My current and previous '87 SR5 Turbos (Automatic Tranny) both had a steering vibration while stopped in gear. Once you start moving, it goes away. If you put it in park, RPMs ramp up and it goes away. If you turn on the A/C, RPMs ramp up and it goes away. It only happens in the 750-800 RPM range when stopped in gear.

Do others have this problem? Any idea how to cure this?

 

Anyone?

 

My steering wheel also vibrates when at idle. It happens at low RPM. When AC is turned on, idle goes up and vibration stops. Same happens when I step on gas slightly to bring RPM up. One thing we could try is run it with power steering belt removed and observe, to isolate the power steering pump as the cause.

On the other hand, it could also be related to your challenge in braking. Auto transmission does not know that you want vehicle to stop and stay stopped, so it tries to engage and is struggling to move.

 

RAD, good to know my two Turbo Automatics aren't the only ones that do this! I'm also beginning to wonder if these are all linked. I still need to check voltage at the ETC later today, but here are the current symptoms:

1) Steering wheel shakes while in gear at low RPM (AC off, pedal depressed)
2) Braking is easier stopped downhill in N vs. D (but no or not much more than my 80 or 100 series land cruiser automatics)
3) If I'm going 50+/- MPH and press the pedal way down, the auto doesn't downshift out of Overdrive in Normal or ETC. I have to turn off Overdrive for it to downshift. I tried adjusting the kickdown cable yesterday and shifting is much smoother, but no affect on downshifting.

Just wondering if some/all of these are connected. The engine is completely rebuilt (nice and strong), but I do not know the condition of the tranny although it feels solid other than the lack of downshifting. I'll be diving into the ETC later today.

I'll post this to the other Soft Brakes post as well.