BAMAJAS

I have the crappy Dunlops on my 04 Sport and I have a vibration that I can not get rid of. The wheels have been balanced on a Hunter machine with the adapter plate used. Can the tires themselves be causing the vibration? It starts at 60-65 mph.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

I'd make the dealer fix it to my satisfaction since it is an 04. A vehicle that new should drive perfect. My 2000 with 4.5" of lift and 285 MT/Rs is smooth as silk on the interstate at speeds up to 80 mph, I don't go any faster, ain't no reason a new one should be vibrating at any speed.

1. Loosen all the lugnuts and hand tighten down tight in the appropriate pattern, then sock them with the impact gun. I'll bet you got tires that have just been impact hammered on and they are just on improper.
2. Bad tire.
3. Like my opening argument, make it the dealer's problem, not yours.

I'm in T-town. Where are you in B'ham?

:guitar2:

obxfishn

I agree with WABBIT, its an 04 so I know its still under warranty and I would take it to the stealership and make them figure it out.

EDGE

Learn to live with it or take a lose and get rid of it now, it seems to be a very common trait on the 4th Gen V8 4Runners and the GX470, don't know about the V6 4R models but seems more are used to it having driven past vehicles with a similar vibe.

I'd be willing to bet every 4th Gen sold has it

It's not a vibration more like an oscillation in the wheel and gas pedal coming from the powertrain, I had it for 10k miles before I realized it cause I was tryin to figure out what the Lexus owners where complaining about, seems the wood wheel in the GX does not absorb as much of the feeling as the leather wraped wheel.

I don't have a problem with it, I notice it but nothin thats gonna mke me flip out and waste my time taking it back to the dealer for them to put more scares on my rims

Nic

Hey Bama, I have Dunlops on mine and I have been less than satisfied with them. I bought the truck used and the original owner had just put Dunlops on it. I like the look of the tire, but that's about it. Anyway, one of the tires "knotted" up on me and I took it to Goodyear since they carry Dunlops. They told me it was my alignment and not the tire. Anyway, I had that tire replaced, the other tires balanced, and the truck aligned.

At EXACTLY the same speed (60-65mph) I get that shake. I had it before and after I took my truck to Goodyear. Anyway, from reading posts here, I did as Brian mentioned. I loosened all the lug nuts and jacked each tire up and torqued the lug nuts to 80lbs. It has helped considerably. The blasted lug nuts were so tight I was scared I was going to break a lug.

I will definitely not buy Dunlops when these wear out. I also noticed I have wheel weights all over my rims-inside and out. The genuises at Goodyear failed to take the old ones off. I could probably remove all the weights and be better off.

When I get my tires balanced again, I am going to be right there observing everything. It's so hard to find good help these days.

toyota2

I have an 03 sport ed. v6 that I got new and it came with the dunlops on it. I had the same problem from day one with the tires and after the dealer tried several different things to try and fix they finally gave in and put 5 new michelins on it and I have not had a problem since. It is the tires that are causing the problem and as far as I know the only way to get rid of it is to replace the dunlops.

Good luck
toyota2 have agood one.

GATORSR1

[QUOTE=EDGE]Learn to live with it or take a lose and get rid of it now, it seems to be a very common trait on the 4th Gen V8 4Runners and the GX470, don't know about the V6 4R models but seems more are used to it having driven past vehicles with a similar vibe.

I'd be willing to bet every 4th Gen sold has it
[QUOTE]


This is the honest truth! Mine came with 18" Enkei wheels, with Kumho tires, and mine has done it from day one. I also have done tire rotation and balance. Exactly between 60 - 65, is the vibration. You'll get used to it.

TechWrench

This is interesting. But I am inclined to think it still may be a tire problem. I have an '03 SR5 V6 with almost 13k, that came with the 17" alloys and the stock Bridgestone Dueler H/Ts and have not had any problems with the 60-65 vibration. Last fall I picked up a set of the OEM 16' steel wheels and put a set of REVOs on them for winter use, and still no 60-65 vibration problem. Maybe I'm just lucky? The only vibration I have noticed, which the dealer can't seem to 'find' is RPM related. Between 2700-3000, under moderate to hard acceleration, I get a quick vibration just before the trans upshifts. It happens in all gears, but if I back off the gas as it happens, it goes away. It's not real bad, but annoying. Anybody else notice this?

Tacoma Dude

Stupid question -
are all the tires at equal PSI?

FirstToy

The only vibrations I get are the gentle hums from my MT/R's...

BT17R

I never had any vibrations on mine after >4K miles. On Day 1, I torqued all wheels to spec and found about half the lug nuts well under spec. I ran 38 psi cold ff/rr. Sorry for you owners with vibration problems, it would annoy me until it was fixed. Tire balance and your first alignment are most definitely covered under warranty for the first 12 months/20K miles as written in the Warranty Guide.

tom4416

It's the tires. My 03 came with the Dunlops, they vibrated on the way home, brough it back, they shook their heads, said the Dunlops were a problem on every one they sold. Swapped five Michelins off another vehicle, never another problem. It's not the balancing, it's defective construction of the tire. If the tech runs them on a Hunter Roadforce balancer with the TV screen, you can see the "soft" spots in the tire where the cords weren't wrapped properly. Good luck, just insist the dealer swap out the tires. There is another vibration issue, very slight and more in the structure of the car (you feel it through the floor, pedals, steering wheel) and it is rpm related, all I've seen do it but a majority of the owners won't notice. Oh, and don't let them pass of the "it's normal" crap.

Nic

I'm tempted to change over to Michelins, but unfortunately my tires are new. I will put up with the vibration for a little while longer. If one tire goes bad though, which wouldnt surprise me since they are crap, I'm getting 4 new Michelins.

My co-worker, who has a 98 Tacoma told me he had Dunlops on his truck and they shook as well. He sais he changed over to Michelins and has been happy ever since.

1997 Tacoma 4X4 2.7L Xtra cab manual

BAMAJAS

Thanks for all the replies. I will see if the dealer will swap out the tires. I bet I'm in for a fight though. All the tires are at the same psi and are balanced. I had a feeling it was the tires causing the problem. If the dealer want swap out the tires, what should I do then? Thanks again. The vibration is making me really dislike my 4Runner.

aiwaskiw

Have a 04 sr5....problem not as much as vibration ... but steering shakes going over bumps between 60-75 miles hr. seems worst on warmer days
.......also have dunlops .....a tire issue ????

oscarz

Mines an 03 SR5 V6 with all the above symptoms at just about any speed. In fact, the faster I go, the better it is (smooths out some). Since hand-tightening lugs to 80 lbs, It's a little better.

I've got the 17" alloys with Cross terrains by the way, so don't be too quick to think Michelins will solve your problems. Hunter balanced multiple times.

I've got 16" rims from an older 4runner but haven't got around to getting tires for them yet. I'll have to use spacers for them though. I might just sell them, along with the 4runner.

GATORSR1

I still don't believe that it's just the Dunlop tires. Unless my vibration is different that others, I still get it at 13,500 miles, with the Kumho's. Do any of you Mich tire people get the vibration? I've just accepted it as status quo!

SD4Runner

My 04 SR5 v6 came with the 16's and michelins, and smooth as silk up to 110mph about 1100 miles roight now (been trying to not kill it in the first 1k, but I have a lead foot)

Just an FYI with this setup

JGage

I've got a touch of it (I have the Mich)... Funny thing is, I never really noticed it until I had my tires rotated and balanced, not it's noticeable... I complained, they checked it out, and said the wheels were properly balanced.

It's not bad though.

tom4416

Here's what I was told when the Dunlops were swapped for the Michelins:

1. Must be balanced on a Huner Road Force balancer with hubcentric adapter.
2. Lugs must only be installed by hand and tightened in increments to 80lbs on a real torque wrench.
3. Weights must be installed on inner and outer rims (was told this is critical. Lots of shops try to balance on inner rim only for appearance but it will never the balanced in all planes this way).
4. Must be balanced to within 1 gram or less (1/4 gram is preferable but most shops will laugh at you).
5. When rotating, have them rebalanced (or never rotate and use the money saved by not balancing to replace them at half their potential lifespan).
6. If off roading or mudding, always clean the packed mud out of the back of the wheel.

The tech that told me all this said the Dunlops have a huge defect rate and showed me mine on the road force TV screen and sure enough, two of the four were defective and obviously so. Even one of the Michelins was on the edge of acceptability so it went on the back. Since this was done, the vehicle is smooth as silk at any speed (well, it's got the minor driveline vibration at 1700-1900 rpms but every one I've ridden in does but most owners will never notice it).

Go to a real tire shop, let them drive the vehicle, see if they agree it's the tires. If they do, agree to purchase four new tires if they can be installed to meet your every expectation. Have them write it all up and then take the bill and your old tires back to the dealer. They may actually pay you since the tire warranty is from the tire manufacturer and not Toyota. At least they can submit the claim and see what happens. Good luck.