Noise from front wheel when cold

[AndrewW]

My 2.5 year old VE SS has developed a weird, and annoying, noise in the last couple of months.

The noise starts at about 40 Km/h, and you can only hear it with the drivers window down.

The noise is definitely coming from the drivers side front wheel area, and goes away after about 10 minutes of driving.

The noise is a "rotational" rubbing type noise (hard to explain a sound, isn't it?) and starts at about 1Hz at 40 Km/h increasing to around 2Hz at 60 Km/h.

I mentioned the noise at the last service (along with the squealing brake pad from the same location), and after a $80 pad de-glazing the squeal is gone but the rotational noise is still there.

The noise is still audible when the brakes are applied, so I don't think the brake pad is rubbing on the disc.

Anyone got any ideas?

[TIR33D]

are you running the original tyres

[AndrewW]

no mate, changed to Falken 452s about 30K ago.

The noise has only started in the last month or so.

[steve_t]

Have u checked the tyres for any bulges or loose bits? Especially on the inside sidewall? Or uneven tyre wear? Tyre pressures all good?
Any suspension mods?
Guess you'd better get someone to look at it. Not sure what it could be that would go away after the car warms up. U sure it's not from the engine bay?

[AndrewW]

Have u checked the tyres for any bulges or loose bits? Especially on the inside sidewall? Or uneven tyre wear? Tyre pressures all good?
Any suspension mods?
Guess you'd better get someone to look at it. Not sure what it could be that would go away after the car warms up. U sure it's not from the engine bay?

all good questions.

can't see anything odd with the tyres, although getting a good look at the inside firewall is difficult.

car is stock standard, no mods at all.

tyre pressures are fine.

guess I better get someone competent to look at it (considering Holden told me it was fixed and it is still there ...).

edit: good question re: the engine bay ... maybe it is an engine bay noise and I'm just hearing it as though it's coming out of the wheel well. I'll start her up tomorrow morning with the bonnet up and see what I can hear.

[Black Diamond]

no mate, changed to Falken 452s about 30K ago.

The noise has only started in the last month or so.

Most likely tyre noise which is typical of directional tyres as they wear, if it was anything mechanical like a wheel bearing you would hear it with the window up as well.
Cant be too bad though if you can only hear it with the window down.

cheers
JOHN

[AndrewW]

Most likely tyre noise which is typical of directional tyres as they wear, if it was anything mechanical like a wheel bearing you would hear with the window up as well.


Yep, doubt it's a wheel bearing, had one of those go in the past and they aren't quiet.

I guess it could be tyre wear, although it's strange that the noise goes away after 10 minutes or so.

Might be time to swap the wheels front to rear and see if it makes a difference.

[Black Diamond]

Yep, doubt it's a wheel bearing, had one of those go in the past and they aren't quiet.

I guess it could be tyre wear, although it's strange that the noise goes away after 10 minutes or so.

Might be time to swap the wheels front to rear and see if it makes a difference.
Its common for low profile tyres to get "Cold set" overnight or when parked for prolonged periods especially when the weather is cool. The tyre actually flat spots and re-shapes after a short drive when the tyres heat up, thus creating a harmonic noise when first driven. Sound like thats all your problem is..
cheers John

[AndrewW]

Its common for low profile tyres to get "Cold set" overnight or when parked for prolonged periods especially when the weather is cool. The tyre actually flat spots and re-shapes after a short drive when the tyres heat up, thus creating a harmonic noise when first driven. Sound like thats all it is..
cheers John

Hehe, this is Brisbane, it's still 25-30 degrees during the day :P

I guess anything is possible though, might take a trip to my tyre mob and get them to have a listen.

[XUV]

Just turn your radio up .

[msjwood]

Turn the radio up? That was my dad's cure for the diff whine in his Standard 8 in 1960!