Bad intermediate steering shaft?

Hey everyone! I have a '06 Doublecab Shortbed 5' 4x4 V6 4.0L Tacoma with about 202,000 miles on her and I've been trying to source out this slight vibration at 45/75+ mph speed

I feel the vibration in the steering wheel, feet, and sometimes the seat at the mentioned speed earlier.

So far I've, got the tires/wheel balanced (also requested road force test), driveshaft u joint and carrier bearing replaced and balanced, tightened leaf spring u bolt, and replaced wheel bearings. The driveshaft nulled a lot of the vibration but still feel it slightly.

I've recently took my truck out on an OHV trail and that's where it sort of got me really thinking that the steering shaft may be the reason for the vibration. I would feel/hear this clunking noise coming from aft and below the steering and is even more immediate if the trail road was extremely bumpy. I would hear similar noise as the vehicle is vibrating at 75+ mph and if I drive over bumps and dips hard, slowly, on the road.

I've recorded myself moving part of the intermediate steering shaft around: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQKZR5d3kP4

You can hear the clunking if you raise the volume up. When I move the steering wheel (not in the vid), there isn't much free play seen at the u-joint. But I'm wondering if that wiggle is an indicator that the steering shaft is bad regardless or whatever component is connected to next?

 

Wondering if the gap between the bronze shaft and the rubber collar should not be there.

 

That's called a rag joint and it is supposed to flex like that to limit feedback and vibrations coming through the steering wheel.

However I know there was an issue with them, and some people found that a "ziptie mod" would fix it.

(Edit: link here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ad-the-zip-tie-fix-will-make-your-day.435015/ )

Does the vibration go away in 4wd? If yes, then it's your needle bearing which can be replaced with the ECGS 8" bushing.

If not, and it is steering related, check your inner/outer tie rods for play. Sometimes even the rack can cause vibes if it's on the way out.

 

Did you change the carrier bearing when you did the u-joints?

 

Yes I did! Thank you for reminding me!

 

Got it, I'm curious if it's suppose to flex that much though, because the clunk sounds familiar to the clunking I'm hearing while driving.

Thank you for the suggestions! Zip tie method and validating needle bearing are easy enough.

 

My intermediate shaft was recently replaced. Symptom was serious play in the steering wheel before engagement.

 

How serious of a free play? I'm unsure if the amount I have is normal or not. I definitely do need to move my steering wheel like 1.5" both ways for the wheels to start turning.

 

If you can sit there and jiggle the wheel back and forth without the tires moving then it’s probably the shaft. I could do that while cruising down the road. There really shouldn’t be much of any excess play, mine certainly did not feel normal.

The intermediate steering shaft fixed it 100%.

 

Hey! So update, so far, the zip tie method has reduced a significant amount of vibration, I just feel it in my steering wheel only now. I guess in the vid, there shouldn't be that much play. The source of play was at the rag joint, where the rubber piece is located on the intermediate shaft and hence the zip tie method working for my case. I probably will purchase a new shaft and see if that will completely resolve my vibration at the wheel, because I believe there is an updated shaft from toyota.

 

Did replacing the intermediate shaft fix your problem? I can twist my back and forth by hand a lot. When turning at low speeds it getS stuck while turning and has a creaking noise In the steering shaft steering wheel area.

 

Shoving a bunch of zipties helped alleviate clunking and mild vibration (see the following link, post 3: Does your steering wheel "clunk" when off road? The zip tie fix will make your day!!!!!! | Tacoma World). I've also noticed you have an 01 Tacoma Pre runner in your bio, I would suggest looking for assist in the 1st gen tacoma threads. Not trying to be rude! Their may be differences between 1st and 2nd gens and what works for us may not be applicable for 1st gens.

 

Oh damn in didn't realize this wasn't a 1st gen tacoma thread. But thank you and thank you