Tire noise, help! (new tires)

[Click_It]

Well I bought my new tires yesterday, it was raining and they were great. Today however it was dry and OMG these things are NOISY! The hum starts to get annoying over 60kmh (35mph) and ridiculous at 110kmh (70mph) - I can't even hear my engine over them! Sounds like I'm driving an SUV with offroad treads.

My question, should I expect these to get quieter as I run them in or should I take them back and replace for something better? I've never had such noisy tires in my life.

[TominMO]

I vote for take 'em back, esp. before you rack up some miles on them. Try to do some research on a tire site for quiet tires.

[Click_It]

I vote for take 'em back, esp. before you rack up some miles on them. Try to do some research on a tire site for quiet tires.

Yeah I did about 15 miles on them yesterday in the wet and about 20 miles today in the dry. I could see if the tire shop is willing to work something out.

They are amazingly grippy but I guess noise is the price I pay. If they were to lose say 50% of their noise over time I'd probably put up with it.

[FestYboy]

... and in what shape are your rear bearings?

anyway, looking at the tread; see how there's a large groove that runs for 2 blocks and then starts again, but shifted to the inside about 1/4"? that's where the noise is comming from (air slamming into the block wall at the end of the groove and being squeezed out a smaller sipe groove). it's acting like a whistle. get a tire with a less directional tread and that should alleviate alot of the noise.

[perucho]

... and in what shape are your rear bearings?

...

+1

If the noise is so loud, your rear bearings may be bad. I had the exact same problem. Thought it was the tires (had just put new tires when I noticed the loud hum after 35-40 mph) but it was the rear bearings. At higher speeds I couldn't even hear the radio! The rear bearings are easy to replace and definitely worth your time.

[91_festy_Gl]

+1

If the noise is so loud, your rear bearings may be bad. I had the exact same problem. Thought it was the tires (had just put new tires when I noticed the loud hum after 35-40 mph) but it was the rear bearings. At higher speeds I couldn't even hear the radio! The rear bearings are easy to replace and definitely worth your time.

+1, my old 91 gl after swapping to 15's made a loud noise I thought was the tires. Come to find out the rear bearings needed replaced.

[Click_It]

Thanks for the replies. The rear bearings were done 2000 miles ago when I did the rear aspire swap though when the tire shop fitted everything they told me the rear bearings needed adjustment so its possible they mucked something up I suppose?

Not discounting the bearing suggestion as I'm not 100% sure what bad rear bearings would sound like but I'm guessing it's a higher pitch / whistle sound? This noise really sounds like tire noise, it's a low deep hum. Best I can describe is the SUV example, I once had to deliver a Toyota Landcruiser 2000 miles from city to country, it had big tread for the outback dirt and that thing was "tire loud" on the road. This sounds similar to that, If anyone's driven such an SUV before.

[Click_It]

Actually... after searching for bearing noise on these forums maybe it is that. Hmmm if correct its the tire shops' medling that's done this. I've just phoned them and they want me to bring it in, someone will take it for a spin around the block.

[Click_It]

... and in what shape are your rear bearings?

As usual you were right FestYboy thanks mate. I think I'm starting to see a trend of this in my threads!

It was the bearings. My hearing isn't so good but today it was obvious the noise was coming from the rear and there's no way tires can make that much noise. The tire shop were idiots not wanting to take responsibility for their mistake so I bought new bearings and they're on now, everything great again.

[FestYboy]

awesome!

[perucho]

Only Festyboy? LOL!

[Click_It]

Only Festyboy? LOL!

:error:
Sorry I didn't share the love there did I?


Appreciation and thanks also goes out to perucho and 91_festy_Gl ! Not only from me but also Winnie who finally got those noisy critters out of her shoes, coz nobody likes noisy critters in their shoes!

[91_festy_Gl]

I give my credit to festyboy because when I had this problem he helped me fix it along with the aspire bearing shims on the front.

[perucho]

I was just kidding anyway. It may have been FestYboy who helped me diagnose what the duece that loud hum was when my bearings were bad and I thought it was my tires! Anyway, glad you figured it out!

[Click_It]

All good guys. Glad I wasn't the only one to think it was my tires originally hehe. Hopefully I am able to help the next guy who falls into this trap.

Tomorrow I'm taking her out for a long drive to see if there's any bugs left in her. It's ironic, nothing ever went wrong with this car until I started the aspire swap then one by one things died (related or unrelated) ... That's cars I guess.