Uneasy Steering
#1
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 9,076
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Uneasy Steering
Well guys, latest problem...
After going mudding the past 2 days I have noticed a pretty severe "shimmy" in my steering wheel at speeds between 40 and 55mph.
By "shimmy" I mean the steering wheel will rock back and forth from left to right. Sometimes if I let go of the wheel and do one of those "look ma, no hands!" tricks the steering will go back and forth from left to right on its own.
I thought this might be a balancing problem so I went around the truck and looked at the wheel weights and they are all still there...well, the ones on the outside of the rim anyway.
BTW, the shaking only occurs within the first maybe 20* of turning the wheel...after I turn the wheel a good ways either direction the turning is smooth again.
Any ideas? I'm stumped...
Fink
After going mudding the past 2 days I have noticed a pretty severe "shimmy" in my steering wheel at speeds between 40 and 55mph.
By "shimmy" I mean the steering wheel will rock back and forth from left to right. Sometimes if I let go of the wheel and do one of those "look ma, no hands!" tricks the steering will go back and forth from left to right on its own.
I thought this might be a balancing problem so I went around the truck and looked at the wheel weights and they are all still there...well, the ones on the outside of the rim anyway.
BTW, the shaking only occurs within the first maybe 20* of turning the wheel...after I turn the wheel a good ways either direction the turning is smooth again.
Any ideas? I'm stumped...
Fink
Last edited by Fink; 02-07-2004 at 05:02 PM.
#2
Contributing Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: The Lone Star State
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Before you spend any money, I'd start buy looking underneath it to see if anything is broken/bent (probably not but it doesn't hurt to look). Then I would get my tires balanced. If it still does it, then look at the idler arm.
Here's the link:
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/maintenance/idler/
It's easy to rebuild. I've done it already.
You could have bent a rim too. They would be able to notice it when they balace your tires.
Also make sure you don't have any big clumps of mud in any weird places. That could throw things off a bit.
That's all I can think of.
Here's the link:
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/maintenance/idler/
It's easy to rebuild. I've done it already.
You could have bent a rim too. They would be able to notice it when they balace your tires.
Also make sure you don't have any big clumps of mud in any weird places. That could throw things off a bit.
That's all I can think of.
#3
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 9,076
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks man!
I'll try and clean it really good in the few days, weather permitting and then if that doesn't do it I'll get a rebalance and if all else fails I will do the idler rebuild.
Thanks again, any more ideas are welcomed!!
Fink
I'll try and clean it really good in the few days, weather permitting and then if that doesn't do it I'll get a rebalance and if all else fails I will do the idler rebuild.
Thanks again, any more ideas are welcomed!!
Fink
#4
Contributing Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Tuscaloosa, Al... ROLL TIDE!!!
Posts: 1,551
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i learned
for me mudding was getitng too expensive, it seems to mess something up everytime... if i want to play ing the mud i lock my rear while in 2wd and do a few donuts and show off, because most peoples cars and suvs cant do donuts like i can....hahaha
#6
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 9,076
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OK, depending on how warm it get today I will make a trip to the car wash and investigate it a little more.
I appreciate the help guys, and as usual if anybody has any more ideas of what could cause this that'd be great!
Fink
I appreciate the help guys, and as usual if anybody has any more ideas of what could cause this that'd be great!
Fink
Trending Topics
#8
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 9,076
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well after successfully freezing my off at the car wash today, the steering isn't any better.
I think I am leaning more towards the balance problem. I may need to get the tires rebalanced...I now notice more vibration in general. I will go back to the car wash sometime this week...supposed to get in the mid 40's to low 50's so I will be able to spend more time under there.
Thanks for all the suggestions and I'll let you know how it goes, any more suggestions/ideas are welcomed as always!
Fink
I think I am leaning more towards the balance problem. I may need to get the tires rebalanced...I now notice more vibration in general. I will go back to the car wash sometime this week...supposed to get in the mid 40's to low 50's so I will be able to spend more time under there.
Thanks for all the suggestions and I'll let you know how it goes, any more suggestions/ideas are welcomed as always!
Fink
#9
Registered User
It might be caked so badly you need to take the rims off to clean them out. I'd do that to make sure. If you need i have a nice floorjack you could borrow if you don't have one.
#10
Contributing Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Wandering around Phoenix
Posts: 6,033
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Originally posted by 4x4Fink
Well after successfully freezing my off at the car wash today, the steering isn't any better.
Well after successfully freezing my off at the car wash today, the steering isn't any better.
#11
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 9,076
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah but I was going to the car wash anyway since I couldn't see out of either of my mirrors or any of my windows after my trip into the mud the other day.
I'll do some more cleaning and hopefully that will help...
Fink
I'll do some more cleaning and hopefully that will help...
Fink
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
live4soccer7
84-85 Trucks & 4Runners
3
05-11-2016 06:52 PM
scott90
86-95 Trucks & 4Runners
7
10-04-2015 09:21 AM