hows it going everyone? i really need your guys help on this one. vehicle is 1988 toyota 4runner with 22re

ok first the easy one. about 2 weeks ago i developed a "poping" sound when i turn my wheel to the right. i have isolated the sound to the pit man arm. i know how to fix this i am pretty sure of...replace it. but is there anything else i should be doing at this time as well?

next is brakes. this started about a week ago. my brake pedal goes to the floor (no pressure till then) and when it does slow it down it pulls to the right. i have checked the calipers, beld the lines, no leaks. i don't know where to go from here.

third, this one started saturday when i was heade home from work, i began to get a vibration from the front of the truck, at first it didn't do it till around 55-and up and i felt this through the whole truck but the source it seems was the right front. sunday it was worse, would start around 25mph i limped home from work going 10mph home was 8 miles away... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> i am guessing wheel bearings on this one, but i am not 100% on this. i am pretty sure its not the briar fields, or shafts, cause i have not used 4wd yet this year, and i don't haul ass around corners. and it doesn't feel like the long drive shaft, it looks to be in pretty good shape. so where do i go from here? oh i do know my wheel bearing on the left was going bad, i couldn't get and alignment done because of it! i would like to start work on one of these today, cause it is my daily driver. any help is much appericiated! thanks guys! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

While you're doing the pitman are, might as well replace all the steering components, or at least check 'em to make sure they ain't worn too. When my pitman arm went bad, everything else was in horrible shape too...


Brakes, check the master cylinder, I had almost the same exact problem when mine went bad. Try pumping the brakes, see if that will give you more pressure, if so chances are that your MC is dead. It ain't too hard to replace, just make sure you bench bleed it before you try and bleed the lines <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

Depending on how bad your steering is, it seems to me that this could contribute too the vibration, however if ya got a bad bearing, that'd be my number one guess. Pull that hub and throw a new bearing on. BTW, make sure you get an OEM part here, else you'll be back in there shortly!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />

Does your front tires have the same air pressure???
With one a little low, it'll pull, and vibrate. Check the simple stuff. The popping when turning one direction? That could be the steering stops rubbing the A-arm. I'll bet $$$ that your plastic caps are missing. Toss some thick grease on 'em and see if that goes away.

tire pressue and all that is good. i check the bump stops, they are all good no rubbing. there is play in the idler arm i noticed. passenger bearing is good, my dad is pulling the other one right now while i check this and such so i will know on that in just a bit, but i am sure that one will prolly be good as well, if not i already have the bearings for it (oem of course) i have another 4runner that the pitman and idler arms are good on. i am going to pull those and put them on the one i am driving now and see how that comes out. any other ideas?

havent' been able to work on my truck much due to work. but i just noticed that the lower bushings on the shocks are missing <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> is it possible this could me causing my vibration?

Welcome to the ugly world of maintence. Vehicles have an inherent price to drive them beside just putting gas in 'em (my wife think this way). Problems are best taken care of ASAP before they pile up.

Popping: Most likely a ball joint on a pitman or control arm. Could also be in the steering colum.

Brakes: Check brake fluid level of course. look for obvious signs of leakage. bleed brakes after finding problem.

Wobble: Im going to go with a worn tire here. Check tire for signs of distortion. Perhaps a ballancing weight fell off also.

Dont feel bad, In the last month Ive : replaced power steering pump, replaced spark plug wires because headers burnt through one. replaced cracked window thanks to a rock, replaced a worn tailgate hanger, windshield wipers x3, replaced exhaust from header to tail pipe, and replaced transfer and diff oil in 3 trucks.
Next month 2 trucks get new tranny fluid.
Welcome to my hell.

It could, that will leave a bit of play in the shocks and they won't be able to damp out small vibrations. Probably easiest to get replacement shocks unless new bushings are availble in the proper size. I know Rancho sells replacement poly bushings for their shocks.

ok i got a a chance to work on it last night a lil...heres the whats going on...for steering and such everthing there is ok/decent besides inner tie rod ends...could use replacing but were fine on the other truck. my ball joints are good. i put the tires from my other truck on there (they were recently balanced) tire psi is 40lbs all the way around. (very cold weather) my alignment is off by the way. the popping noise is gone. as for the brakes. fluid is good, they have been bled. master cylinder is 6months old. i think it maybe the vacum booster? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

the vibration is still present. it is starting around 20mph, and if you ask me, quite violent, so violent, that i haven't been driving it. when i speed up it seems to smooth out a little. i don't even hit bumps and the vibration/shaking begins!!! where do i go from here? should i go ahead and replace the inner tie rod ends? and the shocks? they are ranchos...so i may just get the bushings there and all the bearins are fine...what else should i check?

If the booster is out, it would be hard to push on the brakes. Maybe your new master cylinder is toast.

Lift that wobbly tire off the ground and give it a good shake to make sure the bearings and lugs are tight. Check the tread of the tire for distortion indicating a broken cord. Fix that shock. If the tire is out of ballance then a shock will damper the vibration.

check your alignment by using a tape measure and measure between in front of your tires and in back of your tires, side to side. I run with a little toe in, about 1/8 inch. Also use a plum-bob and see if your tires are straight up and down. You want the tread as squared to the pavement as adjustment will give you.

wow...i feel like a jack ass. um...my drive shaft was cracked and i didn't notice till after a lil test drive today, when that crack turned into a bend. i put the shaft in from the old truck and blamo...no more shaking. tomorrow i go in for an alignment, and they are going to take a look at my brakes for me as well while i am there. i take care of their grass so i get a fat disscount <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> thanks for all the input...although if i would have paid a lil more attention i could have solved it a while ago!