Another steering wobble question!

[Steve-Kylie 120 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve-Kylie 120]

Hi gang

Just got myself a 2008 120 D4D 6sp and having wobble troubles, yes I searched and didn't see anything worded as I'm about too.

Basically 80km+ get slight steering wheel wobble (straight line) but its what happens on left and right bends that's my main issue

The Wobble is magnified to the point that I can feel the vibrations thru the floor and pedals.

Left bends are more noticeable then the right bends. Judging by the frequencies/pulsing of the wobbles it appears tyre/bearings related as it is quite fast pulsing I can feel.

Things done:

*4 mechanics gone over it and found nothing wrong but felt the wobbles. Suggested balance & alignment
*Balanced and rotated tyres
*Alignment. Didn't get the before and after sorry.

Now the balance and alignment altered the vibrations in straight line (slightly better) but amplified the left and right cornering and is now worse.

I haven't received my manual yet so I don't know what's what under there atm so I'd thought I'd throw it out there too see if anyone knows possible starting points.

I personally will inspect bearings, rack play, tie rods, shaft play and all the bush's.

Any help/ideas appreciated.

Steve

[Bear63 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bear63]

Change your front shockies , i have struck a lot of them that cause the same problem , bump test won't show them up as faulty
How many k's you done with it?
Also what brand and tread pattern of tyres do you run

[Steve-Kylie 120 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve-Kylie 120]

Thanks Bear

89000kms stock shocks that I'm aware, some china made tyre 265x65x17 tyres brand new, tread nothing special, definitely not all terrain more road tyre.

When i got it from the dealer the tyres had 50psi but since gone back to 40psi, then i dropped them to 38 (hot) today.

Forgot to mention and i haven't fully confirmed yet but I'm sure I've felt the car wonder by itself before, with sometimes slow reactions from steering input. Possible bush`s!

[Bear63 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bear63]

Did the problem start with the new tyres?, 50 psi is a stupid pressure as well somebody needs a boot up their backside, also don't check you tyre pressures hot , always check them cold

[mackayvx Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close mackayvx]

Mate I highly doubt you would have worn bushs in ya front end.
Im in the process of replacing bushs in my front end and ive done 250kms...
And to make a point, my front end isnt playing up like your describing...
It sounds like shockers are naffed, bad tyres or wheel balance.

You havent got loose wheel nuts have ya??? Lol!!!

[Steve-Kylie 120 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve-Kylie 120]

Tyres on there are how i got the 120 so comparison cant be done im sorry.

yeah i nearly shit myself when i seen 50 on the pressure gauge.

Balance and alignment done, didn't seem to help much, could be shit tyres.

DynaStorm Hero AT 265x65x17,so they must be a all terrain type, sure as shit dont look like it thou.

[Steve-Kylie 120 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve-Kylie 120]

Ok so i haven't changed the shocks just yet as there is other stuff i had to confirm first so i can add to the collect of issues to see if they all align as possible 1 single fault.

Drive line shudder on take off, its not clutch slip but if im being lazy and ease the clutch alittle to quick a nasty thud can be heard and felt, 99% of the time easy clutch use and rpm i dont feel it.

Also once in 6th, terrible vibration thru the car. Can feel it thru the pedals and the steering wheel.

Another (possible its normal) but the high/low range selector stick vibrates quit fast once in 6th around 90kms.

So i have a imbalance in the drive line somewhere?

I know the clutch is heavy and at first i thought it had a DMF setup as that is the sort of on/off thud of the clutch i felt.

Im not 100% up too speed on these drive lines yet but any advice or links appreciated.

Steve

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Maybe the tailshaft has had a hit and is out of balance ??? Also maybe you can get a hold of 4 prado wheels to swap over just to see if its a tyre issue ?? If I lived closeer you would be welcome to swap over all 4 wheels just to try it out. Maybe some one up your way might respond to a quick swap over just to see ??.Cheers steve

[Steve-Kylie 120 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve-Kylie 120]

Had the tyres balanced 4 times now, all at different speeds and putting the weights inside the rim and out, they balance fine, the fact the vibrations thru the car and gear stick im leaning towards the box or tail shaft issues.

Although i would of thought a tail shaft issue would slowly increase with speed and felt at lower speeds and getting worse with higher speeds, but what i feel is only after 80-90kms, smooth as butter before these speeds 99.9%of the time.

5th and 6th gear i can feel the vibrations under accel and max torque.

Either way a $265 pre purchase inspection should find the fault.

Cheers anyway gang, just thought there might of been a common issue.

Theh Prado came from NT and was a council car and although well cleaned im sure its had it time in the scrub and no doubt the shocks are likely to be rooted.

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Had my two front tyres balanced twice now and at 110k it vibrates, turns out the tyres are out of round. I got these from a mate who didnt have any issues with them when he had them on his prado and changed them for A/T's (bf's I think he ended up with) not that old either. So Im now after some more but will wait and see what comes up second hand. I need to replace them before I sell it, cant sell it with shit (vibration issue) tyres. Was fine when I had the old grandtrecks on it. Nothing worse then a vibration or a bloody rattle, drive me nuts lol. Hope you solve the issue.........Cheers Steve

[Steve-Kylie 120 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve-Kylie 120]

Many thanks Steve

It very well may be the tyres, just doesn't feel like it.

Tyres were rotated at each balance as well.

Ill try another set once i find some

[wastegate Member Find all posts View Profile Close wastegate]

Warped rotors a possibility!

[Steve-Kylie 120 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve-Kylie 120]

Warped rotors a possibility!

Cheers Wastegate.

I guess in theory anything that rotates with the drive line could be at fault, ill investigate as the rain disappears and i get time. Im off next weekend so ill have a dig then.

[Lakers Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Lakers]

Had a similar thing a few years back with my 2008 V6... original Dunlop AT20s and vibration from the get go. Lost count of the number of balances I had trying to get this problem sorted. Dealer wasn't interested unless I agreed to pay for the diagnosis and fix... their take was that the tyres were a 'third party' product. Wrote to Dunlop... they arranged an engineering inspection at a local Beaurepaires. End result... they replaced all tyres under warranty (less % used). Their view was that the tyres, while they looked like they balanced properly, actually had internal manufacturing defects, and each tyre was imperfect. While at one point they may seem fine, as the vehicle cornered and the tyres rotated at slightly different rates, the imperfections/imbalance would compound and exacerbate the problem on and off. Similar to harmonics coming into and out of play. Anyway, all good after new tyres fitted. May be worth looking into...

Cheers
Greg