Odd tyre noise at low speed when cold...SL500/R230

[Gkinghorn]

This has got me baffled.

Drove the car a couple of weeks ago on a v cold night straight from the garage..noticed as I drove that it seemed like the front nearside tyre was either flat (you know that noise you get ..slap slap slap...) or had something stuck on the tyre like a bit of litter... stopped the car had a look ..nothing obvious...so drove on my way..short journey and it was pretty consistent but more noticeable on right hand turn (silent on left hand turns)...

Since then I have noticed it now and again but not too bad until today....

Left garage as usual and wife noticed the same noise....got out again , in dayight this time , still saw nothing and wheel bolts all tight as expected so drove to where i was going....you dont hear it at high speed ...

Fired up the car after shopping and lo and behold there it was back again..had wife drive up and down whilst i ran alongside to make sure which wheel it was...so still nothing obvious...drove home...

Came off motorway and into the quiet streets where we heard the noise earlier..and now ..silence....

Only difference I can think of is that when the tyres are warmed up they don t do it and wondering if the cold is having some kind of effect on them.

Any thoughts folks?

 

[television]

Could it be a back plate touching a disc

 

[Gkinghorn]

Would that change as it warmed up though and would you hear it at high speed.. I confess its not obvious at high speed. I am wondering if there is a tyre issue with perhaps some of it coming away from the belt...

How would I check what you suggest Malcolm? Take wheel off and look for what where?

 

[television]

Normally by jacking and spinning a wheel, though this does not put the same stress on that axle.

A little wear in the wheel bearings perhaps, they are adjustable, I cannot recall ever doing any adjustments when I had the car, so it could be the bearing allowing something to rub and you would not hear it at speed

 

[Aitch55]

I had to replace the front tyres on my golf recently as the inside edges on both front tyres were through the casing. The noise was caused by thin strips of rubber coming away and 'lashing' the wheel arches.

This could account for why you hear it on one lock more than the other.

Check the inside edges of the tyres but be careful as the metal cords may be exposed.

HTH

 

[oigle]

Haven't seen this issue for many years but remember tyres getting flat spots overnight, particularly when cold, which went away when warmed up. Just as you describe.
Are you using well regarded tyres? Are they near new or getting on?
If you jack up the car in the morning when tyres are cold and spin the wheel by hand, you should be able to see if there is any deformation in the tread.

 

[television]

His tyres should be near new unless Gordon has done 10k miles this last 5 months

 

[Gkinghorn]

Starting to wonder if its the rear tyres now!

Pretty sure it is tyre related and I think it is coming from both sides from what I can hear .

The rear tyres are a fair bit older ...now done 64k miles in the car so about 6k or so since I collected it from you Malcolm - I think they may need replaced shortly but tread still fine ...I got in touch with Syron to ask about the fronts and they said there was no onown issue which they were aware of (they would though) but yes it does indeed seem like a flat spot when sitting cold... Silent when heated up ... Will get it on a ramp at weekend to check them out when cold I think...

Pretty certain this is tyre related ...meantime I am keeping the speed down on the motorway just in case until I get it checked...

 

[television]

If it goes when hot then tyres it could well be.

I thought it was about 56k miles when I sold it

 

[Gkinghorn]

Yes it was about 56k Malcolm ... Any idea how many miles the rears had done by then?

 

[television]

Yes it was about 56k Malcolm ... Any idea how many miles the rears had done by then?

I would have said about 2k,,,,I changed them after my trip to Sweden the previous year, If I can find my order for them I can confirm that.

I am in the middle of deleting some 3k Emails, so I may come to it they were cheap on Ebay at £178 each

 

[Gkinghorn]

I rechecked tread and they seemed fine still a good covering... And another 'slappy' early morning start today ..silent by the time I got off the motorway .... I can see new tyres coming which is a bit disappointing really...in all likelihood it's probably the new fronts .. Maybe keep them as summer tyres and minimise loss by buying a set of wheels and winter tyres and I can swap those on when its warmer.... I would buy 4 and not just the fronts...

 

[television]

You can pick up the standard Homan wheels, same size back and front cheap now days

 

[Gkinghorn]

Turns out to be the tyres...rain relented so I got out and jacked up both fronts... Spun the wheels (should you hear the brake disks as you spin just scraping lightly on the wheels? ) and it became obvious there was a slight bulge on both front tyres.... Total pain at this time of year... Looks like the Syrons are not up to the job sadly - yes I know a number of you told me so but I knew what I was doing when I got them and they were lovely and quiet in the summer...

Time to go find some new tyres I think ....I will go annoy Syron and see what I can get from them though in terms of recompense but I suspect zero!

Malcolm do you recall what size was on them before I swapped out for these ones? I probably have it somewhere..

 

[television]

Sorry to hear this,,, I will work out what size and post back this afternoon.

They will have to put the mater right or give a refund

 

[Gkinghorn]

Sorry to hear this,,, I will work out what size and post back this afternoon.

They will have to put the mater right or give a refund

'Tis ok I found it .. 245/40 was on front - I knew I favourited some threads for a reason

 

[rpe2]

Turns out to be the tyres...rain relented so I got out and jacked up both fronts... Spun the wheels (should you hear the brake disks as you spin just scraping lightly on the wheels? ) and it became obvious there was a slight bulge on both front tyres.... Total pain at this time of year... Looks like the Syrons are not up to the job sadly - yes I know a number of you told me so but I knew what I was doing when I got them and they were lovely and quiet in the summer...

Time to go find some new tyres I think ....I will go annoy Syron and see what I can get from them though in terms of recompense but I suspect zero!

Malcolm do you recall what size was on them before I swapped out for these ones? I probably have it somewhere..

I went and annoyed Kumho with an issue a few years back and apart from my first letter getting lost in the post, they fell over themselves to remedy including a set of very much discounted replacements.

 

[Gkinghorn]

i have approached both the vendor (tyretraders.com) as well as Syron themselves ... outlined the problem... will see how they respond... not driving for next couple of weeks so plenty of time to debate with them.

 

[television]

Good luck young man, you could do OK out of it all, do not forget you had to cancel a trip overseas and all the hotels were paid for

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

Sorry to hear about the tyres but hopefully you'll receive some compensation.

40/45 profile tyres are really susceptible to sidewall and tread damage from traffic calming humps and bumps etc. The forces some of these obstacles put on the sidewalls of tyres are horrific if hit above 30 mph and were not factored in when the tyres were designed and manufacturered, why should they have been, they are a highways agency incarnation. We have the lovely pyramid type local to us that probably cause more damage than most.

I always try to be kind to the suspension and tyres by slowing down to 20mph to negotiate them much to the annoyance of others.

If you have any of these local to you I'd certainly do the same unless you want to buy a 4x4 in which case it wouldn't be an issue.