Suddenly noisy tires...Expert opinions sought

CobraGuy · #1 05-23-2012, 11:44 AM

Hi Folks, been lurking here for a few years now (thank you for all the help) and always managed to find answers to my questions with a search. Since I didn’t really have anything to add that wasn’t already contributed by the resident experts I didn't really see a need to jump on board despite some rather entertaining interaction. Now however, I need some help that I'm hoping will point me in the right direction. I’ve encountered the following dilemma and I could use some advice figuring out the cause before heading back to the installer.

About a month ago I installed a new set of Bridgestone Dueller H/P RFT’s (Staggered 20”) on my wife’s X5 and had the alignment set to the specs suggested here (within factory spec on camber, close as possible to 0 (-.01LF, -.01RF, .00LR, .01RR.) on toe and 0.00 thrust angle). For the first few weeks the tires were great, quiet, no tram lining, perfectly balanced. Basically, exactly what I’d hoped for from a new set of tires. Then, around the beginning of last week, my wife tells me that she thinks the tires seem to have become noisy. So I take it for a test drive and sure enough, the left front is sounding like a dedicated off-road tire on a big 4x4 pick-up and I think I can also hear it, although somewhat more subtly, on the right. The noise increases and decreases with speed and is most pronounced right around 40MPH. I’ve ruled out, to the best of my ability, a bearing problem and total mileage between alignment and noise appearing is less than 500. I have driven it fairly regularly since install and did not notice the noise prior to my wife mentioning it to me and it is a noise I would have definitely noticed. No known pot holes, curbs, etc to change alignment specs or damage tires, but clearly something has changed. One last thing, when I run my hand over the top of the tire...counter clockwise everything is smooth, clockwise I’m feeling a slightly raised leading edge on each of the tread blocks (inner and outer edge of the tire). Scalloping perhaps?

I’d like to have some suggestions from the experts here just to ensure I cover all the bases with the tire guys when I take it in to get things checked out. What are your thoughts on what should I be looking for?

Cheers and Thanks in advance!

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ard · #2 05-23-2012, 05:59 PM

new tires and alignment done by the same shop? Hope so.

I'd have the tire guy look- they may check/rebalance...then need to check alignment.

That toe is real flat. I target 0.01-0.02. I don't like 0.000...close to zero but not AT zero.

A

CobraGuy · #3 05-23-2012, 06:45 PM

Thanks Ard,

TireRack for the tires and same shop did the mounting, balancing and alignment. Open less than a year, latest top end equipment and knowledgeable but cooperative techs. They did exactly what I asked them to do. I'm thinking the same thing...toe is just too flat at 0. Are you suggesting .01-.02 per side? Front and rear? So total Toe is .02 -.04 F&R? I'm just surprised the symptoms took so long to show up if it is just the alignment. Hope so...

ard · #4 05-23-2012, 07:24 PM

As the suspension loads and unloads, the various angles may change- I am wondering if that zero toe is actually 'flexing' past 'toe in' to 'toe out' and that is the cause of the oscillation.

I'd go with the numbers you list above on per side and total. But have them check it first, maybe the smoking gun will be right there.

motordavid · #5 05-23-2012, 07:33 PM

Probably not the cause, but a quick look will show if the tires were mounted properly, with 'outside' facing out on the outer side of rim, and proper rotation direction...

Weird that they ran smoothly for a short time, and then developed noise.

No 'brand' is beyond pumping out a crap tire on occasion, imo.
GL, mD

CobraGuy · #6 05-24-2012, 12:18 PM

Thanks for the suggestion MotorDavid, I've been burned in the past with things like that so I checked for correct mounting before I left when the tires were originally installed.

Ard, I think you may be on to something, 500 miles is about the right distance to scrub off any mfg residue, release agents etc so perhaps the tires now have enough grip to force the toe in/toe out oscillation you suggest. The shop had a quick look last night and did not see any uneven wear patterns or tire defects so I've scheduled an alignment adjustment Sat morning. Keeping my fingers crossed.

swisstype · #7 05-26-2012, 06:42 AM

I was having what I thought was tire noise, and did the same thing as you. It never went away. Dealer put it on th elift and ran it, and it was a wheel bearing . You should have them look at that. It was a different world after that.

CobraGuy · #8 05-29-2012, 01:16 PM

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, took the X in on Saturday for an alignment adjustment (.01-.02 toe all corners) and the sound remains unchanged. Through the process of elimination, consensus is wheel bearing but now I have to wait 2 weeks for courtesy car availability from the dealer! (still covered under warranty).

Zoich · #9 05-29-2012, 06:47 PM

I have the same issue as you. I have the same setup as you. I replaced them back in November (daily commute is less than 18 miles) witht the same tires. then took a long trip in Apr to Atlanta (1700 mile trip total). On the way back I start to hear road noises at certain speeds and certian pavements are louder. So I took it in to have it reblanced. The tech wouldn't rotate them (swap them left to right, since it's staggered). The Bridgestone is NOT uni-directional, so I am curious why he didn't swap them left to right. He claims it's the front and back is more important and left to right is insignificant. what do you think?
Also took a trip to Chicago (800 mile round trip). The noise is usually there from 40 to 60, (not as loud as before I had the Dunlop replaced), but at 90, it's not so loud.
This is driving me nuts. Am I just SOL? I am thinking putting the non-staggard 19's which I currently has winter tires on them. Just change them to all season. Thoughts?

CobraGuy · #10 05-30-2012, 04:04 AM

Have you had the wheel bearings checked out? Swisstype mentioned his success with a wheel bearing repair correcting an apparent noisy tire and I'm hopeful that's my problem too. I probably should have considered a wheel bearing issue sooner, but my noise just didn't sound like any faulty bearing I've heard in the past. Much more like a noisy off-road truck tire than a bad bearing. Given the nature of the noise, my first thought was faulty tire, when that was ruled out then my out of factory spec alignment became the next logical suspect despite 500 miles of perfectly quiet driving. With alignment specs now ruled out I'm hoping it's a faulty wheel bearing since that's a relatively quick and straightforward repair. Unfortunately, it's taking me two weeks to find out if that's the problem or not.

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