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Engine & DrivetrainDiscussions about the engine and drivetrain of your vehicle.
This is a discussion thread titled "Disappointed with vibration on a 2003!", within the Engine & Drivetrain forum, part of the Technical & Vehicle Assistance Forums category.
you call my statment racist because why? is it because i said japan built vehicle is superior in my opinon than the same vehicle with its parts shipped from japan and then assembled in u.s.a.? and i could care less if i hurt your feelings by saying it -I DONT WANT A TRUCK THATS BEEN ASSEMBLED IN MEXICO! ive been to that country - and no thanks man - ever see a great mexican work truck or any automobile designed and built in mexico for that matter? well have you ? i didnt think so. nuff said -
Here's the rub, the use of the word "jap" is offensive even if used as an abbreviation, like the N word for blacks and I'm sure there are many others, and that's all. By the way, I think my Tundra was assembled in Indiana w/ american workers, some japanese and some mexican parts. As you said, "nuff said".
i really dont have time to read this entire thread... so if this has been stated already, i apologize. but the problem you have is most likely coming from pinion angle on the rear end. mine did this as i drove it around on my test drive. once i got it into the drop shop, we started looking, and it was fairly obvious. right then and there, i dropped the rear end, added a shim on the leaf springs (at u bolts) and poped it back together. problem resolved. drove it two days without even the slightest problems before running it back in to start ripping apart the suspension. we then started playing with the drop... took some time to get it right, but from what i can tell, that drive shaft is extremely sensitive. there is no where close to the tolerance levels that chevy or ford have on theirs.
also... just in case no one else mentioned this... has anyone checked tires for abnormal wear (feathering, scalping) and or balance? a vibration that pops up at 30-50mph, then goes away at higher speeds, is usually a pretty good indication of tire balance problem.
My '02 had a case of the vibs at 30-45 and was a cyclical vibration disappearing over, or below the listed speeds. It was worse when cold and disappeared when the 4hi was actuated.
Dealership told me it was normal the 2 times that I took it in last winter. I had it back in the shop a couple months ago and they agreed it shouldn't still be doing it during warm weather too. They replaced the front transfer case with a "new" design and hte problem is gone. The new design was implemented somewhere in the '03 model year. Others have had the same result. The explanation being some tolerance issue in combination wiht hte viscosity of hte fluid. (dealership tried to solve the problem with synthetic, but this did nothing.)
One other note is I had no probelms with the original transfer case till 6k miles and the cold weather arrived. I've only put on ~3k miles so far, but it's been in hte 40's easy with no reoccurance of the vibrations.
For reference I just replaced the tires with ~23k on them and they all had normal even wear.
Boxer, I "used" to have the same problem (vibration/groaning sound at 30 mph and goes away in 4 wheel drive) The guys at Walnut Creek Toyota, CA said the problem was in the front differential. If I understand it correctly, the insides (the 2002 gears) did not properly fit the outside (2001), hence the rubbing / vibration. The year of manufacture is very important. Apparently they kept on reordering the part until the correct year came in. When they matched the years, the vibrations went away. They may have sold me a bunch of goods but whatever they did it worked. The tech's name is Rick, I'm sure he can explain it much better than I just tried to do. Good Luck! I know how frustrating it is. RTM925
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boxer
I have my truck since the beginning of December and shortly after that I developed a vibration up front on the passenger side of the drivetrain. You can feel this vibration through the floorboards and gas pedal from 30 to 45 mph, I have been to the dealer twice and first they never felt the vibration and the second time they acknowledged the vibration but could not determine the problem. I don't want to spend my first couple of months with the truck going back and forth to the dealer and have chose to live with it till the spring. The dealer has posted a 'product flash report" in their system and according to them if toyota Canada receives 4 or 5 of these with the same issue of vibration they will investigate the situation.
Anyways I'm dissapointed I just sold a 89' Toy extended cab 4x4 and was extremely pleased with that vechicle -> no vibrations as such but now driving a new truck for the past two months and feeling this vibration I can't help but frown, I'm disappointed. Just venting I guess and wonder if anyone else feels the same with this issue or any other issues of dissapointment.
Regards,
Boxer
PS: This vibration seems to be really prominent when it is cold out or the vehicle has been sitting overnight.
It looks like you 4wd guys have got the vibration sorted out with the front diff. What about vibrations in the '03' 2wd? I have an 03 2wd with ~350 miles on it. Noticed right off the bat that the steering wheel had a shimmy at 55-65 mph. Took it in, they balanced the front tires and the shimmy went away but I am noticing a vibration mostly through the armrest and seat. I got rid of a 92 Toyota pickup that was smooth as silk and I think I should expect the same from my 03 that cost three times more. I will be meeting with a factory rep to discuss the bed not aligning with the cab and I will be sure to be mentioning the vibration.
I have the same vibration/whine from the front end of my 2003 4wd SR5. It started right after I bought the truck and I now have 7200 miles on it with the noise and vibration getting worse. I am scheduled at my local dealer on Thursday this week,but if its the same thing you guys are experiencing then I'm going to try to get something done about it. I didn't spend $30K on a truck for nothing. I am greatly dissapointed in Toyota for this. I expected typical Toyota refinement, but didn't get it. If the dealer can't fix this problem I may soon be the proud owner of a Titan.
"The service manager told me that they could not fix the problem at this time. He went on to tell me that they believe that it is not the brakes after all! He said that they think it might be in the rear leaf springs! He said that when you stop that you will sometimes notice a pop sound or a clunk niose in the rear of the truck. that ,he said, was the leaf springs relaxing. He told me if you could take a camera and attach it to the bumper at the rear that when your truck bunced you would see the rear diff. bounce up and down because of the leaf springs! I went on to ask him if that would cause premature wear of the rear diff. or if it would wear the driveline out or even wear the shocks out ! He said he did not know! He advised me to take a innertube and fill it with sand to hold down the rear of the truck so it would not cause the truck to bounce ! I did not realize I bought a SAND HAULER!!! I currently to date have 88, 980 miles on my Tundra. I know that this may be long, but when you pay that much for a truck you want high quality and a vehicle with hopefully little or no problems! Because of this "adventure" I will not be purchasing another Tundra in the future.[/quote]"
If it was the springs it would always vibrate. I know my rear brakes have been "worked" on about 5 -6 times and usually eliminates the vibration for about 1000-1500 miles then it returns. I don't know what your experience has been but this is how mine has gone and it really SUCKS!
...Mitch
I usually try to run 4x4 when I come back from work. I'll admit it is on concrete/asphalt, but I keep it at 35-40 mph and only use it on straight portions of the road.
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Daystar swaybar bushings| Total Chaos Rack Bushings | Nitto Terra Grapplers 285/75R16 on 16x8 4"Backspacing Xtreme Alloys | Can-Back | TC Front Diff. Drop-Spacer | Gatorback Serpentine Belt | Magnaflow Muffler-Only | Bilstein 5100 rear and adjustable lifted front |
The vibrations this thread talks about I have also, but feel I can "ignore" them since I put in the thick rubber Tundra offroad style floor mats. They dampened the vibs. I also blame the stock tires. Can't wait to change them. I had Pirelli Scorpions on my Ford 4x4 and loved them. Better load range too.
My b*tch right now is an annoying shudder, clunk, or whatever you might call it right at takeoff from a stop. It's like the drive line gets bound up at the stop with your foot on the brake. Let off the brake and it feels like you ran over a small ditch or something. Hard to explain, but it's getting progressively more noticelable since the truck was new.
Any one else feel this problem?
2003 Tundra 4x4 TRD stock, except for Hellwig Sway Bar.
I usually try to run 4x4 when I come back from work. I'll admit it is on concrete/asphalt, but I keep it at 35-40 mph and only use it on straight portions of the road.
dont do this ever again unless you intend to damage your driveline.
this does not apply to all time 4wd but only true part time 4x4 ( solid locking transfer case mech. system )
in most true 4x4 applications the system is designed to slip slightly on the offroad or wet/snow surface - this gives a slight pulling instead of pushing factor designed into the system -this keeps the truck from being pushed through a corner and instead gets pulled around the corner. now when you do this on a dry road that design is working against the road via tires and back into the driveline because you have no give or slip. by your statement i see you understand this idea slightly because you stated you dont turn when ingauged but only drive stright and slow. Dont do it -no need -wait till it rains or find a dirt road or grassy field. Your binding your driveline -Ujoints will brake then it will go to the next weak link - you really dont want to strech a transfer case chain -
The vibrations this thread talks about I have also, but feel I can "ignore" them since I put in the thick rubber Tundra offroad style floor mats. They dampened the vibs. I also blame the stock tires. Can't wait to change them. I had Pirelli Scorpions on my Ford 4x4 and loved them. Better load range too.
My b*tch right now is an annoying shudder, clunk, or whatever you might call it right at takeoff from a stop. It's like the drive line gets bound up at the stop with your foot on the brake. Let off the brake and it feels like you ran over a small ditch or something. Hard to explain, but it's getting progressively more noticelable since the truck was new.
Any one else feel this problem?
2003 Tundra 4x4 TRD stock, except for Hellwig Sway Bar.
I think you'll find that if you grease the fitting on the sliding spline portion of your driveshaft with a moly based lubricant your clunk will go away in a short time. They will stick and then release causing the sound and sensation you describe.
Larry
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2004 Tundra V8 Limited Access Cab 4X4, Michelin 265/65/R17 ATX2 tires, Auto Dim Comp/Temp Mirror, Aero Turbine #2525 muffler, Access Roll Up Cover, Opt
