Tire Noise

[Aronis]

Hello all.

I'd like to hear from others with regard to tire noise.

As with my other A6 4.2, after about 10,000 miles on my tires, my RS6 has gotten really noisy.

I rotated front to back just now, but I have not driven it yet.

(boy I wish that allignment post was two inches longer and METAL).

With my A6 4.2 it was slightly better after rotating, but still too loud for me.

Anyone else with similar experience.

My summer tires have about 10,000 miles on them, total 21,000 on the car with 12 months of winter tires and 12 months of summer tires.

My winter Pirelli winter 240s are much more quiet than the Dunlops.

Mike:360:

[SpinEcho]

Geez - I found my Dunlop SP9000's really noisy from day 1, but they haven't gotten any worse yet. What I would like to know is if the PZeros are any quieter, from those who have run both. I suspect this may be largely a problem with the car, as the SP9000's I used to run on my Corrado and old Passat were quiet!

[nene]

Summer tires are great for handling, but awful when it comes to road noise. I have yet to find one that is quiet. They are noisy, but at least don't sound crap like as if they were studded.

The Michelin's aren't any better either when it comes to noise. The Pilot Sports are a bit noisier than the Pirelli's, but not by much. Maybe if you go with 225 wide Summer tires you might get luckier, but I'd bet it won't make much of a difference, and in looks it would be horrible.

[jimmy94507]

There was a Tech Bulletin for the A6 4.2 with big tread block tires which became noisy. It advised checking the outside edge of the tires to see if they had developed a saw tooth pattern. The TSB recommended you X-rotate the tires for several hundred miles which will wear off the high edge on the tread block to make them more even. Then rotate the tires so they are rolling in the original direction. This technique worked on my A6 4.2. The same tire wear ocurrs on the RS6. As they get noisier I have X-rotated the tires (in my case, I'm on my second set of Pirelli P-Zeros) and as the wear has evened out the tire noise has been reduced. Then rotate the tires (I usually go side to side) to get the tires rolling in the original direction.

Check your tires for a saw tooth pattern. You can also go to your dealer and get a copy of the TSB for the A6 4.2 for a better discription of the tire wear pattern.

Regards, Jim

[Aronis]

I did a front to back rotation last week, and that helped a bit.

My front and rear treads are about equally worn (1/2 way I estimate after about 12000 miles).

I'll give that cross rotation a try!

Mike

[Benman]

Originally posted by nene
The Michelin's aren't any better either when it comes to noise. The Pilot Sports are a bit noisier than the Pirelli's, but not by much.

I'd agree with this one. Originally, mine came with Pirellis (I specifically asked for them). Once these wore down (ahem... "spirited" driving:hahahehe: ), I went with PS Ones since all seemed to hype them (with the exception of Bauer).

Conclusion, no better grip, slightly more noise but so far, slightly better wear.

Ben:addict:

[gjg]

I have SP9000 19" stock - good roadholding, noise is ok on asphalt (with about 14k miles on it) but on concrete surface on some roads it just sucks - at 100 mph you cannot hear the radio in some areas and it would even overrun the exhaust note .....

I will, unlike Benman, vote with my vallet and spent my money on Pirellis or Dunlops (despite the noise). No Michelins for me.

:thumb:

[Benman]

Originally posted by gjg
I will, unlike Benman, vote with my vallet and spent my money on Pirellis or Dunlops (despite the noise). No Michelins for me.

:thumb:
Yeah, it was a wasted $32 bucks a tire more for the Michelins. Will be going back to Pirellis.:doh:

Ben:addict:

[JAXRS6]

Just wondered if criticism of "the Michelins" has to do only with Pilot Sports ... or are you including PS2s?

Making the distinction is important. On my 2000 S4, for example, the Bridegestone Potenzas that came with the car were clearly inferior to the Bridgestone Potenza S03s that followed. That's not just my experience; it's the conclusion in many older posts on audiworld's B5 S4 forum (older because the OEM tires are long gone now).

On my RS6 at 42K mi, I've had two sets of Pirelli P Zero Rossos -- one symmetrical, one assymetrical. Liked them very much for traction and performance, and they seem to be very tough. One of them emerged undamaged from a pothole that bent the wheel. Later in their tread life, tho, the ride turned rough, and their noise level seemed OK but with room for improvement.

So far, after 400+ miles, the PS2s are quieter on various road surfaces at legal speeds than the Pirellis were when new. Traction seems at least as good, tho I haven't done triple digits or extreme maneuvers yet. Beyond that they're too "young" to compare, but the PS2s definitely seem quieter than the Pirellis to my ears.:music:

Re "X" rotation: My recollection from the owner's manual is that this is not recommended for the RS6. I'm glad to hear it helped solve someone's problem, but I'm not sure I'd go against factory recommendations based on a single post for a different vehicle.

[Aronis]

I am toying with getting Non-high performance tires (ie all seasons) for that very noise issue.

Any recommendations on a less performance tire??

Mike

PS

Friend just leased a 2005 A8 - very nice-- it's being dropped off here tomorrow---he is in for such a nice suprise as he has been driving SUVs for the last 10 years....

[Benman]

Originally posted by JAXRS6
Just wondered if criticism of "the Michelins" has to do only with Pilot Sports ... or are you including PS2s?


I'm only refering to the PS ones. I've heard nothing but positive about the PS2 with the exception of really fast wear rates. That said, they are even more expensive, so for me, it will be Pirellis once again.:thumb:


Ben:addict:

[Benman]

Originally posted by Aronis
I am toying with getting Non-high performance tires (ie all seasons) for that very noise issue.

Any recommendations on a less performance tire??

Mike

I also considered that. What I really wanted was the Pirelli Neros (M+S) but it is not available in the size or load rating for The Beast. For that matter, I can't seem to find any 255/40/18 Hi Po All Season tires that meet the load rating of the RS 6.:vhmmm:

Ben:addict:

[gjg]

Originally posted by Benman

Yeah, it was a wasted $32 bucks a tire more for the Michelins. Will be going back to Pirellis.


Ben, as you know, it is not $32 difference which influences my vote ...... :harass:

[gjg]

Originally posted by Aronis

I am toying with getting Non-high performance tires (ie all seasons) for that very noise issue.


I looked for such tire myself although for different reasons - to have third set of tires for early spring/late fall when temperatures will range from -5 to +15 (C that is) during one day and where summer and/or winter thread takes its toll.

One I've found was Conti All season something (Tire Rack) with 95 weight rating .... but at the end did not do it.

I run Dunlop M3 Winter which also has 95 weight rating but, considering the winter drive conditions and different speeds, it did not caused any problems so far.

IMO the universal thread would degrade the perfromance during the summer months.

:idea:

[nene]

I came across and interesting experiment the other day by luck, and wanted to share with you all.

Road noise you hear from the tires is a combination of the tire you are using just as much as the pavement conditions it is running on.

Recently the state of Massachusetts decided to pave some of our major highways that lead in to town. The pavement here is nice and smooth, and so new that it barely had lanes painted on it. Just the little white dots at this point.

The other day, GF is driving the beast, and I'm on the passenger side. While on the highway, we made a transition from old to new pavement. All of a suden the car was extremely quiet, as for noise coming from the tires. Exhaust note was actually more audible all of a sudden.

So I made her run the same sections 3 times. She thought I was going bullocks!!! So we did about 1/2 mile of old pavement, and about a little over a mile of new pavement 3 times.

It seems that old pavement causes higher tire noise levels, thus what we always blame to be the tires causing the noise, it's in fact a combination of both tire and pavement conditions.

I know we all wish that all pavement was new at all times, and that is not the case, 90% of the time. Even when road surface is nice and even, such as Florida roads for example (some parts at least), the pavement being older, is also part of the equation.

Food for thought.

[Aronis]

Strange that the New Pavement would be more noisy!?! But actually they are doing things to make the winter traction better which may explain that????

I find that over 100 the noise is gone.

So simple solution, raise the speed limit to 100 in Massachusetts, HELL I"D MOVE BACK and regain my name as Masshole.

LOL

Mike

[nene]

New pavement is less noisy. Much less in fact, thus I was able to listen to the exhaust.

[Benman]

nene, thanks for sharing. I think we all assume that we are looking for tires that are quiet on old pavement as the ultimate goal. It is real easy for tire manufactures to make tires that are silent on brand spanking new roads (as even the loadest of road tires get quieter on a sweet street).

It certainly is not the tire manufactures' fault that we have cheap roads here (the quality is much better in Germany), and that they are made with cost cutting practices. But it is their goal as well to have tires that work well on the old pavement.

That said, I think gjg has a point when he says, "IMO the universal thread would degrade the perfromance during the summer months." If comfort is truely the desired goal, then the Comfort Tread by Goodyear can't be beat (of course, not available in our size). I have them on my company Accord and with new struts, the smoothness is comparable to a Lexus! (great for commuting!). But I DON'T want that for my Beast! I want sporty. I want loud! I want handling! **** as he does Tim Allen's argh,argh, argh, I am a Man voice!!!****
:D

Ben:addict:

[SpinEcho]

OK, interesting story, and I've also noticed less noise on certain surfaces. But this car makes more tire noise than any of my other cars, no matter what the surface!

Re: Aronis' comment: resonant frequencies for my SP9000's are at 90 km/h and 130 km/h - just a hair one side or the other of these speeds and the noise drops right off.