Vibration/shudder while towing…

3rd Gen SR5 TRD 4x4 with leer topper.

So I’m on a long road trip and the back of my truck has I don’t know 500 pounds of gear , 4 humans a dog and I’m pulling a trailer that’s about 3000 pounds. When I accelerate towing the trailer at about 1500 to 1700 RPMs I feel a vibration/shudder and then it goes away at about 1900 to 2000 RPMs mostly from when I’m at a dead stop accelerating. Anyone else experienced this? Could it be an engine mount being loose?

 

I tow a closer to 7000 lb travel trailer and have not experienced the vibration/shudder you are describing. I’d say a motor mount is a possibility but could also be any number of other things. Are you using tow/haul mode while towing?

 

Sounds like driveline vibration symptoms to me. Crewmax 5.5 bed? Any lift?

 

Are you using Tow/Haul mode? I ask because it sounds like the torque converter possibly locking up when it shouldn't be.

 

I thought the Same . Especially if it’s diving more under acceleration

 

No lift 6.5 bed.

 

Yes, but I think it’s doing it even not in Tow haul. I’ll check when I leave the park tomorrow. And my trailer is more like 4000lbs.

 

What does driveline vibration mean?

 

Driveline vibration is the driveshaft wobbling for a sec on acceleration. Extremely common on lifted truck, hence why another user asked, and usually cured by a carrier bearing drop. It's possible your suspension geometry is out of spec a little, and when you load it down it's just enough to induce shudder. Have you had any suspension work done at all?

 

No sir. Everything is stock.

 

How much was the truck squatting?

 

It was some yes. I’ll photo it tomorrow.

 

But my old gen 2 2005 tundra had same loads and same trailer last summer with no shudder. ‍♂️

 

A normal truck wouldn't if the geometry is in check. I'm asking if it was squatted because it gives me an idea of how much the suspension geometry has changed due to the load. Driveline shudder is more prominent under medium to heavy acceleration. You can almost eliminate it by being gentle with the throttle.

Google "driveline shudder when towing", or "launch shudder when towing" to better understand what I'm talking about.

 

I feel like the Crewmax 6.5 would be more susceptible to vibrations as it has a longer span on the rear driveshaft. Anyone know if either the 5.5 or 6.5 has a carrier bearing? I've never looked under my 5.5 truck for one.

 

Here is the photo loaded.

 

I'm like 99 percent certain that's your problem. You could have your angles checked, but honestly, if you plan on towing like that a lot, I'd invest in some airbags.

 

Agreed. Airbags or a weight distributing hitch. I'm sure sitting on the bump stops is close to shoving the driveshaft into the transmission output shaft.

That being said, I towed my RV about 10 miles last weekend without hooking up the torsion bars on my hitch and it sat just as bad, but I had no vibration. At least not in that short drive mostly through town.

 

That trailer is too light for needing wdh. All tundras have soft springs, get some HD coils or airbags.

it will drive way better towing anyways

 

So a hitch that puts the camper level like where you can move the ball mount higher?

 

Is that a ‘real’ issue of doing damage?

 

Not following that logic. Yes, it will certainly tow better level but if there’s 300# on that tongue it’s going to be 300# whether it’s 4” higher or 4” lower.

 

I'd consider bags. Tent trailers don't have enough hitch weight for a weight distribution hitch, and you can't store much gear in them. That's why your bed has as much weight as it does. Your bed weight will vary, so will the amount of the sag. With bags you can set your ride height and the trailer will always tow level.

 

It shouldn't be a possibility on a new/stock truck, but there is potential.

Regardless, hauling anything, trailer or loaded bed that unloads that much weight from your brake/steering axle is never a good thing.

In hindsight, the others are right. The 500# of gear, plus trailer tongue weight necessitate airbags. That or timbrens, but unless you are running a constant load I would stick with bags. Timbrens and sumo springs ride pretty rough completely unloaded.

 

Is this article referring to wear and tear on the tow vehicle, or the trailer? One of the first paragraphs states that if it can't be level, the trailer should be nose down a little. What am I supposed to be looking at here?

 

Equalizer hitch is the fast fix. If you tow other things Airbag it. I tow a 5500 lbs surf boat with zero issues plus I have 14 cargo trailer that is fine. All my stuff sits 100% level.