Road Noise - how much difference can tyres make?
Discussion
I have a 2023 Mazda 2 on the original tyres which are Yokohama Bluearth with plenty of tread left (haven't used a gauge but guessing 5mm or so).
Road noise seems more noticeable than I remember.
Smooth roads are no problem.
Of course it's a small car and I didn't buy it expecting amazing refinement but does this sound more likely to be a tyre thing, a road surface thing, or a bit of both?
Appreciate that's a fairly open-ended question but Bluearths are only £75/corner.
Road noise seems more noticeable than I remember.
Smooth roads are no problem.
Of course it's a small car and I didn't buy it expecting amazing refinement but does this sound more likely to be a tyre thing, a road surface thing, or a bit of both?
Appreciate that's a fairly open-ended question but Bluearths are only £75/corner.
Most all seasons are quieter, Vredestein Quatrac Pros on the Forester ( SG9 model Subarus very lacking in sound insulation) are notably quiet running and a compliant ride.
However, if you don't mind a few hours work and spending around £50, i've had great success soundproofing small family cars with self adhesive soundproofing panels, 8 to 10mm thick seem a good compromise between ease of job and effectiveness.
If you pull off the inner rear wheelarch trims, plus take the back seat out and the boot floor covers you might be dismayed how little (ie bugger all) there is in the way of soundproofing, i went to town on the long since sold family Aygo when it was new and the difference was astonishing, boot, under rear seat, wheelarches and under the door skins, you can go further depending on where the issue is.
It can be illuminating to experiment with duvets and blankets, cover the areas where the noise is coming from and see what happens, you'll soon know if its worth the time and trouble.
However, if you don't mind a few hours work and spending around £50, i've had great success soundproofing small family cars with self adhesive soundproofing panels, 8 to 10mm thick seem a good compromise between ease of job and effectiveness.
If you pull off the inner rear wheelarch trims, plus take the back seat out and the boot floor covers you might be dismayed how little (ie bugger all) there is in the way of soundproofing, i went to town on the long since sold family Aygo when it was new and the difference was astonishing, boot, under rear seat, wheelarches and under the door skins, you can go further depending on where the issue is.
It can be illuminating to experiment with duvets and blankets, cover the areas where the noise is coming from and see what happens, you'll soon know if its worth the time and trouble.
More noticeable than you remember on what? Sure tyres will make a bit of difference, but the largest influencer to road noise will be the amount of sound deadening and carpeting the car has.
Small cheap cars dont tend to have much sound deadening. Small expensive cars are a bit better, but to really reduce road noise you need a well made larger car.
As for tyres, high profile asymmetric touring tyres will be quietest, low profile directional high performance tyres the loudest. But doubt you get high performance tyres in mazda 2 sizes.
Small cheap cars dont tend to have much sound deadening. Small expensive cars are a bit better, but to really reduce road noise you need a well made larger car.
As for tyres, high profile asymmetric touring tyres will be quietest, low profile directional high performance tyres the loudest. But doubt you get high performance tyres in mazda 2 sizes.
brillomaster said:
More noticeable than you remember on what? Sure tyres will make a bit of difference, but the largest influencer to road noise will be the amount of sound deadening and carpeting the car has.
Small cheap cars dont tend to have much sound deadening. Small expensive cars are a bit better, but to really reduce road noise you need a well made larger car.
As for tyres, high profile asymmetric touring tyres will be quietest, low profile directional high performance tyres the loudest. But doubt you get high performance tyres in mazda 2 sizes.
This. I have Goodyear on my 335d, my wife's Fabia has Toyo Proxes. Generally chosen for good wet grip, but also noise and comfort levels.Small cheap cars dont tend to have much sound deadening. Small expensive cars are a bit better, but to really reduce road noise you need a well made larger car.
As for tyres, high profile asymmetric touring tyres will be quietest, low profile directional high performance tyres the loudest. But doubt you get high performance tyres in mazda 2 sizes.
Summary: yes tyres do make a difference, check tyre reviews and tyre labels.
As above, they can make a big difference, but it's often more that one tyre resonates at a different frequency than another, rather than the absolute volumes being very different. Hence, one tyre might be louder on a particular surface and/or at a particular speed than another, with the advantage reversing on another road.
It can also mean that one tyre sounds quieter to one person and another sounds quieter on the same road to someone else.
It can also mean that one tyre sounds quieter to one person and another sounds quieter on the same road to someone else.
made a massive difference in my panda 100hp. The toyo proxes on it were so bad I asked a mate who's familiar with them to take it for a run and let me knpow if a wheel bearing or something was away. Changed to something like rainsmart (can't quite remember) and the difference is night and day
I have one axle on new Toyo comforts which are known to be relatively quiet. On the other axle what look like new (but are 7 years old!) Pirellis. If it put the Pirellis on the rear all you hear is a drumming, with the Toyos its near silent. Same witht he front, the old tyres are horrible.
Maxym said:
I think tyres get noisier as they wear. It could be that which you are experiencing, OP. I suspect that if you replaced your tyres with new ones of the same type you d think them quieter.
They do. Which is why people replace some worn out Micheline Pilot or whatever with DingDong Ditchfinders and think the Ditchfinders are "better" than the Michelines. One may also find that if an oft-travelled section of road has been resurfaced, and done so with a coarser top layer, it'll be noisier too. You'll especially notice tyre noise in a Mazda2 as they don't have much sound deadening.I've found Goodyear Eagles to be quieter than most other premium tyres, but you might not find them available in the right size for a Mazda 2.
You need to be looking at the decibel db rating on a tyre, but on a tinny Mazda 2, you'll be struggling to get any major improvement unless you add sound deadening.
You need to be looking at the decibel db rating on a tyre, but on a tinny Mazda 2, you'll be struggling to get any major improvement unless you add sound deadening.
A few years ago I was driving my grandads A4 - along the dual carriageway I was convinced it needed wheel bearings, however there was no play.
MOT flagged up slightly deteriorated sidewalls, so we replaced all four - the noise went away!
If I remember the noisy tyres were Federal super steel.
MOT flagged up slightly deteriorated sidewalls, so we replaced all four - the noise went away!
If I remember the noisy tyres were Federal super steel.
vikingaero said:
I've found Goodyear Eagles to be quieter than most other premium tyres, but you might not find them available in the right size for a Mazda 2.
You need to be looking at the decibel db rating on a tyre, but on a tinny Mazda 2, you'll be struggling to get any major improvement unless you add sound deadening.
Yeah as I said I'm a realist so I know what it was and I'm just pretty sure it's noisier now but with Covid and other stuff I've actually not kept many cars long enough recently to go through a set of tyres You need to be looking at the decibel db rating on a tyre, but on a tinny Mazda 2, you'll be struggling to get any major improvement unless you add sound deadening.
Sounds like the is a good likelihood it's the tyres just getting older/worn then.
I don't know if Mazda have an OE list but I assume replacing with Yokos or Proxes (seen those on new 2s) is sensible.
Seems a hell of a jump from those to Michelin/Pirelli etc.
otolith said:
The official noise figure on the tyre label makes that one of the quietest tyres in its size - have a look;
Your tyre
Others
Yes I saw that on the Yokohama website and I assumed Mazda wouldn't OE fit crap.Your tyre
Others
I think it's mostly the roads.
Went a slightly different route home tonight and there's a dual carriageway that's an absolute patchwork of road surfaces and a temporary 40mph limit all in a reasonably short stretch of road.
Basically it was an absolute mix of noise that very clearly changed from surface to surface but on some surfaces the car was very very quiet with the caveat it clearly isn't a Rolls Royce
I'm sure the tyres are playing some part but I'm less minded to rush to change them than I was.
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