New Tires, Deafening Noise
11-22-2010, 01:51 PM
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New Tires, Deafening Noise
I just had a lot of work done on my 2002 Audi A4 3.0 Quattro. New clutch, resurfaced flywheel, new plugs, fuel filter, air filter, oil change, and a full set of Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires mounted and balanced.
I drove away from the shop smiling at how the new clutch felt. But then when I got up to speed that smile flipped sideways as a very loud rumble filled the car. The steering wheel was not shaking at all but the car was rumbling so violently that I heard plastic rattling against itself. The car also goes in a very straight line if you let go of the wheel to test the alignment.
I turned right around and went back to the shop. After a test drive from them and some discussion they came to the conclusion that the tires were balanced correctly and that the tires were just loud. They told me to call TireRack, who I got the tires from, and talk to them about a set of replacement tires that the shop offered to mount and balance for free for me.
Thinking the tires were defective or something and agreeing that if it was a balancing issue my steering wheel would be shaking as well, I came home and called TireRack. They had no problem honoring the tires 60 day satisfaction guarantee but would not recommend getting the same tire as they have never heard of defective tires in a batch of otherwise flawless tires. The tech I spoke to made it sound like he had a direct hand in the road testing of tires and said they saw no issues with noise with this particular tire. He had other, more expensive, suggestions for me but said that they sell hundreds of these tires and never hear complaints about noise. Which is what I expected when I tried to search around on the web for anyone ever complaining about these tires being loud, people just love them.
The tech went on to say that a wheel bearing can sound like loud tire noise. But the previous set of mismatched tires I just replaced were quiet as can be. And what are the odds that a wheel bearing went while sitting at the shop for the work I had mentioned? I just don't know what to do or what to think.
Anyone have experience with the Continental ExtremeContact DWS?
Anyone ever heard of a particular set of tires being defective?
What are the odds it truly is a wheel bearing that just happened to go as I was putting new tires on?
Is there anything the shop could have done wrong to cause a wheel bearing to fail?
Anything else besides the wheels/tires I should be looking at?
I drove away from the shop smiling at how the new clutch felt. But then when I got up to speed that smile flipped sideways as a very loud rumble filled the car. The steering wheel was not shaking at all but the car was rumbling so violently that I heard plastic rattling against itself. The car also goes in a very straight line if you let go of the wheel to test the alignment.
I turned right around and went back to the shop. After a test drive from them and some discussion they came to the conclusion that the tires were balanced correctly and that the tires were just loud. They told me to call TireRack, who I got the tires from, and talk to them about a set of replacement tires that the shop offered to mount and balance for free for me.
Thinking the tires were defective or something and agreeing that if it was a balancing issue my steering wheel would be shaking as well, I came home and called TireRack. They had no problem honoring the tires 60 day satisfaction guarantee but would not recommend getting the same tire as they have never heard of defective tires in a batch of otherwise flawless tires. The tech I spoke to made it sound like he had a direct hand in the road testing of tires and said they saw no issues with noise with this particular tire. He had other, more expensive, suggestions for me but said that they sell hundreds of these tires and never hear complaints about noise. Which is what I expected when I tried to search around on the web for anyone ever complaining about these tires being loud, people just love them.
The tech went on to say that a wheel bearing can sound like loud tire noise. But the previous set of mismatched tires I just replaced were quiet as can be. And what are the odds that a wheel bearing went while sitting at the shop for the work I had mentioned? I just don't know what to do or what to think.
Anyone have experience with the Continental ExtremeContact DWS?
Anyone ever heard of a particular set of tires being defective?
What are the odds it truly is a wheel bearing that just happened to go as I was putting new tires on?
Is there anything the shop could have done wrong to cause a wheel bearing to fail?
Anything else besides the wheels/tires I should be looking at?
11-22-2010, 03:26 PM
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I have a post about tires and people all say good things about
the Continental DWS. I hope you got the W speed rated as for they are the
better ones to get. No complaints about the DWS on any posts. Some say
hey are loud but most performance tires are a little loud.
I beleive I have a wheel bearing going out which sounds louder some says.
Mine sounds like the break pad is contaching the rotor and gets louder when
I apply the breaks. It sounds like a humming hoise when I get to about 60+.
the Continental DWS. I hope you got the W speed rated as for they are the
better ones to get. No complaints about the DWS on any posts. Some say
hey are loud but most performance tires are a little loud.
I beleive I have a wheel bearing going out which sounds louder some says.
Mine sounds like the break pad is contaching the rotor and gets louder when
I apply the breaks. It sounds like a humming hoise when I get to about 60+.
11-23-2010, 04:04 AM
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My 2 cents...
Wheel bearing is unlikely since you did no work in that area. Tires are unlikely too, although I would see how the new ones fair. If you want to eliminate wheel bearing, simply get up to speed, check your mirrors for cars, and swerve back and forth slowly. A bad wheel bearing will get louder as you load up a wheel, i.e. during the right swerve, if the left bearing was bad, if would get louder and then quieter during the left swerve. If the noise changes little, then bearing is not your culprit.
Once you eliminate tires and bearing, then I would look at the bits that where dissembled during your clutch job as potential culprits. Never done a clutch on either of my quattros, but assume you unbolt the front half-shafts and main drive shaft. If these were not marked before removal and installed the same when it went back together, you may have a slight inbalance which shows up at speed as the noise.
Wheel bearing is unlikely since you did no work in that area. Tires are unlikely too, although I would see how the new ones fair. If you want to eliminate wheel bearing, simply get up to speed, check your mirrors for cars, and swerve back and forth slowly. A bad wheel bearing will get louder as you load up a wheel, i.e. during the right swerve, if the left bearing was bad, if would get louder and then quieter during the left swerve. If the noise changes little, then bearing is not your culprit.
Once you eliminate tires and bearing, then I would look at the bits that where dissembled during your clutch job as potential culprits. Never done a clutch on either of my quattros, but assume you unbolt the front half-shafts and main drive shaft. If these were not marked before removal and installed the same when it went back together, you may have a slight inbalance which shows up at speed as the noise.
11-23-2010, 05:14 AM
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I'll venture a guess here; by doing a right swerve there is more weight/force put on the right side and less weight/force put on the left side. So, if a bearing is going then the left wheel will start moving around causing vibration/noise
.Thanks in advance for your input
.
Last edited by Old Dog; 11-23-2010 at 05:31 AM.
11-23-2010, 05:59 AM
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I agree with lyleswk, look for a loose or off balance drive shaft on this one. I doubt anyone needed to touch the wheel bearings but maybe the shop failed to torque some bolts properly. ( even the half shafts) Your clutch work sounds fine as you did not find any vibration or unusual feel to the pedal.
11-23-2010, 06:44 AM
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lyleswk, could you kindly enlighten the Old Dog as to why a right swerve would help identify a potential left bearing problem, and vice-versa? I would assume, i.e., left swerve would help identify a potential right bearing problem.
I'll venture a guess here; by doing a right swerve there is more weight/force put on the right side and less weight/force put on the left side. So, if a bearing is going then the left wheel will start moving around causing vibration/noise.
Thanks in advance for your input.
I'll venture a guess here; by doing a right swerve there is more weight/force put on the right side and less weight/force put on the left side. So, if a bearing is going then the left wheel will start moving around causing vibration/noise
.Thanks in advance for your input
.If you go into complete car dynamics, this is the reason for maximum control, you should never brake and turn at the same time because this loads up the subject front wheel even more (car is turning and diving as the same time). The best thing to do is to ease into the gas which will more even distribute the load between the outside front and rear wheels. This is all especially true with a quattro since in a turn, you are putting a drive force into the wheel as well as turn and brake force.
11-23-2010, 11:19 AM
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Thank you for the replies. While driving home when I picked up the car I was swerving back and forth Nascar style to try and get the tires up to speed in hopes that they just needed to be worn in a little and I would quickly notice a difference. After driving 70-80 MPH for 30 miles to and from school today the concept of the sound going away on it's own is pretty much out the window.
And also that was my thought on the wheel bearing is that no work was done in that area so the odds are astronomical that they just happened to go bad, never mind the fact that it sounds like the rumbling isn't coming from any particular corner, though I know sound travels in strange directions when in the car.
So it sounds like I'm going to have to have another shop take a look at the drive shaft, and for good measure, check the balancing of the wheels just to be sure. If it was a problem like an improperly reinstalled drive shaft should I avoid driving the car to prevent damaging any bearings? And also IF that is the issue it sounds like complete lack of judgment, has anyone ever heard of successfully getting a shop at fault to reimburse for work needed to fix their problems?
Thanks again.
And also that was my thought on the wheel bearing is that no work was done in that area so the odds are astronomical that they just happened to go bad, never mind the fact that it sounds like the rumbling isn't coming from any particular corner, though I know sound travels in strange directions when in the car.
So it sounds like I'm going to have to have another shop take a look at the drive shaft, and for good measure, check the balancing of the wheels just to be sure. If it was a problem like an improperly reinstalled drive shaft should I avoid driving the car to prevent damaging any bearings? And also IF that is the issue it sounds like complete lack of judgment, has anyone ever heard of successfully getting a shop at fault to reimburse for work needed to fix their problems?
Thanks again.
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11-23-2010, 04:12 PM
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Actually, no. Turning left loads up the front right wheel and turning right loads up the left front wheel. Think of the way the car "rolls" when you go into a turn and the fact that the weight is transferring.
If you go into complete car dynamics, this is the reason for maximum control, you should never brake and turn at the same time because this loads up the subject front wheel even more (car is turning and diving as the same time). The best thing to do is to ease into the gas which will more even distribute the load between the outside front and rear wheels. This is all especially true with a quattro since in a turn, you are putting a drive force into the wheel as well as turn and brake force.
If you go into complete car dynamics, this is the reason for maximum control, you should never brake and turn at the same time because this loads up the subject front wheel even more (car is turning and diving as the same time). The best thing to do is to ease into the gas which will more even distribute the load between the outside front and rear wheels. This is all especially true with a quattro since in a turn, you are putting a drive force into the wheel as well as turn and brake force.
Gonna sit on it for a bit, try a few turns and pay more attention to what's happening. Then I'll get back lyleswk.
Thanks,
Garry
11-29-2010, 10:49 AM
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Well after taking everyone's advice, I came to the conclusion that it was not the tires, and it probably wasn't a wheel bearing. I brought it back to them and told them it was probably an unbalanced drive shaft.
They took it and 30 minutes later he came out and told me to come for a ride. He admitted that the marks he used to save the location of the drive shaft when replacing the clutch had been "wiped away". So after playing with the placement of the drive shaft they were able to make the rumbling travel to the rear of the car instead of all over. After another 45 minutes of playing with the rear of the drive shaft and repeated test drives he finally admitted to me they had to cut a bolt out to remove the drive shaft in the first place and had never put a replacement bolt in...
Not being able to get a replacement bolt right away and me having work in 15 minutes I left the car with them and told them I don't want it back until everything is fixed.
Two days later I got a call saying everything was ready. Not being too hopeful I went and picked up the car for a test drive. My initial thoughts were not good as I immediately heard an exhaust leak that was definitely not previously there. But when I got it up to speed I breathed a big sigh of relief as the ride was as smooth and quiet as ever. I'm told the reason for the rumble was not because of the loss of weight of the bolt but because with out it the drive shaft wasn't able to seat itself properly.
So they re-did the coupling in the middle of the exhaust to completely seal the system and I drove away as happy as can be after taking a week and a half to do something they told me would take two days.
Thanks for your support guys,
- BoostHungry
PS, my initial thoughts on these Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires:
They ride very smooth and I'm really hopeful for some impressive wet and snowy traction, specially when driving at highway speeds during inclement weather. But my biggest concern is the turning response, which I believe is related to the thickness of the sidewalls. Turning response is sub-par and I find when I take a sharp turn at high speeds, like an exit ramp off the parkway, if I hit a small bump it feels like I get a sharp horizontal jerk as if the sidewall on the tires just buckled and allowed for the tread to stay contacted with the road while the rest of the car shifts.
Even with that I still recommend these tires for the price.
They took it and 30 minutes later he came out and told me to come for a ride. He admitted that the marks he used to save the location of the drive shaft when replacing the clutch had been "wiped away". So after playing with the placement of the drive shaft they were able to make the rumbling travel to the rear of the car instead of all over. After another 45 minutes of playing with the rear of the drive shaft and repeated test drives he finally admitted to me they had to cut a bolt out to remove the drive shaft in the first place and had never put a replacement bolt in...
Not being able to get a replacement bolt right away and me having work in 15 minutes I left the car with them and told them I don't want it back until everything is fixed.
Two days later I got a call saying everything was ready. Not being too hopeful I went and picked up the car for a test drive. My initial thoughts were not good as I immediately heard an exhaust leak that was definitely not previously there. But when I got it up to speed I breathed a big sigh of relief as the ride was as smooth and quiet as ever. I'm told the reason for the rumble was not because of the loss of weight of the bolt but because with out it the drive shaft wasn't able to seat itself properly.
So they re-did the coupling in the middle of the exhaust to completely seal the system and I drove away as happy as can be after taking a week and a half to do something they told me would take two days.
Thanks for your support guys,
- BoostHungry
PS, my initial thoughts on these Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires:
They ride very smooth and I'm really hopeful for some impressive wet and snowy traction, specially when driving at highway speeds during inclement weather. But my biggest concern is the turning response, which I believe is related to the thickness of the sidewalls. Turning response is sub-par and I find when I take a sharp turn at high speeds, like an exit ramp off the parkway, if I hit a small bump it feels like I get a sharp horizontal jerk as if the sidewall on the tires just buckled and allowed for the tread to stay contacted with the road while the rest of the car shifts.
Even with that I still recommend these tires for the price.
