Landcruiser vibrations

Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 24, 2006 at 22:42
ThreadID: 30083 Views:9206 Replies:7 FollowUps:2
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Hi all
Having just swapped into a new TD LC 100 (Paj owner previously) I am becoming frustrated with what apperas as a tyre imbalance vibration at 2000 revs. The vibrations are felt primarily through the steering wheel but also quite noticeable through the cabin flloor. The frustrating things is that it is not always there and it does change with different road surfaces - but always at the same speed or revs (hot or cold). Below or above 2000 revs it drives very smoothly. I have the tyres rotated, rebalanced a number of times, finely balance and I even swapped them for another brand with different rims.

My Toyota serviceman agrees that there is a vibration and to date we have tried only looking at the tyres and rims. My point is that when the steering wheel shutters noticebaly when not held tight with the hands - there must be a problem. The tyres I am running presently are Toyo's At's but started with Cooper AT's initially. I swapped the originally factory rims for Advanti alloys (came with Toyo tyres) to see if the vibration disappeared. It didn't! My question -is the LC suspension (unmodified) that sensitive to road surfaces that it could cause such a vibration through the steering wheel and why only at a particular speed or rev.? My tyreman doesn't want to know me anymore - says he has balanced the wheels to the single gram. My situation is that I do mainly blacktop driving - over a variety of bitumen surfaces. Is this a "characteristic" of the LC or should I pursue the tyre balance idea? Reving the LC in neutral to 2000 doesn't produce a vibration which is noticebale.
Any comments would be greatly appreciated - there has got to be an explanation for this?
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Reply By: 100TD - Tuesday, Jan 24, 2006 at 23:13

Tuesday, Jan 24, 2006 at 23:13
when my TD100 was new and "untouched"it drove like a rolls royce(bit soft in the back)but even my mate with a V8 100 unmodified drives sweet so no its not characteristic!cheers Paul
AnswerID: 150697

Reply By: techo2oz - Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 07:26

Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 07:26
G'day Tom57,
not sure if this will relate, however it may also save some grief. I have an 80 TD LC and had a similar thing. Mine was a vibration and noise at 3,000 rpm. Usually when accelerating but always at the magical 3k rpm.

Went to Toyota and they could not say what the problem was. (they even said it was nothing to worry about) Well a few months later, the harmonic balancer let go. The early vibration was a warning sign that the keyway had let go and at 3k RPM was the right speed/frequency or whatever to get it to start spining on the crank.

Car has now been off the road for 2 weeks with at least another one to go and lot's of $ to be spent before it comes back.

While it might not be what is causing yours, it sounds ominously familiar in that it is rev dependant not speed (Speed usually indicates tyres). Could be worth checking.

Cheers and good luck.

Peter
AnswerID: 150730

Reply By: Of Mice & Men - Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 09:01

Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 09:01
Hi Tom,
I'd check for play in the front wheel bearings, sounds very similar to a problem I had with a second hand patrol that I bought from a toyota dealer. I also had the vehicle back to them numerous times, & kept getting the run around, they also suggested to me that it is proaberly the after market tyres that were on the vehicle. So I had a brand new set of original tyres put on, which made no difference to the vibration..
Good Luck, OM&M.
AnswerID: 150744

Reply By: Banjo - Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 09:57

Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 09:57
My diesel Troopy has a small vibration between 1800-2000 RPM and has had for the last 10 years. Like yours, not when in neutral. When new I hassled the dealer about it but they said it wasn't unusual. Now over 300,000 km and no problem so I guess they were right. I don't know if yours is the same as mine but that's my experience.

Banjo (WA)
AnswerID: 150760

Reply By: ev700 - Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 12:26

Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 12:26
Tom Is the vehicle new to you or is it new? I assume the former.

My new TD is a perfect drive, very smooth at all speeds and not sensitive to any road surface encountered so far.

If yours is second hand you don't know what service it has had and it would be worth checking shock absorbers, CV joints and drivetrain.

What is up with the serviceman/mechanic, has he had it on the hoist for a check? I would have thought that would be the immediate response because something could be loose.
AnswerID: 150780

Follow Up By: RAGS AND DAGS - Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 16:27

Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 16:27
Your experience is the experience of 99.9% of all Landcruiser owners. Drive like a dream .
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FollowupID: 404365

Follow Up By: ev700 - Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 22:37

Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 22:37
RAGS AND DAGS

True and it is much loved by the family. Very comfortable and they can all get a good sleep on a trip.

EV700

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FollowupID: 404457

Reply By: Tom57 - Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 16:49

Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 16:49
Many thanks to all who replied.

Isn't it amazing that after using the same tyre service for years that you trust them to do the job properly. I took my vehicle to another tyre dealer(to get a 2nd onion) in my town (country) and he identified the problem after taking the first tyre off. It wasn't spinning true on the rim!!! He rotated all 4 tyures as needed and re-balanced them. Now - it drives like a new LC should - smooth on all surfaces.

The Toyota dealer also uses the tyre dealer which I have for years - hence when I put new Discovery AT's on (from new) they may also have been incorrectly put on the original factory rims. The bottom line is that I swapped factory rims with new Discovery tyres for Advanti rims fitted with Toyo AT's with a few thousand Km's wear. I know the rims cost the dealer (for his demo) lots of $ so maybe all is square. The rims look great and I am happy with them. I don't do a lot of off road driving but intend on going up North with an off-road caravan. By then I will be up for new tyres - maybe the new Wranglers?? One thing is for certain - I will check to amke sure that they put on the rims correctly!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers
AnswerID: 150847

Reply By: Tom57 - Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 16:50

Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 at 16:50
Many thanks to all who replied.

Isn't it amazing that after using the same tyre service for years that you trust them to do the job properly. I took my vehicle to another tyre dealer(to get a 2nd onion) in my town (country) and he identified the problem after taking the first tyre off. It wasn't spinning true on the rim!!! He rotated all 4 tyures as needed and re-balanced them. Now - it drives like a new LC should - smooth on all surfaces.

The Toyota dealer also uses the tyre dealer which I have for years - hence when I put new Discovery AT's on (from new) they may also have been incorrectly put on the original factory rims. The bottom line is that I swapped factory rims with new Discovery tyres for Advanti rims fitted with Toyo AT's with a few thousand Km's wear. I know the rims cost the dealer (for his demo) lots of $ so maybe all is square. The rims look great and I am happy with them. I don't do a lot of off road driving but intend on going up North with an off-road caravan. By then I will be up for new tyres - maybe the new Wranglers?? One thing is for certain - I will check to make sure that they put on the rims correctly!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers
AnswerID: 150848

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