Suspension Problems

[jbfrench]

I have two problems that are stemming from my suspension and I'm not exactly sure as to where I should look for the real source. I'd appreciate some help from anyone who has two cents.

1: Whenever I drive down a slightly rough road, and in Wisconsin there are plenty, it sounds like there are hammers in my springs. Its just constant knocking and banging. It's fairly loud at that.

2: Whenever I am on the highway and begin to brake, like when I am going onto an off-ramp, my steering wheel shakes vigorously. I can feel it at low speeds but obviously as I am going faster, the shaking gets harder.

I was thinking that it was some bushings somewhere. Which ones, I don't know. I do know that the rear suspension dips quite a bit when someone first sits in the back seat, but I'm not sure if that is just a characteristic of the stock Toyota suspension. I would really appreciate some help/ideas on this. I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars in the shop to find out its just an inexpensive part I could have switched out on my own.

[robcam13]

your steering wheel shake is your brake rotors are warped and need to either be turned or replaced.the rear suspension noise is probably rear sway bar bushings.they cost 20$ and take 10 min to change. i am a toyota tech and i have seen 100 of both of your complaints. if you need any more info just ask i will do my best to help.

[jbfrench]

The suspension is loud in general, front passenger, back passenger, front driver and back driver, they're all louder than Boston on St Patty's Day. I am fairly unfamiliar with suspension systems, I basically know what they should feel like and sound like. I assume there are also front sway bars that could use their bushings replaced too. If not, what do you think the front's problem would be?

As for the rotors, lucky for me I am changing my brakes tomorrow so that problem will finally be solved.