I think I'm going dopey!

[s5tuart]

As a lot of you know I've had my wheels powder coated during a refurb rather than still have them diamond cut.
But I notice something odd

The car (tyres) is quieter on the roads than before...

Now I know that a rational person would dismiss such a stupid statement as balderdash but I swear it's true.

The only mitigation I can begin to imagine is that the tyre pressures are different. I've not checked them yet but I will next time I drive it, but what is causing me to question my sanity is what if the pressures are all the same as they were?
How can a, albeit thick, few coats of paint make a noticeable difference in road noise?
Surprisingly the wheels weren't buckled at all so it's not as though that is or was a factor.
Please tell the nurse it's time for my tablets

 

[s5tuart]

 

[harrye500]

Hmmmm interesting! Either way the colour of your refub'd wheels are very nice. Diamond Cut are a pain on our UK roads full of winter salt! Good choice.

 

[mioba]

Is the nurse hot!

Nurse tablets !!!

 

[joderest]

maybe your wheels have been balanced correctly

 

[s5tuart]

maybe your wheels have been balanced correctly

Good point that I hadn't thought of, although there was never any sign of an imbalance driving, at any speed.

 

[Wighty]

Because you are grinning that your car looks the muts nuts with the new wheels , this smile is closing your ear canal slightly reducing the noise going to your ear drum . Making everything sound quieter !

 

[th3h1ghlander]

It is wholly possible that the coating with paint has changed the reverb frequency of the wheels. When you change tyre compound/thickness/tread it has an affect on the reverb of wheels and the way the noise translates through to the suspension and body. Now you have layers of paint sitting in-between the metal and rubber, and also between the metal and air which may change the wind sound profile too.

To some it up, don’t think you are imagining it, it is possible it has changed, if only a little bit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[s5tuart]

It is wholly possible that the coating with paint has changed the reverb frequency of the wheels. When you change tyre compound/thickness/tread it has an affect on the reverb of wheels and the way the noise translates through to the suspension and body. Now you have layers of paint sitting in-between the metal and rubber, and also between the metal and air which may change the wind sound profile too.

To some it up, don’t think you are imagining it, it is possible it has changed, if only a little bit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks. After some years in the hifi industry and many years of chasing the ultimate hifi set up my ears are quite finely tuned.
You could well be right but I suppose I'll never really know.
I'll be phoning the wheel place tomorrow to ask what torque they used on the wheel bolts and what pressure they set the tyres.
Every little thing probably makes a difference.

 

[Wighty]

Thanks. After some years in the hifi industry and many years of chasing the ultimate hifi set up my ears are quite finely tuned.
You could well be right but I suppose I'll never really know.
I'll be phoning the wheel place tomorrow to ask what torque they used on the wheel bolts and what pressure they set the tyres.
Every little thing probably makes a difference.

1000+nm on the wheel nuts and 23-28 mix on the tyres

 

[EmilysDad]

.....
I'll be phoning the wheel place tomorrow to ask what torque they used on the wheel bolts and .....

they'll all be FT ....
they (almost) all tighten to stupid torque with the windy rattle gun & then use a torque wrench that's set to a fraction of what the rattle gun tightened them to.

 

[th3h1ghlander]

they'll all be FT ....
they (almost) all tighten to stupid torque with the windy rattle gun & then use a torque wrench that's set to a fraction of what the rattle gun tightened them to.

With the way mine have been in the past you would think they have the socket attached to a big block hemi and drive shaft that they practice a few drag starts on to impact each bolt…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[EmilysDad]

With the way mine have been in the past you would think they have the socket attached to a big block hemi and drive shaft that they practice a few drag starts on to impact each bolt…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Years back, I tried to remove a wheel that ATS/Kwikfit had recently fitted. The car supplied wheel brace was bending while trying to slacken the bolts .... Just to make the point, I drove back down for them to slacken them off.

 

[s5tuart]

I've spoken to the wheel place today.
It shows it's wise to spend a little more.
The torque and the pressures are all as per factory spec.
As above, the guys think that it's probably the proper balancing that has made the difference. He said that even though there was no obvious wheel shaking the wheels will go out of balance over time due to tyre wear and that "properly" balanced wheels will be quieter on the road.
He can't imagine any difference being made by painting and he's never had anyone else say their car is quieter either so I've probably given them a good chuckle today!
There's not enough laughter in the world anyway...

 

[daibevan]

After a tyre change I always re torque my wheels and then check again a few weeks later.