Vibration Help (1 Viewer)

[Supra88]

I'm experiencing some serious vibrations, to the point where it is physically uncomfortable to drive. To make this more difficult several factors were changed before the vibrations started to happen. I hoping to get some help to find the root cause of this problem. The vibrations are intermittent, you can feel them throughout the car (passenger can feel them), they tend to be worse when hitting a bump.

Here's what's changed:

New wheels/tires (Rock Warriors with 285/70/17 Nitto RGs)
New SPC UCAs

Here's where it get's interesting:

The 200 had several botched alignments after the SPC UCA install. One shop on the first try didn't tighten the LCA bolts tight enough and the drivers side LCA slid and sheared off the cam alignment tab. The second try they moved the axle way too far forward and admitted that they torqued the LCAs while the load was off the car. So the concern is did they damage the axles or destroyed the LCA bushings.

I rotated the rear wheels to the front and it made no difference.

I have ARB front and rear bumpers, ARB sliders, and an approximate 2" OME lift.

So the question is, is it the LCA busings, axles, wheels, something else?

Attaching a pic of the busings.

Thanks!

 

[afgman786]

Does it feel like death wobble?

 

[Supra88]

Does it feel like death wobble?

No definitely not the death wobble. It's an intermittent strong vibration that feels like a series of punches you can feel in the seat of your pants.

 

[Supra88]

Just noticed this on the rear drive shaft. Am I missing a balance weight here?

 

[afgman786]

Just noticed this on the rear drive shaft. Am I missing a balance weight here?

View attachment 2424376

definitely looks like you're missing a weight there..

You could test that theory by removing the drive shaft and driving with CDL to see if its gone..

 

[Supra88]

definitely looks like you're missing a weight there..

You could test that theory by removing the drive shaft and driving with CDL to see if its gone..

That's what I was thinking. Can someone check the rear driveshaft to see what that feature is before I try that?

 

[Sandroad]

I just crawled under my truck and looked at my rear DS. The 2 balance weights are small flat/curved rectangles that look like they would fit that spot on your DS. The paint peeling off on yours also looks like where the weight might have been fastened. I'll bet removing the rear DS will solve the vibration, because a missing weight would explain the symptoms.

 

[Supra88]

Awesome thanks for checking on that. Wow I just crawled under the truck to do a quick check to see if I was missing an obvious reason for the vibration. Lucky the drive shaft was oriented in the location so I could see it. Otherwise I'd be swapping out axles and LCAs!

 

[Supra88]

Okay guys after further inspection I think this was just a sticker. There's a weight on each end of the driveshaft and this mystery square. I don't see any evidence of a spot weld on the surface, so I think it isn't a weight. Back to the drawing board.

 

[Supra88]

Went and had the wheels/tires rebalanced. The problem did not go away.

The tire shop manager suggested removing the Spydertrax spacers, thinking those were the culprit.

I'm back to thinking the LCA bushings are shot. The vibrations seem to the worst at low speeds. It's definitely speed dependent, so I'm thinking I can rule out axles.

Has anyone had vibration issues with SPC UCAs? I followed their directions and used their supplied washers on the outside of the arms. I did torque them with the weight off the vehicle as they said it does not matter.

Thoughts?

 

[Cruisin911]

I'm not so quick to dismiss the tire shop manager. Pull the spacers off and see what it gets you. Thats where my money is.

 

[afgman786]

If the spacers were new to all the changes... could be worth a try. Unless you've always had them on.
If it's speed dependent the issue lies somewhere in the drive line...

 

[Supra88]

If the spacers were new to all the changes... could be worth a try. Unless you've always had them on.
If it's speed dependent the issue lies somewhere in the drive line...

Spacers were already on and fine before this. I'll pull them off to verify.

Any way to test the axles other than just swapping them out?

 

[afgman786]

Spacers were already on and fine before this. I'll pull them off to verify.

Any way to test the axles other than just swapping them out?

I still got a suspicion that the pic you sent of your DS is the culprit... I'm heading down to GA in the 200 in a couple hours and will have a bay to properly lift the 200 and see exactly what that is you're missing from your DS. But I feel like that was also a weight to help balance everything.

Are you thinking your front axles because of the jacked up alignments you had?

 

[Supra88]

I still got a suspicion that the pic you sent of your DS is the culprit... I'm heading down to GA in the 200 in a couple hours and will have a bay to properly lift the 200 and see exactly what that is you're missing from your DS. But I feel like that was also a weight to help balance everything.

Are you thinking your front axles because of the jacked up alignments you had?

That would make the most sense since I feel the vibrations in my seat not in the steering wheel. That would great if you could check that out for me.

Yes on the alignment woes. But, I don't hear any noises from the axles and I would think that Toyota wouldn't allow that degree of LCA movement if it could damage the axles.

 

[afgman786]

That would make the most sense since I feel the vibrations in my seat not in the steering wheel. That would great if you could check that out for me.

Yes on the alignment woes. But, I don't hear any noises from the axles and I would think that Toyota wouldn't allow that degree of LCA movement if it could damage the axles.

I didn't get to put her on a lift, and don't see stopping by my cousin's lot to use his lift.

Crawled under the truck and felt around the driveshaft. Is that spot close to the front, in line with almost the front end of the gas tank? Also is the spot in question, about 2 fingers wide and could be covered with front 2 knuckles for length? If so I have a weight there. It is on the top of my DS so I couldn't get a picture. But based off your picture, my measurements line up with the darker shaded square it left behind.

 

[Supra88]

I didn't get to put her on a lift, and don't see stopping by my cousin's lot to use his lift.

Crawled under the truck and felt around the driveshaft. Is that spot close to the front, in line with almost the front end of the gas tank? Also is the spot in question, about 2 fingers wide and could be covered with front 2 knuckles for length? If so I have a weight there. It is on the top of my DS so I couldn't get a picture. But based off your picture, my measurements line up with the darker shaded square it left behind.

Thanks so much for checking.

There should be a weight close by the zirk fitting. I have that one. The square I'm taking about is about 6" further down towards the back of the vehicle. It's in line with the first radius of the gas tank as it widens. Wonder if that's what you're referring to?

 

[chilibit]

What happens if you put it on a two post lift and gradually increase the rpm's? It only has to be high enough to get the wheels off the ground. I had to replace an out of balance driveshaft on the 80. It was a bit tricky to find the problem. If one wheel starts to 'bounce' be careful it does not touch the ground. Why would we expect two driveshafts to have balance weights in similar positions?

 

[afgman786]

Thanks so much for checking.

There should be a weight close by the zirk fitting. I have that one. The square I'm taking about is about 6" further down towards the back of the vehicle. It's in line with the first radius of the gas tank as it widens. Wonder if that's what you're referring to?

Yes that's where I was trying to explain as well

 

[Supra88]

Yes that's where I was trying to explain as well

So just to verify, you have a weight close the zirk and another one about 6" away?