TYRE CHOICE - LOUD HUMMING/ wheel bearings?

[TSL 333]

I have been running Toyo Proxes (T1R's) all round for a year or so now. At about 45k miles, the car was humming on the motorway which made me think wheel bearings. At the 50k service the dealer checked the wheel bearings and said they were fine. They put the noise down to worn pads which were changed. The noise was still there after. I got the dealer to check the wheel bearings again at the 60k service last week and he said they were fine, however considered it was the tyres making a humming?
What do you guys think?

 

[Wellsy]

My Mk2 does this on some surfaces, are the tyres worn slightly more on the inner part of the tyre? I found a couple of threads suggesting it's how tyres on teh Mk2 wear on the rear, perhaps the Mk1's the same?

I'm running Bridgestone Potenza's

 

[JonLeonFr]

Tyre compound does make a difference to road noise

My car had budget tyres when I bought it and I thought the humming was from bearings but after having them checked they were fine.

Changed from budget to Eagle F1's and humming stopped as soon as I left the tyre place.

 

[Rocky Rocastle]

Have they been balanced correctly, mine werent and made constant humming/drumming noise over 60 ish

 

[CupraRmark]

crap quality tyres imo... but i think the mk1 is generally a noisy ride anyhows especially if you have 18" wheels with low profile tyres...

 

[Torred1771]

It could very well be the tyres. Ive got two different kinds of tyres on my car (came like that). When I orginally got the car I had Vredsteins on the front which I thought were noisy (humming) all the time but they werent new and the back ones (an off brand) were new. So with winter here, I wanted the new tyres on the front so I swapped them and now the humming noise is coming from the back of the car, so i definitly knew it was the tyres making a humming noise.

I want to know which tyres make the least amount of noise because I cant stand the humming lol

 

[Slimy]

I can virtually guarantee its the tyres. I had the same problem with my first set of tyres on 17 inch wheels, I thought the back end was about to collapse. Two MOT's and a specific check said no issue with the bearings. A swap to Contintental SC2 and the noise is gone.

Even when I took it to the VW specialist in Cannock (I forget the name now) the first thing they said was the tyres. And they didn't even look at the car.

Torred, I can vouch for the Conti's being quiet, and VERY well behaved. Probably not the most sporty tyre, but they get my thumbs up.

 

[Sinbad]

Choose a tyre that doesn't have tread block edges perpendicular to the edge of the tyre. Square blocks cause the humming when the front of the tread block wears faster than the back. Happens especially on the rear tyres.... Called sawtooth wear.

 

[ManOnTheMoor]

When the goodyears were near their end of life they sounded like a bearing going, soon as I changed them noise went. They went very noisy too

 

[renton500]

we've got different tyres on my wife's 54 plate lcr, i put the spare on recently which is a p zero and it's very noisy, sounds just like a wheel bearing going. A VW specialist told me the very low profile tyres can go out of shape

 

[flares]

Had this problem with yoko parada`s , really noisy the longer they were on the car

 

[Rocky Rocastle]

did this start from when the new tyres were put on then and does it only do the drumming noise at higher speeds just to clarify?

 

[TSL 333]

did this start from when the new tyres were put on then and does it only do the drumming noise at higher speeds just to clarify?

probably about then- i did not really pay it too much attention. rather than 'drumming' i would describe it as a 'humming' which probably becomes obvious about 40 mph and continues from there all the way up to 70..............

 

[monkeynuts]

Its a common problem on the Leon rear tires feathering the leading edges which i think is due to bad rear geo.

I have had this problem to but goes away when you fit new rear tires so what I have done this time is have a chat with a mate of mine who has set up loads of race and rally cars (time to flame me ) and what we have done is take a lot of camber off the rear set up by doing this it seems to also lessen the rear toe in as well so my help with the scrubbing and the feathering I was not going to post up this because could,nt be bothered with the non believers
Before I got about 5 thou o the rears before the noise came back at the mo I am on 6 thou and its quiet also I have found the car is more pointy on the steering and the rear seems to tramline less ..............but thats what I think

 

[TSL 333]

Ended up being tyre choice? No humming now!

 

[akchappers]

I'm wondering now if I have the same issue! Mine starts a droning noise about 50-60 and stays there until I slow below! I have shaken the wheels and can't feel any play!
Ak

 

[Mukkyman]

I have had a humming road noise coming from the rear of the car. At first I put the blame on balancing and alignment. But now after replacing tires balancing also tracking/alignment being corrected I still have this hum/road noise.

Mines come in after 35mph goes away 60mp and comes back roughly towards 70mph but It has changed a lot since I noticed the problem.

Would you guys say that these are symptoms of a failing bearing?

 

[JDUB 20V]

Had this problem with yoko parada`s , really noisy the longer they were on the car

I have this issue

 

[quintonrose]

Same with mine. Just fitted Goodyear f1's ass 2's all round and then took it for 4 wheel alignment straight after and now have this heavy humming sound comming from the rear. I was thinking wheel bearings untill I found this thread. Stumped now.