Had my car in for what I thought would be a wheel bearing swap today. But they checked and found no noise from the bearings, albeit without any load on them spun with the car on the lift. They did find some cupping to the front tires, but also did an alignment check and found everything within spec. So, any ideas where this rumbling sound is coming from? It is definitely rotational with the tire rotation frequency, not engine or driveline (it's there also when coasting w/clutch in or trans in neutral, with no brakes applied), but what else could it be? It sure sounded like bearings. Is it possible they only make noise when under load but not on the lift? My indy is super and basically talked me out of a bearing swap rather than take my money. He doesn't have suggestions other than possibly going to different tires in the future (presently using Goodyear F1 GSD3s). I have heard that the Goodyears can get noisy after a while. Also, I recently installed new rotors, but can't see how these could cause noise.
__________________
Need4Spd
'01 M5/UUC SSK + Rogue WSR/RE Tranny Mounts+Royal Purple Synchromax/Axxis ULT Pads/StopTech SS Lines/TC Design from BeastPower Anti-roll Bar Brackets/Dinan LtWtFlywheel and Stage 3 suspension/Goodyear F1 Asymmetrics/Vines thrust arms/IATS relocation/10w-60 oil/hardwired Escort 9500i/Euro Armrest/TEC Cupholder/IceLink/PowerChip 91 Gold/TUBIs!/Strong Strut/BSW Stage 1/BT/Angel iBrights 3.0
'05 M3 Imola Cabrio 6MT, Nav, HK
"Is it the sounds that make a BMW a BMW? A BMW is designed to be heard, felt, experienced. So our engines sing. Our steering talks back. And we insist on offering manual transmissions in nearly all our models for drivers who crave them. The result is an almost telepathic oneness with the car. Just as surely as you can hear a BMW, a BMW hears you."
I would guess it is tire noise, especially if it is a low rumbling sound at slow speeds.
__________________ Current stable:
2001 M5 LeMans Blue/Silverstone
Dinan: springs, Konis, rear sway bar, monoball bushings, and exhaust
Ground Control camber plates
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Brake ducts opened
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2006 330i sport 6MT Electric Red/Black
2001 Audi S4 6MT Silver/sport Alcantara
1996 Volvo 850R wagon
its either a bad tire or a sturt... if you have weak strut or a bad strut mount you will definatly get cupping of the tires... but from the sound of it, it's most likely a tire with a belt shift, both situations will cause cupping of the tires... get the tire and the struts checked out... im calling a tire with a belt shift!!... good luck!
Last edited by kindanutz; 4th March 2008 at 03:47.
. They did find some cupping to the front tires, but also did an alignment check and found everything within spec.
Then something else is amiss. I would suspect worn shocks if all the bushings are good.
Quote:
So, any ideas where this rumbling sound is coming from? It is definitely rotational with the tire rotation frequency, not engine or driveline (it's there also when coasting w/clutch in or trans in neutral, with no brakes applied), but what else could it be?
I am trying to think if it could be guibo, it is rotational. If you think tires (perhaps because of the cupping), swap left and right and remount inside out so they are facing the same way, but the cupped side ( I assume outside) is now on the inside. If the noise is different, then it is tires.
Good luck.
Regards,
Jerry
__________________
'01 Black/caramel
Dinan Stage 3 suspension, SS jet coated headers, ESS SC kit, open brake ducts, Hamann front splitters, TEC cupholder, U.S.(Euro style) tilt/slide armrest, 6k HID fogs, 6k super white low beams, V1/Stealth1, dual head LI, 2.65 diff w/40% lockup/2x dynamic, compact spare, Euro trailer hitch, Mocal oil cooler, ACS type rear spoiler, Rogue custom SSK and tranny mounts, ST 355 BBK (fronts), BP sway bar brackets, Bluetooth retrofit
Had my car in for what I thought would be a wheel bearing swap today. But they checked and found no noise from the bearings, albeit without any load on them spun with the car on the lift. They did find some cupping to the front tires, but also did an alignment check and found everything within spec. So, any ideas where this rumbling sound is coming from? It is definitely rotational with the tire rotation frequency, not engine or driveline (it's there also when coasting w/clutch in or trans in neutral, with no brakes applied), but what else could it be? It sure sounded like bearings. Is it possible they only make noise when under load but not on the lift? My indy is super and basically talked me out of a bearing swap rather than take my money. He doesn't have suggestions other than possibly going to different tires in the future (presently using Goodyear F1 GSD3s). I have heard that the Goodyears can get noisy after a while. Also, I recently installed new rotors, but can't see how these could cause noise.
it is possible but not probable or not likely that the bearings only make noise under load.. if its on a lift and you spin a wheel or a hub of a bad bearing you will hear and feel the ruffness of a bad hub bearing...
and if you say ur indy is super... and he is as good as i am, lol, then hes more then likely right and u should trust him... i can't know 100% without seeing the car, but im tellin you what i know...
Thanks for the replies, guys. I'm thinking tires, too, but not struts. While it is possible a strut went bad, these are Koni FSDs with less than 15k miles on them. I have another pair of wheels/tires in the garage (my OEM rears which I used to run up front; yes, another story - gotta go find where I put those spacers and longer lug bolts now), so when I get time I'll mount 'em up again and see if the noise goes away.
BTW, interesting alignment readout (I asked them to check it out b/c of the cupping). Ride height is spec'd at 573mm rear, and the measured height was 583mm, 10mm taller than stock with FSDs and stock rear springs. Ride height front is spec'd at 600mm, and measured at 590mm with H&R springs and Dinan camber plates, so it sits 10mm lower in front for a +20mm rake front to rear (compared to stock). Yet, visually the front looks much lower than just 10mm lower than spec. Must be the rake. Front camber with Dinan plates and H&R springs comes out to -1.9 degrees. I wonder if the rake or neg. camber has anything to do with the cupping?
__________________
Need4Spd
'01 M5/UUC SSK + Rogue WSR/RE Tranny Mounts+Royal Purple Synchromax/Axxis ULT Pads/StopTech SS Lines/TC Design from BeastPower Anti-roll Bar Brackets/Dinan LtWtFlywheel and Stage 3 suspension/Goodyear F1 Asymmetrics/Vines thrust arms/IATS relocation/10w-60 oil/hardwired Escort 9500i/Euro Armrest/TEC Cupholder/IceLink/PowerChip 91 Gold/TUBIs!/Strong Strut/BSW Stage 1/BT/Angel iBrights 3.0
'05 M3 Imola Cabrio 6MT, Nav, HK
"Is it the sounds that make a BMW a BMW? A BMW is designed to be heard, felt, experienced. So our engines sing. Our steering talks back. And we insist on offering manual transmissions in nearly all our models for drivers who crave them. The result is an almost telepathic oneness with the car. Just as surely as you can hear a BMW, a BMW hears you."
Had my car in for what I thought would be a wheel bearing swap today. But they checked and found no noise from the bearings, albeit without any load on them spun with the car on the lift. They did find some cupping to the front tires, but also did an alignment check and found everything within spec. So, any ideas where this rumbling sound is coming from? It is definitely rotational with the tire rotation frequency, not engine or driveline (it's there also when coasting w/clutch in or trans in neutral, with no brakes applied), but what else could it be? It sure sounded like bearings. Is it possible they only make noise when under load but not on the lift? My indy is super and basically talked me out of a bearing swap rather than take my money. He doesn't have suggestions other than possibly going to different tires in the future (presently using Goodyear F1 GSD3s). I have heard that the Goodyears can get noisy after a while. Also, I recently installed new rotors, but can't see how these could cause noise.
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