spindle bushing (1 Viewer)

[chapel gate]

ive read all of the older threads relating to this.

a couple of days ago the bruiser started to vibrate from 40-70 mph, as mentioned in some other threads it feels like driving over the bumpy white lines on the motorway. i was going to do the knuckle re-build in the summer as grease has been oozing out of them since i bought the truck four years ago!

i decided to bring this forward so that i could change the spindle bushings as well, as the syptoms seemed to point this way. on inspection of the bushings there was plenty of grease on them and about a 16th" of play, one had a few score marks. in an ideal world i would change them as a matter of course. BUT over here they are £70 each! and funds are tight at the moment, if i was 100% sure these were the problem then fine, but to change them and not fix the problem would not be good...

any thoughts?

(edit) oh, i showed them to a main dealer toyota mech and he claims to have seen worse than this with no truck vibrations...

 

[NaterGator]

While you are at it I would pull your front driveshaft and inspect your u-joints to see if they dried up?

If the bushings pass visual inspection I wouldn't stop looking for the source of the problem because they probably aren't it.

 

[chapel gate]

i sort of discounted the UJ's as i grease them with every oil change, 5000 miles.

 

[NaterGator]

Is there any difference between on and off-throttle (power/coasting) response from the vibration?

 

[chapel gate]

no, the vibration is the same when coasting, a slight touch of the pedal will ease off the vibration a little.

 

[ThePookieBear]

Chapel- I also greased my u-joints religiously, but found that one of my rear joints went bad. I don't think the PO greased them very often, and one of the passages had become plugged leading to it developing a bad spot. I would check this as that solved my vibration problem.

 

[chapel gate]

whats the best way to check them pookie? theres no play in them, by hand. IME when they start to rattle thats when i change em

not long after i bought the cruiser the rear one started to rattle, i could see why as it was virtually impossible to get the grease gun on the grease nipple. was probable just left at services as too much trouble..

i didnt know that they could cause vibration.

 

[chapel gate]

just for information.

picked up the new spindle bushing today, sliding it over a new CV joint shaft there is about a 32nd of play, i was expecting a tighter fit than this, although this tolerance could be taken up by the grease.
have my doubts if this will solve the vibration, will see tomorrow.

 

[chapel gate]

i owe you two a pint!

it was indeed a UJ, the front one.

it was very badly worn, so much so that it must of wedged its self tight so that i couldnt feel the play by hand.

cheers.