Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Wheels & Tires Help! My car sounds like a 4x4!

Lately I have noticed my car sounds like a 4x4 with some huge tires. Its like a very loud howling noise! Im sure you all can image what a big 4x4 sounds like going down a smoothly paved highway...well my car sounds like that! It happens anytime my car is moving forward, at any speed, but worse when I turn the wheel to switch lanes. I tired rotating the tires, and adjusting the psi's, but that didn't make any difference. The guy at the service station says it's because the aggressive tread pattern, but it didn't do this when I bought them new back in February. Anybody have any idea what could cause my tires to be so loud? It's almost embarrassing, because I'm sure it's just as loud outside of the car as it is in. Thanks in advance!

TTT

Hopefully someone may have some input here. Could bad struts cause this problem?

Do you ever slam on the emerengcy break and come to a screeching stop? You may have worn a small flat spot in one or more of the tires. My dad did this to my mom's ZX2, I think they replaced the tires.

If your alignment is out even a bit, tires can very quickly develop a "diagonal" wear pattern, also known as "chopping." This makes 'em really, really noisy. A good tire shop could tell you if that's what has happened.

Unfortunately, once this wear pattern has developed, it cannot be corrected, even with a good alignment. The tires will work just as well, but the noise will never go away.

Contours in general, and SVTs in particular, are very touchy about alignment.

ARe you sure it's not a wheel bearing??????

Bingo.

Found out both of my front wheel bearings are going out.

What about the possibility of it being loud tires? i.e. BFGoodrich KDW? If you have an SVT with these they are a very loud tire...especially on concrete and smooth surfaces. Not much you can do except get new tires...and they are fairly quite when new but get noticeably louder in the last 1/3-1/2 of the tread.