Tyre noise

[weeleyboy]

My 09 Avensis Tourer is a very good car but it does seem to transmit a lot of road noise and I would be interested to hear other member's experiences. As far as I can see the tyre manufacturers noise ratings are based on exterior noise levels as recorded by the following method 

The actual test consists of a microphone being set up on the edge of a track to measure the sound level of a test vehicle - the mircophone is required to be 7.5m from the centre of the track at sit at 1.2m above the ground. When passing, the vehicle must be travelling at 50 mph with the engine turned off for the test to be valid.

I'm more interested in interior noise levels and wonder how well the exterior noise levels shown relate to noise levels inside the car. Any thoughts much appreciated.

My tyres are 255/55

[FROSTYBALLS]

The EU tyre labelling measurement of external noise is meant to reduce noise pollution, and as far as I'm aware cannot realistically be related to the interior noise heard by drivers and passengers.

The noise measurement symbols includes a system of up to three bars or waves: one wave means the tyre produces 3 db less than the 'future EU limit'; two waves means the tyre equals the 'future EU limit'; three waves means the tyre doesn't meet the 'future EU limit'. As far as I'm aware the 'future EU limit' is being introduced from November 2016 - so tyres which have three waves should no longer be on sale after November.

 

[Owdjockey]

Does not the type of road surface being driven over affect the tyre roar? I seem to remember the old concrete sections of motorway being replaced with "tarmac" and one of the published benefits was a reduction in noise caused by tyre roar.

[TomdeGuerre]

1 hour ago, Owdjockey said:

Does not the type of road surface being driven over affect the tyre roar? I seem to remember the old concrete sections of motorway being replaced with "tarmac" and one of the published benefits was a reduction in noise caused by tyre roar.

Different types of road surface dramatically affect road noise. A road section around here was laid with an experimental road surface which I heard was a mixture of tarmac and ground up recycled tyres. It's unbelievably quiet when you drive on it but the flip side is it gets the name of being deadly with a light surface of frost.  

[Cyker]

I don't think they tyre noise rating has any relation to internal noise at all; My current tyres have the lowest noise rating of any tyre I've owned but sound by far the loudest tyres I've ever owned inside my poor Yaris!

Road surface does make a big difference too; It's fun when there's been a lot of road works on a stretch of road and you get a funky dubsteppy beat if you drive over it at the right speeds 

The only things you can really do is stuff the insides of the doors and engine bay with sound absorbing foam...

 

[weeleyboy]

I agree that the road surface is the biggest factor in interior noise and the worst surface I find is the concrete one where the grooves are at right angles to the direction of travel. In NE Essex where I live and over the border into Suffolk parts of the A12 and the A14 have sections where the Highways Authority have grooved the surface in the direction of travel and the reduction in noise levels in the car is dramatic - the main noise is crossing the tarmac joints between the concrete sections. One can only hope that this treatment spreads across the concrete roads everywhere.

[Cyker]

I dunno, I prefer flat tarmac myself; It's better for tyre wear and grip.

These new tarmac compounds they've been using are much quieter than the old hard concrete-like ones anyway; The sections of M25 where they've laid this stuff is like heaven when you transition onto it; Nasty rough noisy surface to super slick and smooth quietness 

Makes a huge difference with the ear-splittingly noisy tyres I currently have! (It's a shame as they're brilliant in every other area! Cheap, well made, grippy in wet and dry, long lasting.. it's just... aaa! The noise!! 
 

[Morton54]

I have the same car, same year, as You so I thought I would share my experience. When I bougth the car it was equipped with Bridgestone Turanza tires. I found them horribly noisy so I switched them with Goodyear Efficientgrip since they were EU-rated as the most quiet. And I must say it made a huge difference. But as commented here, the road surface is the biggest factor. I Norway they often use mixtures of small stones in the asphalt to withstand the  dubbed winter tires and those roads are noisy whatever tyres or car you have. However  I managed to reduce the noise a bit more  by coating the inside of the wheel house with a 5 mm layer of butyl paint. Next I carefully cut out pieces of 10 mm closed cell foam to cover as much as possible of the inside floor and the trunk.  As mentioned in this thread I think isolating inside the doors would be the next step, but I'm a little reluctant to dismantle the doorpanels etc. I'm grateful if someone could encourage me to take the challenge..

[+robster+]

215 45 17 kumho ecsta le sport

car floats nicely

no intrusive road noise

also I have a -30 drop

no undertrays

all top engine covers binned apart from main engine cover

thing is very comfy

[Martyt3x]

On 01/10/2016 at 8:22 PM, +robster+ said:

215 45 17 kumho ecsta le sport

car floats nicely

no intrusive road noise

also I have a -30 drop

no undertrays

all top engine covers binned apart from main engine cover

thing is very comfy

I have Dunlop sp sport 215 45 17 and they are noisy as hell 😂 But that's because the car I got them from had badly worn suspension and the tyres which had only covered 1000 miles and have 7mm plus tread have feathered so I get a droning, checked with a local tyre fitters who says this will disappear after a couple of hundred miles as the feathering will wear off evenly on my car, have Pirelli on my original wheels and runs smooth and quiet with them. 

[weeleyboy]

I finished up at my local independent tyre dealer and decided to try what was for me an unknown brand, Rapid. Very reasonable price, £74 for 2 tyres fitted and balanced. So far very pleased. quieter than Pirellis and road holding and braking all seem good. Time will tell on mileage.