I don't claim that this is the problem w/tundra vibrations but I do know that a few 4Runners have encountered this provlem and others "in the know" at another board claim that Toyota wheels are not lug centric like most wheels, they are concentric (whatever this means). Anyway, it seems that when wheels are out of round and not balanced with a Haweka adapter the 4Runners run into this vibration problem. I thought I'd post this as I have not seen this particular issue of using the appropriate balancing adapter. Since the 4Runner is still produced in Japan this may absolutely NOT apply to the Tundra and may only be for Japan produced vehicles. .....
My understanding of the Toyota wheel issue is that Toyotas are not hub centric like most domestics. Most wheel balance machines center the wheel via the center hole, i.e. the hub. Toyota wheels are lug centric and may require an adapter for most balance machines that centers the wheel via the lug holes. My local tire shop had never heard of this. This is information that I have obtained from the net, so it may not be totally accurate either. Just thought that I would share the info. Toyota may be able to shed some light on this.
Normally, the way that a wheel fits on a hub is that the weight of the vehicle rests on the center of the wheel. Usually it is a rather precise fit with very little clearance. The function of the lug nut and bolts is to hold the wheel against the hub so that the weight of the vehicle is transferred from the vehicle through the hub to the wheel. I don't think that I would want a vehicle that depended upon the modulus of shear of the lug bolts to support the weight of the vehicle. Just my opinion.
You can tell by looking at the wheels of any vehicle if the hub or the lugs are supporting the vehicle. The center of the hub usually sticks out from the break drum or rotor hub. This protrusion goes through the center of the wheel. The back side of the wheel is sort of rolled in a curve into the hole for the hub. The hub is curved in a complimentary manner to accept the hub. The lug nut and bolt pull the wheel into the hub and forces the wheel to center on the hub. Neither the lugs nor the holes in the wheel need to be in perfect alignment for the wheel to be perfectly centered. However if the hole in the wheel is too large for the hub, centering of the wheel is anybody's guess.
I haven't been able to look at a Tundra that closely to tell. Perhaps you owners could look and determine if Toyota really is depending on the lug system for centering the wheel.
I bought a Tundra 2 weeks ago and had after market alum rims installed at the port by the dealer not knowingly. I told dealer I wanted factory rims with Dunlop 265 x16s and wanted them replaced ASAP. I found the aftermarket rims definetly had vibrations at 55-65. Now with the factory rims on they have almost eliminated the problem, still the center armrest shakes at 60 though a little. The steering wheel has none at all. I would recommend not having any other rims other than factory rims installed. I love the truck so far compared to the Dodge Yuckota I traded in. joedives@aol.com
Have the dealer add some more grease to the slip yoke on the drive shaft (just up from the differential). If there isn't enough, you may notice a "thump" sound when you come to a harder than normal stop, or as you release the brake. Also, the lack of grease may cause the driveshaft to spin at either an extended/shortened length - one which it may not have been balance for. As a result, when accelertating, or hitting even a slight bump in the road, the driveshaft will be out of balance - causing violent/excessive vibration that seems to stop when the vehicle comes to rest and starts again. Just a theory - give it a try.
erkm73, I don't understand the physics of what you're describing. I don't understand why there would be a rotational balance problem by merely allowing the drive shaft to position itself naturally on the splines. If that were the case, wouldn't all front engine / rear wheel drive vehicles have the same problem? Rich
As a Tundra owner that has a vibration on/off at 56-62mph. Several trips to dealer didn't seem to fix the vibration. Based on what I read on this topic, I would like to suggest to all of you who fortunately do not own a Tundra yet. Put your plan to purchase on hold until Toyota know how to build their truck. Definitely, their Eng didn't know enough to build a truck free of vibration. The vibration get worse when you tow a fishing boat.
I E-mailed Toyota's web page/ customer relations and asked if they knew what was causing the vibration problem, and what what was being done to eliminate it. Their response in part was:"If there were a common concern with the Tundra, Toyota would research the concern and possibly initiate a special service campaign. At this time there is no special service campaign for vibration on the Tundra." Yeah right.
I find it very difficult to believe their statement. If they are truely not aware of a vibration issue, then they should be fired. I am guessing that they are not acknowledging the problem because of the potential monetary liability they may incur for repairs if they did admit there was a problem. I bet that the cost accountants and lawyers figure the cost of repair would be higher than lost sales. I don't pretend to know the answer to that one. But I do know I am not going to buy what I believe to be an otherwise excellent truck, with a potential built- in problem. For me, I would be down to the showroom tomorrow if Toyota would just fess-up to the issue and tell everyone what is being done to deal with thie issue.
But given their apparent lack of candor about the problem, I see a Ford F-150 in my future.
If there is no special service campaign from toyota, how did I receive a new steering wheel? Toyota's service directive on steering flutter conditon improvements got me a heavier damped steering wheel. This did not solve my problem, but doesn't this imply acknowledgement of a steering wheel vibration by toyota?
I didn't mean to stir up a hornet's nest with my question and response from Toyota on the vibration problem ( and I am not a Ford salesman).They basically said they were not aware of any problem, which I found hard to believe.
I am a Toyota owner ( 1990 4 Runner, 115,000 miles) who likes everything about the Tundra, except for this vibration problem. I refuse to roll the dice and spend $28K for a truck that may have some sort of fundamental flaw. My point is that Toyota is being short-sighted by not coming out and acknowledging the problem, and saying what they believe the fix is. If they did, then potential buyers like me would be more receptive to further considering the Tundra. But I can't wait forever, and I am frustrated by this tact that Toyota is taking of just saying no problem exists. So, I will probably go to my second choice in a truck, the F-150.
I noticed the vibration on a test drive and when I pointed it out to the salesman he acknowledged he felt it to. He said he would have it checked out and that one of the tires may have been damaged in shipping. A few days later I returned and talked to some very honest mechanics, who just happened to be checking out the same truck I had test drove. I asked if they had taken it in the shop yet and they asked why. When I told them about the vibration their response was "they all do that" they also said that just about every Tundra they had sold had been back for the same vibration. They continued telling me that they could not fix it and that they had been sending them to a Cadillac dealership. They were not sure what the Cadi guys did to fix them but apparently the ones they had sent out did not return. Toyota is doing their best to keep this under raps but they know about it. The mechanics said that a "tech report" or something like that was supposed to be issued by Toyota that would tell the mechanics how to fix it. This was a few months ago, not sure if it was ever put out. I'll put my buying plans on hold.
I have joined the ranks of not very satisfied Tundra owners. The truck has about 400 miles on it and is a 4x2 SR5 with the P265s. It has started to shake/vibrate at about 60mph (sometimes). The last two times it happened, applying the brakes has caused the vibration to be about 10x worse. Scared me so much that I had it towed to the dealer. Of course, they can't reproduce the problem and are unaware of any other Tundras having this problem.
Got stuck with a lemon of a Ford one time - it's not going to happen with this vehicle. BTW this is my third Toyota and bought the Tundra because of the legendary Toyota quality...
It's too bad that Toyota won't fix or acknowledge the problem in any way. New Trucks should'nt do this. Anyone thinking of a purchase should look elsewhere.
What are the possible long term issues with this? Quicker and troublesome tire wear for sure, the big tires don't come cheap. Is there metal fatigue taking place over a few years worth of service that could cause a possible break without warning?
I'm going through arbitration over this issue right now. Thats how much of a problem this is to me. If this were a normal function of the Tundra, all of them would do it, not just 2 or 3 percent. read: 2,000 to 3,000 trucks.
Sounds to me that Tundra's how just too many problems. I'm either gonna wait till 2001 to see if they fix them, Get the F-150, or the Tacoma Double cab.
Understanding your reservations for purchasing a Tundra, what makes the F-150 your second choice?
We are looking for a full-size,, extended cab pick up, but we don't want to get a vehicle with a built-in problem, either. However, we have found the F-150's to be a little un-exciting. We like the ergonomic interior, but even the larger V8's sound like they are herniating themselves when put to the task of merging onto a freeway or going up a minor incline.
So, I was curious as to what about the F-150 made it attractive to you.
I purchased my Tundra in July of last year and I suppose this makes me one of the first Tundra owners! ONE WEEK after I purchased the Tundra I had it back to the dealership where I bought it!
To make a VERY LONG story short, I visited THREE dealerships in OKC and I finally found one (Not the dealer from whom I purchased the Tundra from) dealership who REALLY wanted to help me!
As I sat in the service managers office for over an hour AND listened to him talk to a regional manager about the vibration problem, he privately handed me a MEMO from Toyota concerning the center console vibration AND the steering wheel vibration problems! They are called TSN's!
Toyota KNOWS about the problem but it will cost them more to fix it than not to fix it! TRUST ME!!! They know of the vibration problem! They also know of SEVERAL other problems!!!
Luckily my vibration problems were solved at my own expense! My truck rides like a dream! Hopefully, reliability will get better with the Tundra!
I have a list of problems that I've had with my truck! It SUCKS!!!
T100Todd, Can you e-mail me with your solution to the steering wheel vibration, if you had this and it was fixed? If I loose in arbitration, I would like to see about fixing my problem, even if it's at my own expense. Then, I'll turn around and submit my reciept to Toyota for reimbursment. Thanks.
My Tundra Limited had 32 psi in the tires (265x70x16s)and the manual calls for 26 front and 29 rear. That seems low. It might give a better ride, but what about wear and gas mileage? What's everyone running? The Dunlop web site said run what the OEM specifies. I'm sure they'de be happy to sell me a new set 20,000 miles down the road. Is there a good all around tire pressure which is best for gas mileage and wear?
No. The general idea is to maintain a uniform contact patch, constant surface area, for every payload.
That means you inflate them to higher psi when carrying load, and deflate them to lower psi when riding around empty.
The only way to be sure of this, in the long run, is to periodically check your tread wear. Too much wear towards the center means too much pressure. Too little pressure causes wear along the outside edges of your tire.
Riding around empty, I run about 30 psi. After 23,300 miles, I'm still showing a bit too much wear in the center, so I may drop down to 28 or 29.
Thanks for the response. I'm inclined to run 28 psi for awhile based on your experience. It's not likely anyone has worn the rubber off the factory Dunlops yet, but if you were to guess, what kind of mileage might one expect running the Tundra empty and mostly around town? My wife drives it and loves the view and visibility. Unfortunately, she is something of a lead foot, and has already spun the tires twice. It would sure be great to get say 30,000 or maybe 35,000 miles on this set of tires.
You may want to have more tire pressure in the front tires than the rear. They support the weight of the engine and front seat passengers. I run 35 PSI in the front and 30-32 in the rear when empty. The first 2,000 miles I ran 35 all around and the rears developed a stripe right in the middle.
I'm running 30 psi front and 28 psi rear on my Tundra Access cab 4x4 with the P265 tires. Seems to ride fine and no vibrations. I don't have enough miles on it to judge wear patterns yet. If anything I will probably adjust both down some more, because the manufacturers recommended pressure is for the standard P245 tires. Bigger (wider) tires would require slightly less air pressure to support the same load.
My wife and I have been shopping for a Tundra with check book in hand. The other day we test drove a Tundra and commented to one another that perhaps there was a wheel out of balance. There was some vibration. We were planning to purchase the truck 3-13-00 but after reading your comments on vibration and our awareness that something was shaking, we have decided to hold off purchasing what otherwise seems to be a beautifully designed truck with a superb engine. Thanks for your input.
Thanks everyone for the advice. There's certainly more than one opinion on the topic, but curiously, no one seems to run the pressures specified in the owner's manual. More air in the front makes sense, so why does Toyota want 26 in the FRONT and 29 in the rear? Actually 35 and 30 sounds good. Maybe the rear pressure is anticipation of a full load? Even the Dunlop dealers in town don't agree on what I should run. Well, so far, no shake or vibration, and my wife has already collected so many compliments from people at work, I'm wondering--just whose truck is this anyway!
Yes, the higher recommend rear tire pressure is based on carrying the rated load in the bed. Since most of us don't do that on a regular basis, it makes sense to lower the rear tire pressure to that on the front or even slightly lower since an unloaded pickup has more weight on the front tires than the rear.
Selecting the right tire pressure involves a little give and take. Softer ride = lower pressure, Bigger load = higher pressure, Better MPG = higher pressure, Better tire wear = somewhere in the middle.
I weighed in on this subject a while back. After threatening arbitration and meeting with the factory rep, the dealership got it a good as they were capable. Some of the fixes included alignment, 4 out eight wheels changed because of warps, two sets of tires, endless balancing, driveshaft changed, and more. They got it much better, just not perfect. On the advise of a friend I took it to a small shop who trued and balanced the tires. They made it worse again! I wish I hadn't done that! The shop owner says its the brake rotors, they need turning. Trouble is, I don't believe him. They may need turning, but why did the vibration get worse right after he balanced them? The vibrations occur between 52 and 59. Pretty classic symptom of out of balance. Anybody got an opinion on this? Thanks.
If it is the rotors, turning them on the lathe is not the answer. An axle/frame shop may be able to balance them on the truck. This is done with a motor which spins your tire up, and a strobe light. It's done by trial and error, not computer. This type of balance balances the wheel and rotor together.
After driving 500 miles this weekend I'm certain the balancing is off again. However, what is constant is the feeling like the antilock brakes are working at any speed above fifty. The kind of sensation that might be felt if the rotors were warped and the pads hitting the high spots. Make any sense?
It sounds like your tires are slipping on the rims. If your car feels "in balance," then starts to go out of balance, it can mean that the tires are moving in relation to the rim. Try this: mark the tire at the valve stem with a piece of chalk or something. Then drive the truck for a while. Has the chalk mark moved? If so, there's your problem! Go holler at the dealer to put a set of Michelins LTX-MS's on your truck. End of problem.
If you think runout of the rotor is the problem, you can remove the wheel, and check lateral runout with a dial indicator. You can also check the disc thickness at several places with a pair of calipers. A bent spindle can cause runout.
I just found this discussion -- On a couple of different test drives I've taken, I never felt this steering vibration. I've talked with several people who own Tundras who've never mentioned this problem. Is this a serious enough problem that I should avoid Tundra completely? It seems to be the best truck for my needs, and the big 3 don't offer any comparable reliability. Like WMK, I might have to consider F150.
The only reason I mentioned Michelin is because they seem not to slip on the rims, unlike other (nameless) brands. The point I'm really making is: Are your tires slipping on the rims? It's become a common problem among all vehicles that have aluminum rims!
I've been on and off with a nice dealer guy for some months now about the Tundra. Today he called and I questioned him about the vib. He said it was an tire pressure problem and with the correct pressure it will go away. I then asked him about it appearing with after market tires and he said it was because of the pressure and after market stuff wasn't "Toyota". I said "but it's a truck!!?". In my opinion the front end shouldn't be so sensitive and I'm waiting to see what happens on this one. Problem has kind of steered me toward the Tacoma and with the 4-door coming out that may be how I'm going. Keep up the posts on this problem because EVERYONE benefits. I'm sure Toyota is working on it but I'm waiting to see what happens. If I'm waiting I'm sure others are too. For whatever it's worth....
The steering wheel vibration increases when I lightly depress the brakes at the speed where vibrations occurs, around 55 for example. The general "shuddering" increases as the day passes and the brakes get hotter. At least this is what I'm sensing. I already have the michelins, which were put on by the dealer as one of the attempts to fix the problem. They were a definite improvement, but seem to mask underlying problems.
To post "106" The salesman had lied to you. I followed the manual instructions about tire pressure. But it didn't help. Lower pressure will mask some vibration, but increase gas consumption . I have the original Dunlops that Toyota installed . It is a great Truck , if you want to buy, set Cruise at 58-60mph and let it run for a couple of miles, your hands off the steering wheel and see if it vibrates (flutter). It is your 30K. I don't want you stuck with the Truck that you will love and HATE.
Now it sounds like it could be warped rotors after all.
Just a story... I took a nearly brand new car on a long trip. A car that had perfect brakes at the beginning. After 800 highway miles of very little brake use, to my utter astonishment upon applying them, my pedal pulsated, and the steering wheel shimmied. And it did this forever after, until I had the rotors turned. Apparently, there was just enough light friction from the pads, or parasitic drag to overheat and warp them from highway use. I mention this because it sounds consistent with your observation of heat and mileage.
It also seems like all else has been tried, rims, tires etc. Those items should not be that critical, usually. But rotors, hubs, spindle, or bearings, seems like it's in there....
I drove a Tundra about 40 miles at highway speeds in Utah. I did not notice any vibration or steering wheel shimmys, or brake pedal pulsations. Believe me, I was aware of some reports, and scrutinized...but only noted normal good behavior. http://members.aol.com/sturbridg1/utahtrek.html
Still, I'd be hesitant to tell you to turn those rotors on a lathe, since removing metal reduces life, and is a wasted expenditure if it doesn't work.
I note the logic of your observations. If the same guy who tells you it's rotors made your problem with balance worse, how reliable is he? My advice is to try pursuing this more, if possible through your dealer. Suggest to him, hubs, bearings, spindles. Or turning the rotors on a lathe. It is something they have not tried, and could be key.
By the way, rotors also get warped by over-torquing the lug nuts, as with an air impact wrench.
Never trust the turds at discount tire to torque your lug nuts without you watching them. They will use the impact wrench and over tighten them. I had a flat tire three weeks after having my tires rotated and the nuts were so tight I had to use the car jack under the lug wrench to get them loose. One of the lug nuts was so tight it bent before it came loose. I also checked the other wheels and they were all way to tight.
I've had my Tundra since Aug'99 and have since added about 11K miles ... it was on the lot for a couple of months before I picked it up (demo model) ... I have, at no time, experienced any unusual vibration or shake ... just for the record ...
Actually, my only complaint is the body colored paint under the rear wheel wells, which I promptly covered with flat black the day I drove it home ...
Good luck to those of you who have not been so blessed with a perfect truck!
Regarding the previous posts about the tires slipping on the rims: I checked my P265 Dunlops and they have red dots on them that are all lined up with the valve stems. I remembered seeing them on there when I first bought the truck but didn't pay much attention to them. Does everyone else have these red dots (about 1/2" diameter) on their tires? By the way, I have 3100 miles on mine without any vibrations.
Another potential issue: Does everyone with vibrations have ABS? Just wondering if this might have had some affect on the brakes. I don't have ABS and like I said before don't have any vibrations or flutters either.
It looks like all brands are having problems and complaints. My tundra shakes the center arm rest around 60-65 mph. I think if we all help we can determine what the problem might be or present Toyota a bigger force if we unite. Let's try to determine if different options or configurations may be the problem. List options and basic truck specs. mine is 2WD SR5 Access Cab V-8 automatic 5 spoke Alloys with narrow 245 size tires Front grill guard 60-40 seats (that shake) No ABS brakes
I was driving a 1976 International Scout, so couldn't imagine a truck with more vibration on the road. However, I did notice a slight vibration in the Tundra. My dealer shop foreman said Toyota is aware of a problem with the harmonics of the exhaust, but other than that he can't figure it out. He said complaints come in with around 2000 miles on the truck, and that after the first complaint, he dosen't hear back from the customer so he assumes either the problem fixes itself in the break in period or people just get used to it. My vibration is most severe in the middle fold down of the 60/40 bench seat. It's very distracting. I noticed the seat has no supports under this area. Dealer said that's just the way it is. Any ideas? Also I'm trying to decide on what brand of spray-on liner I should get. Line-x or rhino? Sorry this post is so long. Thanks for the help.
Little background, I have 20+ years of NVH and drivabilty experence. In reguards to the Tundra vibration concern it's hard to tell in some of the responses if the vibration is just while driving, or with slight brake application. First thing to consider is, normaly, a warped brake rotor will NOT cause a vibration without brake application and if it was warped enough to cause a vibration, it WOULD do it at ALL speeds. If the vibration is only with brake application then you are dealing with a rotor concern most likely. Rotor warpage is largely due to heat, or a combination of warm rotors and driving through a puddle of water, could be the rotors are not shielded correctly? Also if the rotors are not able to disapate heat effectively. Note that some contact of brake pads to rotors (with foot OFF brake ) is normal and does not generate enough heat to warp the rotors, if there was, you would have a steering pull.I have found that even a small layer of rust between rotors to hub, or rotors to wheels will cause some over-heating. This is a common and over-looked concern. Second thing to consider, if the vibration is in the steering wheel, most likely concern is in front rotor/wheel/tire area. If the vibration is in, say the seat or console look to the rear. Don't rule out possable driveline/axle concerns. Does the vibration go away if you lift off the gas at the problem speed? Here you be looking for a drivetrain concern, mountings/driveline/axles etc. Last but not least to consider is tires. I have fixed more vibrations with tire concerns than all others combined.Things to try: on a warm day, overinflate tires by 20psi, drive for about 10 miles. If the vibration changes drastically, your in the right area. Also make sure the guy doing the balance is using grams, NOT ounces. The gram measurement on any tire balancing machine is much more accurate. Also things like indexing the tires and rotating them 90 deg. at a time on the wheels and retesting might be in line.Above all try to help the tech by recording the aprox temp, road condtions(uphill, downhill etc.), how long you had been driving the vehicle that day before the vibration was felt, amout of load etc. All these thing will help for a better diag. and possable cure. Hope this helps anyone out there dealing with this concern.
Two of my neighbors have Line-X. One in a '99 F350 6-pack. The other a 96 Ram 2500. Both swear by it. The Ford guy just tore up his concrete driveway and poured another one. He tossed all the jagged blocks in the bed and dumped them. When he came back and washed it out....NO Gouges or cuts. I was impressed. In general he uses the heck out of his Linex sprayed truck and the liner looks great. Plus it has a life time warranty. I went with Linex and have been happy with it.
Comments
You can tell by looking at the wheels of any vehicle if the hub or the lugs are supporting the vehicle. The center of the hub usually sticks out from the break drum or rotor hub. This protrusion goes through the center of the wheel. The back side of the wheel is sort of rolled in a curve into the hole for the hub. The hub is curved in a complimentary manner to accept the hub. The lug nut and bolt pull the wheel into the hub and forces the wheel to center on the hub. Neither the lugs nor the holes in the wheel need to be in perfect alignment for the wheel to be perfectly centered. However if the hole in the wheel is too large for the hub, centering of the wheel is anybody's guess.
I haven't been able to look at a Tundra that closely to tell. Perhaps you owners could look and determine if Toyota really is depending on the lug system for centering the wheel.
Good luch guys,
Rich
I don't understand the physics of what you're describing. I don't understand why there would be a rotational balance problem by merely allowing the drive shaft to position itself naturally on the splines. If that were the case, wouldn't all front engine / rear wheel drive vehicles have the same problem?
Rich
The vibration get worse when you tow a fishing boat.
I find it very difficult to believe their statement. If they are truely not aware of a vibration issue, then they should be fired. I am guessing that they are not acknowledging the problem because of the potential monetary liability they may incur for repairs if they did admit there was a problem. I bet that the cost accountants and lawyers figure the cost of repair would be higher than lost sales. I don't pretend to know the answer to that one. But I do know I am not going to buy what I believe to be an otherwise excellent truck, with a potential built- in problem. For me, I would be down to the showroom tomorrow if Toyota would just fess-up to the issue and tell everyone what is being done to deal with thie issue.
But given their apparent lack of candor about the problem, I see a Ford F-150 in my future.
I am a Toyota owner ( 1990 4 Runner, 115,000 miles) who likes everything about the Tundra, except for this vibration problem. I refuse to roll the dice and spend $28K for a truck that may have some sort of fundamental flaw. My point is that Toyota is being short-sighted by not coming out and acknowledging the problem, and saying what they believe the fix is. If they did, then potential buyers like me would be more receptive to further considering the Tundra. But I can't wait forever, and I am frustrated by this tact that Toyota is taking of just saying no problem exists. So, I will probably go to my second choice in a truck, the F-150.
Toyota is doing their best to keep this under raps but they know about it. The mechanics said that a "tech report" or something like that was supposed to be issued by Toyota that would tell the mechanics how to fix it. This was a few months ago, not sure if it was ever put out. I'll put my buying plans on hold.
Got stuck with a lemon of a Ford one time - it's not going to happen with this vehicle. BTW this is my third Toyota and bought the Tundra because of the legendary Toyota quality...
What are the possible long term issues with this? Quicker and troublesome tire wear for sure, the big tires don't come cheap. Is there metal fatigue taking place over a few years worth of service that could cause a possible break without warning?
I'm going through arbitration over this issue right now. Thats how much of a problem this is to me. If this were a normal function of the Tundra, all of them would do it, not just 2 or 3 percent. read: 2,000 to 3,000 trucks.
Wish me luck.
We are looking for a full-size,, extended cab pick up, but we don't want to get a vehicle with a built-in problem, either. However, we have found the F-150's to be a little un-exciting. We like the ergonomic interior, but even the larger V8's sound like they are herniating themselves when put to the task of merging onto a freeway or going up a minor incline.
So, I was curious as to what about the F-150 made it attractive to you.
RJ
To make a VERY LONG story short, I visited THREE dealerships in OKC and I finally found one (Not the dealer from whom I purchased the Tundra from) dealership who REALLY wanted to help me!
As I sat in the service managers office for over an hour AND listened to him talk to a regional manager about the vibration problem, he privately handed me a MEMO from Toyota concerning the center console vibration AND the steering wheel vibration problems! They are called TSN's!
Toyota KNOWS about the problem but it will cost them more to fix it than not to fix it! TRUST ME!!! They know of the vibration problem! They also know of SEVERAL other problems!!!
Luckily my vibration problems were solved at my own expense! My truck rides like a dream! Hopefully, reliability will get better with the Tundra!
I have a list of problems that I've had with my truck! It SUCKS!!!
Good luck to all!!!
Todd~~~
Can you e-mail me with your solution to the steering wheel vibration, if you had this and it was fixed? If I loose in arbitration, I would like to see about fixing my problem, even if it's at my own expense. Then, I'll turn around and submit my reciept to Toyota for reimbursment. Thanks.
What's everyone running? The Dunlop web site said run what the OEM specifies. I'm sure they'de be happy to sell me a new set 20,000 miles down the road. Is there a good all around tire pressure which is best for gas mileage and wear?
That means you inflate them to higher psi when carrying load, and deflate them to lower psi when riding around empty.
The only way to be sure of this, in the long run, is to periodically check your tread wear. Too much wear towards the center means too much pressure. Too little pressure causes wear along the outside edges of your tire.
Riding around empty, I run about 30 psi. After 23,300 miles, I'm still showing a bit too much wear in the center, so I may drop down to 28 or 29.
Dunlops yet, but if you were to guess, what kind of mileage might one expect running the Tundra empty and mostly around town? My wife drives it and loves the view and visibility. Unfortunately, she is something of a lead foot, and has already spun the tires twice. It would sure be great to get say 30,000 or maybe 35,000 miles on this set of tires.
Selecting the right tire pressure involves a little give and take. Softer ride = lower pressure, Bigger load = higher pressure, Better MPG = higher pressure, Better tire wear = somewhere in the middle.
Hey! It worked for me once (but not on a Toyota).
Does your brake pedal pulsate when stopping?
Thanks for your input, I believe Tundra owner will mark their tires to see if they slip .
Michelins are also my first choice .
The salesman had lied to you. I followed the manual instructions about tire pressure.
But it didn't help. Lower pressure will mask some vibration, but increase gas consumption . I have the original Dunlops that Toyota installed . It is a great Truck , if you want to buy, set Cruise at 58-60mph and let it run for a couple of miles, your hands off the steering wheel and see if it vibrates (flutter). It is your 30K. I don't want you stuck with the Truck that you will love and HATE.
Just a story...
I took a nearly brand new car on a long trip. A car that had perfect brakes at the beginning. After 800 highway miles of very little brake use, to my utter astonishment upon applying them, my pedal pulsated, and the steering wheel shimmied. And it did this forever after, until I had the rotors turned. Apparently, there was just enough light friction from the pads, or parasitic drag to overheat and warp them from highway use. I mention this because it sounds consistent with your observation of heat and mileage.
It also seems like all else has been tried, rims, tires etc. Those items should not be that critical, usually. But rotors, hubs, spindle, or bearings, seems like it's in there....
I drove a Tundra about 40 miles at highway speeds in Utah. I did not notice any vibration or steering wheel shimmys, or brake pedal pulsations. Believe me, I was aware of some reports, and scrutinized...but only noted normal good behavior.
http://members.aol.com/sturbridg1/utahtrek.html
Still, I'd be hesitant to tell you to turn those rotors on a lathe, since removing metal reduces life, and is a wasted expenditure if it doesn't work.
I note the logic of your observations. If the same guy who tells you it's rotors made your problem with balance worse, how reliable is he? My advice is to try pursuing this more, if possible through your dealer. Suggest to him, hubs, bearings, spindles. Or turning the rotors on a lathe. It is something they have not tried, and could be key.
By the way, rotors also get warped by over-torquing the lug nuts, as with an air impact wrench.
Actually, my only complaint is the body colored paint under the rear wheel wells, which I promptly covered with flat black the day I drove it home ...
Good luck to those of you who have not been so blessed with a perfect truck!
Another potential issue: Does everyone with vibrations have ABS? Just wondering if this might have had some affect on the brakes. I don't have ABS and like I said before don't have any vibrations or flutters either.
Let's try to determine if different options or configurations may be the problem.
List options and basic truck specs.
mine is
2WD SR5 Access Cab
V-8 automatic
5 spoke Alloys with narrow 245 size tires
Front grill guard
60-40 seats (that shake)
No ABS brakes