suspension difficulty?

[I will NOT give up]

hey there,
seeking opinions here.
i have the lj78 prado. since i got it in May i have had an intermittment difficulty with what i believe to be the suspension on the drivers wheel.
when travelling at regular speed (50-80km) the wheel starts bouncing or wobbling. it makes the steering wheel shake in my hand, but if i steer right left it stops doing the bounce/wobble.
i don't think it is the tie rods, because after lifting the tire and turning the wheel back and forth, everything seems tight.
the fact that it doesn't do it all the time makes it hard to figure out what is wrong. if anyone has any ideas or has dealt with this problem before i would appreciate some help.
thanks all

 

[Ron R]

Does it have standard wheels or bigger?
Then if there is an unbalance they can start to shimmy. Probably the steering damper is shot as well.

 

[clintnz]

Kingpin bearings?
Wheel bearings?
Bent wheel?
Distorted tyre? -swap the spare on & see if the problem persists
Radius arm bushes?
Panhard rod bushes?

HTH
Clint

 

[I will NOT give up]

thanks for the ideas
the tires have been changed, but the problem was there before. still there if the tires are rotated as well.
no steering damper, steering comes out of the box to the front of the left tire via solid shaft, and from the back of the left tire to the back of the right tire also by solid shaft.
i will check the other suggestions and see what happens. if anyone else has any ideas, please throw them out here.
yo!

 

[Ron R]

thanks for the ideas
no steering damper, steering comes out of the box to the front of the left tire via solid shaft, and from the back of the left tire to the back of the right tire also by solid shaft.

Strange, assumed all types have a steering damper.
Should be fitted on a bracket (nr 45721B -lloks like 46721 in the picture) on the frame and the steering rod (nr45450 - looks like 46490))
Isn't it missing?

according parts list there should be one...

 

[prado t]

Ok, I have driven a few prados,this may sound funny or difficult to chew , before the trobleshooting begins have the wheel bearings, and suspention bushings panhard rod front trailing arms ALL been checked, including the king pins. This steering wheel shake happens when the vehicle is warming up or all the time. Has there been a proper wheel allignment done to it? Anyways mine and the others that I have driven when comming out of a slight turn, then going straight I have noticed the steering wheel moving back and forth about an inch but not vibrating harshly Well the 10 or so I have driven all do that , I have no reason why but I know it happens if it IS THE same problem, In the 120,000 km that I have driven mine there has been no abnormal wear, to any parts

 

[prado t]

Like Ron R says it is stange that you dont have a steering damper, that might make it more bareable

 

[I will NOT give up]

ah, THAT steering damper
well, thanks again for the suggestions all. i will try to work with it this weekend, and if that does not do it i am going to send it to the shop. that actually may be a better idea if i can't even find the steering damper.

 

[Ron R]

ah, THAT steering damper
well, thanks again for the suggestions all. i will try to work with it this weekend, and if that does not do it i am going to send it to the shop. that actually may be a better idea if i can't even find the steering damper.

Well.....there is a 'first time' for everything.......I think