FJ-62 wheel wobble (1 Viewer)

[madsdad]

I've got a '89 FJ-62 that developed a severe vibration when driving above 25mph. As the wheel bearings had been a little noise for quite awhile, I figured they'd packed in. Monday morning, I went out and jacked up the front end and sure enough, the left front wheel rocked back and forth (top/bottom) a little over 1/8" of travel. As I had all the parts on hand, I went ahead and replaced the wheel bearings. The lock nut & adjusting nuts were fantastically loose, but the bearings didn't look bad when I got them out (although I haven't cleaned and really examined them yet).

Anyway, I got it all back together just in time to go to work, then drove the 1/2 mile to work to let the real mechanics bleed the brakes (I ran out of time). Vibration was still there.

Tonight, after work, I pulled the Cruiser into a bay and jacked up the front end again. Wheel movement is still there. WTF?

It seems that pulling at the bottom of the tire will move it in/out, but pulling on at the top of the tire doesn't get much movement at all. Looking around the back and wiggling things, the tire/wheel moves, as does the rotor disc. The backing plate and everything except the wheel/rotor seems solid and does not wiggle.

I'm at a loss. The only time I've seen something like this was when someone's lug nuts weren't tight, but that is not the case here.

Suggestions?

--Barry
St Louis
89 FJ62
82 FJ40 (getting a Gozzard)
78 FJ40 (rusting away)

 

[effjay60]

I'm thinking trunion bearings

 

[KLF]

Yup, it's the knuckle bearings. Might as well start prepping to do a knuckle job.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Yup, a rocking wheel noted at 12 and 6 o'clock (could be either wheel or trunion bearings) should be also checked at the 3 and 9 o'clock position which is more specific to wheel bearings.

 

[madsdad]

If it's a trunnion bearing, wouldn't the whole knuckle wobble as well, and not just the spindle & wheel?

Maybe I didn't get the wheel bearing pre-load tight enough. I'll redo it this evening, if I can.

 

[madsdad]

Was: FJ-62 wheel wobble... Now: HOLY CRAP!

I found out I didn't put enough pre-load on the left front wheel bearings, so I got those tightened up just fine.

Vibration still there.

Checked right front wheel bearings and found those loose, too. Tightened them up last week, as well.

Vibration still there.

Tonight I was finally able to get the Cruiser up on a lift to check the driveshaft. I was thinking that maybe the u-joints were carked. So there I was, messing with the driveshaft and the u-joints all appeared to be nice and tight. But still, there had to be SOMETHING that was making this awful vibration, and it pretty much had to be in the driveline....

And then...

I noticed that when I twisted the driveshaft, the rear flange moved but the differential flange didn't. Whoa! There was one bolt missing, and ALL three remaining bolts were really really loose, as in 'slop all over' loose.

I popped in a 10mm bolt and tightened everything down and took it for a test drive.

SMOOTH!! No vibration!

Now if I could only get the A440 to shift properly....

--Barry

 

[on2it]

Well tracked down. Congrats.