Have a 2002 Taco 4x that just turned 24000 miles. Last week it started getting a bad vibration / shimmy at between 60 - 75 MPH. Doesn't do it all the time If you slow with the brakes after the vibration starts, you feel the brake pedal pulse. When you speed back up, most times the vibration has gone away, to return later on or the next day.

Just had the ball joint recall done, while there the dealer told me my troubles were due to excess front rotor runout. Well, $500 for new rotors, etc. and the effin vibration is still there. Any clues? Could this be a similar issue to the 2005 skid plates?

could be the wheel bearing and or out of alignment.

would wheel bearings give you a "sometimes it'll vibrate, somtimes not"? Driving in to work today, I got up to 70 about 4 - 5 times and only had vibration twice...

Update: Have had it back to the dealer twice -- he now says that the rear drums are warped, due to one side of the emergency brake sticking. Says that the dragging emergency brake heats up the rear brakes, does the shimmy, and when you slow (or use the brake) they release. Why they didn't catch that when investigating the front brakes (just replaced last week with the ball joint recall) is beyond me. Should be able to pick it up tomorrow afternoon. Not having a good feeling about this...

After replacing the brake drums I suspect you will still have the problem. Sounds like a tire wheel problem to me. You don't mention if the vibration appears to be in the front or rear. I assume your shop checked the wheel bearings when they replaced the brake rotors. I would jack the front wheels off the ground and attempt to shake the front wheels to test for apparent looseness. If OK I would switch the front tires with the rear and see if the symptoms change. Have the wheels recently been checked for balance and being out of round? It sounds like your dealer is guessing.

Clifton

Yep, when they replaced the ball joints for the recall, they rotated the tires and re-aligned the front and rear. That's why i was surprised when the vibration occured again. Will be picking it up today -- they apparently went through the front end, including the wheel bearings, and found nothing. Just the warped rear drums.