2nd gen. Toyota 4runner vibration?!
08-10-2005, 01:27 PM
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2nd gen. Toyota 4runner vibration?!
My 1995 toyota 4runner has a heavy vibration. It only happens when its under load. For example if I am at about 2100 rpm in 3rd gear and then I open it up all the way it will vibrate. Its worse when going up hills, today I was pulling a small trailer with 5 sheets of plywood on it and I could barely touch the gas before it did anything 
. MY oil change is 1000 miles overdo (I use mobile on but still try to stick to regular schedual) I know this is bad 
but Im getting It changed tomorrow, the oil pressure is lower then normal too But I think this is due to the low oil level 
. Whats the cause of this 
???
. MY oil change is 1000 miles overdo (I use mobile on but still try to stick to regular schedual) I know this is bad but Im getting It changed tomorrow, the oil pressure is lower then normal too But I think this is due to the low oil level . Whats the cause of this ???
08-10-2005, 02:18 PM
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Check both ends of the drive shaft where it connects to the 3rd member and t case. there should be a + looking piece inside the surrounding steel (whatever it is) I would say look for cracks, heavy scratches in it and kinda shake it a little bit to see if it clicks or makes noise.
Can you try to pinpoint where it is coming from? Try having someone ride in your rear bay area and see if that helps.
Can you try to pinpoint where it is coming from? Try having someone ride in your rear bay area and see if that helps.
08-10-2005, 06:01 PM
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Originally Posted by davis10
how can you know for sure?? if its bad.
They can sometimes be a bear to identify. Shake your drive shaft(s) and if there is ANY play at the u-jont at all, change that u-joint.
Right now I suspect one on the wifes runner to be goin' bad but there is no play in the shaft at all. I've been waiting for the vibration to get worse, the shaft to have play, or to finish some other projects and find the time to swap out u-joints, whatever comes first.
08-11-2005, 07:56 AM
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Yea I had a look at the u joint and didn't see anything terribly wrong, but Im going to have a closer look. The vibration is pretty severe now and Its worse when there is a higher load on the drivetrain. Its worse at higher speeds, but if you really gun it in the 1st and 2nd you can feel it. When theres backpressure on the engine it does it too. how much are u-joints these days anyway 
08-11-2005, 08:30 AM
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Around 15 or so from a auto parts shop or IIRC around 45-50 or so from the stealer. Toyota uses really good greasable u-joints whilst the cheap auto parts shop ones are non greasable. I'd guess the Toyota ones are stronger as well but I have no personal experience with breakin any. Just wearing them out.
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08-11-2005, 08:31 AM
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Crawl underneath and see if the driveshaft has any play in it. if it does watch the Ujoints, you can usually tell if they are bad pretty easily.
Mine went bad and damn near seperated. It was ugly. They aren't overly hard to change out, just a little time consuming.
Mine went bad and damn near seperated. It was ugly. They aren't overly hard to change out, just a little time consuming.
08-11-2005, 10:41 AM
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Sometimes the circlip in the universal can go bad or you could have damaged an ear in the universal and it would'nt be evident unles you lifted the rig by the frame, letting the suspension hang, so that you can manipulate the driveshaft's ends to see if there's any breakage.
I had this problem after finding myself stuck one time in a bog that came outta no where and I had to crawl out over a log that I managed to get stuck on and had to cut out from underneath the rig to get free..., talk about fun operating that chainsaw while laying on my back in about 8" of muck and only God knows what all, and I'm not even gonna say what it smelled like.
But no one could dertermine the cause of the vibration, including your's trully, until I was able to get it up on a rack and look at it then.
I had this problem after finding myself stuck one time in a bog that came outta no where and I had to crawl out over a log that I managed to get stuck on and had to cut out from underneath the rig to get free..., talk about fun operating that chainsaw while laying on my back in about 8" of muck and only God knows what all, and I'm not even gonna say what it smelled like.
But no one could dertermine the cause of the vibration, including your's trully, until I was able to get it up on a rack and look at it then.
Last edited by 94x4; 08-11-2005 at 10:43 AM.
08-11-2005, 07:54 PM
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if that's the culprit, it may make it better for a while but it will eventually get bad again only faster and faster. 
That would be a good way to test it though. Fill em with grease and see if it changes it atall. Do one at a time to try and differenciate which one it might be since it's not so noticable.
That would be a good way to test it though. Fill em with grease and see if it changes it atall. Do one at a time to try and differenciate which one it might be since it's not so noticable.
08-13-2005, 07:01 PM
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I tried to wiggle my bad U joint.. it felt tight. jack up bit back wheels at the same time and turn the tire forward, then back. you'll feel the clunk. with it up in the air crawl under it and move the tire and watch the u joint... it should be tight and not have any slack.
I had a weird vibe that got worse just like yours, it was a bad joint. As far as I can figure, it being worn out set it off balance a wee bit and the faster it spins the worse the vibe gets.
in fact, putting a new U joint is took away several odd noises and vibes i just dismissed as the tires and the heavy drive train.
funny how those all came from that &^%$!@ little joint.
I had a weird vibe that got worse just like yours, it was a bad joint. As far as I can figure, it being worn out set it off balance a wee bit and the faster it spins the worse the vibe gets.
in fact, putting a new U joint is took away several odd noises and vibes i just dismissed as the tires and the heavy drive train.
funny how those all came from that &^%$!@ little joint.
08-14-2005, 03:48 PM
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I'd lay money that it is a ujoint. Have you ever greased them in the past? Put the rear up on jack stands crawl under the truck and rotate the drive shaft by hand while looking at the ujoints. Or better yet remove the draft shaft by taking off the 4 bolts at the tras output and the 4 bolts at the rear diff. (if you are 4wd you will need to remove the cover and carrier bearing mount also). Look at them all closely.
You really don't want to find out they are bad the hard way when one of them explodes, your drive shaft hits the pavement at 70mph, and your truck gets pole-vaulted into the air. Ask one of the members here it happend to him. You can get new ujoints from NAPA for $22 a piece that are greasable and have a lifetime warrenty.
You really don't want to find out they are bad the hard way when one of them explodes, your drive shaft hits the pavement at 70mph, and your truck gets pole-vaulted into the air. Ask one of the members here it happend to him. You can get new ujoints from NAPA for $22 a piece that are greasable and have a lifetime warrenty.
08-15-2005, 01:18 PM
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no one has asked this one... is it a moving vibration?
in other words... while sitting still, if you hold the revs HIGH, do you feel the vibe?
if so you have some engine problem.
if it only vibes while you drive, you have a moving vibration, so follow the logic to pinpoint it; balanced tires make a bounce-vibe, bad alignment is a vibe with the steering problems; vibes that vary on the speed and pull are more than likely a U joint. Not many things can actually make a moving vibration.... on a glass smooth road, where bumps are not a factor, narrowing down what it is should be fairly simple.
in other words... while sitting still, if you hold the revs HIGH, do you feel the vibe?
if so you have some engine problem.
if it only vibes while you drive, you have a moving vibration, so follow the logic to pinpoint it; balanced tires make a bounce-vibe, bad alignment is a vibe with the steering problems; vibes that vary on the speed and pull are more than likely a U joint. Not many things can actually make a moving vibration.... on a glass smooth road, where bumps are not a factor, narrowing down what it is should be fairly simple.
08-16-2005, 12:10 PM
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Yea thats one of the things I checked It does not do it if the cars not moving no matter how high I rev the engine which leads me to believe its in the drivetrain, however recently my check engine light came on and I had it taken in and when the mechanic pulled the OBD 1 codes it read a 27 but he couldn't find it anywhere in his books??? I might have to take it to the stealer?? :cry:
08-16-2005, 12:46 PM
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Originally Posted by davis10
Yea thats one of the things I checked It does not do it if the cars not moving no matter how high I rev the engine which leads me to believe its in the drivetrain, however recently my check engine light came on and I had it taken in and when the mechanic pulled the OBD 1 codes it read a 27 but he couldn't find it anywhere in his books??? I might have to take it to the stealer?? :cry:
Another test you can do if you are 4x4 (you should put some info in your sig). You can remove the drive shaft, lock your hubs and drive around in 4Hi (with drive shaft removed it is FWD). If your vibration is gone then it is in the drive shaft, if it is still there it is either tires, rear 3rd, transmission, or front drive components.
Try it out and let us know the progress.
