1st gen Taco regular cab feeling...."darty"

[JWP58]

Ok I have a weird question, that's really hard to explain. I have a 2001 Regular Cab Tacoma (about 68k miles now). Here recently at hwy speeds (60mph and faster) it feels really "darty" (which im aware isn't a word). The only way I can explain it is, whenever I hit a bump at hwy speeds it feels like the pickup wants to either go right or left, or the *** end wants to pass the front end.

Has anyone ever felt anything like this with a regular cab Tacoma? My 01' and 10' double cabs never felt like this, and neither did my 2009 regular cab.

It kinda makes for a white knuckle ride at 75mph.


I was thinking maybe new shocks? (fyi my suspension is completely stock).

 

[Revco]

Needs an alignment first, possibly ball joints or tie rod ends. The steering rack bushings are notorious for wearing out and causing sloppy steering. The steering racks are also known for having issues. New shocks will help a lot.

I have an '01 reg cab 4x4, bought it with 168k. At 177k when I installed new Bilstein front shocks and built my own rear spring packs. I replaced the steering rack bushings and dropped it off at the tire shop for them to mount and balance my new 33" tires and do an alignment. What a world of difference it made!

I drove almost 10k miles twitching and wandering all over the highway, and now with the alignment set properly, it rides smooth and straight.

 

[superbuickguy]

check all of your suspension points for looseness. My first guess would be improper toe-in cause by bending a tie rod - with the number of miles on it, I just don't see anything under it being worn out. With that said, it's just old enough that a leaf-spring bushing could be perished - depending on climate and whether it's a garaged truck or a curb truck. I had a Toyota SR5 extended cab 4x4 truck between the miles of 102,000 and 268,000 - and never touched the suspension other than lubing what could be lubed... and it drove perfect.

 

[surlydiesel]

I vote Steering Rack, Worn Suspension Parts and Proper Alignment are all things to check. Sounds very very off. I have the identical truck and I can do 85 down the highway, well downhill on the highway but my truck is smooth all the way up to 90 with no feeling of jumping around. I had the rack replaced on my 99 at about 140,000 miles and it was sketchy to drive at speed when it was sloppy. I feel like worn shocks will make the truck very boaty but not really twitchy or that was my experience on my trucks. I would hit a bump and keep bouncing for a bit but not really shifty side to side. I've had a 99, 2008, 2002 Tundra and now a 2001 Taco.

Let us know what you find.

Cheers,
Jorge

 

[JWP58]

I did just have a tsb done in november, I think for the ball joints, I know it was the front suspension...im thinking ball joints.

I might start with new tires, alignment, and shocks. I need new tires anyway for the upcoming hunting season.

I appreciate all the ideas fellas.

 

[007]

Google "bump steer".

 

[JWP58]

I don't think I would get bump steer unless I had a lift. But after reading the description, it sounds a lot like what I am experiencing. It tracks straight, but the steering wheel does have a ton of vibration between 60-65mph and then it stops above 65.

Im hoping its not a steering rack. Could just be bushings and alignment maybe???

 

[Box Rocket]

It could definitely just be bushings and an alignment. If I were to guess, your rack bushings are shot and the inner tie rods are probably sloppy. In addition (you'll find out for sure when you get the alignment) I bet your caster is really bad. You can run out of adjustment on caster, but that's not likely unless you're lifted. But the alignment will help for sure. If your TSB is lower ball joints that will help too.

 

[jca91374]

I had a very similar issue after installing 5100's on on the front of my truck with the stock springs at 2.5 inches of lift. The truck was very nervious on the highway and would feel like it wanted to change lanes if I caught a bump with one tire or the other.


I took the truck in for an alignment and found that I had almost no caster. The camber and toe were well within spec but the caster was almost zero. The alignment tech had a hard time getting it aligned as my adjusters were in pretty bad shape (thank you chicago winters). He eventually got almost 2 degrees of caster on both front wheels. While it was not perfect truck felt much better. Odds are I'm going with UCA's to get another degree or so to really make the truck track straight. From everything I've read these trucks like 3+ degrees.