Nope not a troll, just a first time Tundra owner and wondering about the ride. It is not BS, the 2011 Silverado rode like a dream compared to my 2017 Tundra. Chevy had other issues but the ride was not one of them. So, Im not talking up the chevy otherwise would not have bought the Tundra.

It is not a TRD and as far as I know it is stock suspension.

It is 2 wheel drive, so off road is not a concern for me.

Now has 1,400 miles on it, still rough and not getting "different". Wont say "better" because i cannot be sure it isnt normal.

I went to a local dealer, not the seller, and test drove a 2018 SR5. Could not find one that is NOT 4x4 within 200 miles of me. Oy. So not quite same same comparison. The 2018 felt tighter in the steering wheel and the ride better. But, still a stiff ride. Overall better though.

Others here mention the ride subjective. I agree.

Yep, one of the dangers of buying previous year models is getting the runt left on the lot. There might well be a good reason it was still on the lot waiting for a sucker to come along.

Next steps:
- Going to ask a friend who has an older Tundra to test drive mine. Will not tell him in advance my concerns. Just want his impressions.
- Looking around for an independent mechanic that knows Tundra to have a look at it.

If it can be fixed then I want to do that, whether something i pay for or dealer warranty. If it is normal, well, unfortunately I will look at going back to a new Chevy and taking the loss on the Tundra.

I am really trying hard to like the Truck. It is stressful though each time I ride in it and feel the vibrations thinking, but not knowing, there is something wrong.
It was my hope to spend that kind of money on a new truck and look forward to climbing into every day and enjoying it for years to come. I felt that way when I bought my last truck and want that feeling back.

Thanks for all of the input. This forum is great. Will post again after learning more.

 

Welcome to the forum!
Like mentioned above, check your tire pressures first. Set them to the pressure on the door label, not the max psi on tires. I have a '17 SR5 DC 4X4. I didn't think the ride was that bad in mine, but I don't mind a truck riding like a truck either. I did change the shocks on mine to Bilstein 5100's to level it out. Both my wife and I noticed an improvement in the ride. Factory shocks on the non-TRD trucks aren't that great.

I once owned an '81 Chevy 3/4 ton 4X4 with HD suspension (farm truck). I guess I've compared all of my trucks since then to the ride of that '81. Everything rides better than that one did. That was one tough truck though.

 

How about a few pics of this new Tundra? Also check your tire pressure...are they over inflated or inflated to specs? A really high tire pressure will contribute to a rougher/firmer ride.

 

I have had a 2016 and now a 2018. No shimmies or shakes. I think you have some shit tires.

 

For what it is worth, I just hit 10,000 miles on my truck. Bought new in April 2017. Rode awesome but admittedly harsh depending on psi. I just rotated the tires and now have a noticeable shimmy at 60 mph on highway. I am assuming it is fire balancing. I can also notice ride quality in as little as a 5 psi swing in my tires. Balancing, alignment and tire pressure have a huge impact on the ride of these trucks. I’d take it to a legit tire shop (not a dealer or local mechanic without the latest balancing and alignment tools) and have them do a full balance and alignment, first, then take it from there.
Also, you will notice a much more responsive ride if you install front and back sway bars - assuming you don’t have them already.

 

ride is definitely a bit stiffer compared to a Silverado, but I like it, it feels more "solid", I think is just a matter of getting used to it, if you are still not happy, check your warranty book, Toyota provides you with a number you can call in case the dealer is not able to fix your issue, they have great customer service. I can tell you that I love my Tundra, it does not have all the new technology belts and whistles like the new trucks do, but honestly I do not care about that, like I said, the truck feels "solid" and has a LOT of power, I tow a 9K trailer and it does it flawlessly. Overall I'm very happy with it. just my 2 cents.