While driving today, I noticed a rhytmic "womp, womp, womp" noise. I'm not sure where it originated from, though I'd guess the rear of the car. During my trip to my destination, it was so faint I disregarded it. Returning home, taking a moderately fast sweeping left turn, the noise became very noticable (at about 40-50mph). The noise seemed to die down after a bit.

The frequency of the noise was proportional to my speed. Being in gear/out of gear made no difference in the noise.

I just jacked up the rear and looked underneath but saw nothing out of the ordinary. There was no play in the rear bearings.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
FS

 

my guess,

tires flat spotted... takes less that 24 hrs... if you did not drive over 30 miles they did not warm up fully...

yep. it happens..

beers

 

Hmm, It was driven just yesterday for over 20 miles. How come the tires would flat spot this quickly now? I've never had this happen in the 1.5 years I've owned it (same stock tires)...

FS

 

I think you found Swoopes dead chicken.

Poor chicken........

 

yep,

but if you are on the stock stones.... they flatspot quick after about 10k miles... temp makes a difference...

but what do i know.

beers

 

sorry,
more direct,

you missed that post... and three others just like it...

search troll. razzi i thought you would pick up on that.





beers

 

Guess so, heh.

Anyway, so as the tire wears, it'll flat spot easier? BTW--I've got the Dunlops. I'll go driving around tomorrow and see if it does that again...

FS

 

check the plastic underneath in the front

 

Which plastic piece?

FS

 

all of the plastic undertray to see if its loose somewhere. oh oh yeha also check that lining in your wheel wells. there was an issue awhile ago with some of those coming loose

 

You may also have an honest-to-goodness defective tire. Almost invisible to the naked eye, but inside the carcass delamination or separation. Rolls fine up in the air on jackstands, and may even look round, but causes that wompwomp or slapslap sound when on the road.

(Most if us have heard it on an SUV as it passes by. Not a correct sound).

To check, swap tires back to front, front to back, and then take a careful test drive. If the sound moves (was in the back, now in the front), it is tire related. If the steering wheel suddenly gets a little shaky, you've likely got a tire problem.

 

How do I check the plastic parts? I just patted them down to see if anything was unusually loose (wheel wells and the front undertray). I'll jack up the car later tonight and check for any loose things.

I'll also check for damaged tires.

Thanks,
FS

 

great job skill! it could be a belt seperation...

it has been so long since i have had one. almost forgot they happen.

beers

 

jack the car up about and inch of the ground and get a ruler or other straight edge and position it as close to the tread surface as possible without touching and rotate the tire.
See if it contacts the tread suface as it is revolving. If it does you more than likely have a slipped belt. Or seperation.

 

You may have already done this but check for stones or other debris in the tread.

I have noticed performance tires tend to pick up more items than standard passenger rubber.

 

How does the belt slip/separation occur?

FS

 

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/n...-5256224c.html

 

^ ha that would do it.

 

usually a nail or screw in the tire that does not go all the way in and cause a leak... so it is not noticed..

or manufacturing defect... did you not drive you 40 miles today...

damn you

beers

 

zoom,

check your gmail/email not sure where the first got sent.

beers

 

bigolunch.

3 hour tour..

to funny.

beers

 

ahah i was wondering how i found a news tribune article on the this as well.

here is the actual link i meant to post

http://www.tiredefects.com/why_they_fail/Default.htm

 

wow,
i was wondering where the f you were going with that first link...

tires got wet, but the car did not?

beers

 

OK, just got back from 3 different rounds of driving--each time I could NOT reproduce the noise. Everything seems OK to the naked eye as well. I am REALLY confused now... Maybe it was a flat spot or rocks stuck in my tread... At least it gave me a reason to drive around!

Thanks guys,
FS

 

you have to let the tires warm... the stuff you have to do for grip...

the horror.


beers