Annoying noise after Suspension Upgrade

The Pontiac

Got new Eibach Prokit springs, Bilstein B8's and 4 Goodyear tyres fitted all round to my car last week.

Now at speeds between 80-120 km (usually in 5th and 6th gear) I can hear a rumbling noise, it's like the engine is laboring (but it isn't). It sounds like it's coming from the front passenger side.

Car is driving perfect, no problems going over potholes or speed bumps, no problem with balancing or steering vibration and no noise at low speeds.

The car will probably have to go back, but it's just a bit awkward as I need it for work.

My question is what could they have done wrong to create this noise? I thought a suspension 'mess-up' would have low speeds problems with potholes, scraping etc.

Before I go accusing them, and it's not totally coincidental.

The Pontiac

Any chance it could be the Goodyear tyres? This thread suggests it's a common issue with Goodyear.

Could it be balancing, even though there's no vibration through the steering, just a low (ish) rumbling sound that disappears at higher revs @120km. Not present at low speeds either, just from 80-120 km in 5th and 6th gear.

Supergurrier

My Goodyears are quiet loud, also it may be time for some alignment as the springs may just have settled in.

This is why you wait abit after getting them fitted to get it done.

Getting my springs spacers and front bush set on tomorrow, yay can't wait +2000bhp

The Pontiac

Supergurrier wrote: »

My Goodyears are quiet loud, also it may be time for some alignment as the springs may just have settled in.

This is why you wait abit after getting them fitted to get it done.

Getting my springs spacers and front bush set on tomorrow, yay can't wait +2000bhp

Goodyears are loud alright, but this is a different noise. Like something is not torqued correctly? Strange that it only happens at certain speeds.

Alignment seems perfect on the road though.

dgt

Did you get the car tracked? Geometry of a drop means the wheels will be toed in slightly. Also new springs have to settle in

Bilsteins are a brilliant shock coupled with lowering springs you should notice a lot more road noise and bumps as they are a harder more performance orientated shock (I have a set in the inventory)

big mad youngfella

could it be one of the nuts not tight enough

The Pontiac

dgt wrote: »

Did you get the car tracked? Geometry of a drop means the wheels will be toed in slightly. Also new springs have to settle in

Bilsteins are a brilliant shock coupled with lowering springs you should notice a lot more road noise and bumps as they are a harder more performance orientated shock (I have a set in the inventory)

Car was tracked and balanced.

There's definitely more road noise now, but I'm fine with it. The noise from the left hand side isn't right though, will have to ring mechanic today!

big mad youngfella wrote: »

could it be one of the nuts not tight enough

Tried this and they seem really tight.

Matt Simis

The Pontiac wrote: »

Tried this and they seem really tight.

Check all the nuts and bolts on the suspension parts too though, not just the wheels. The other thing it could be is a Wheel Bearing, the change in geometry could have pushed a marginal bearing to failure.

The Pontiac

Matt Simis wrote: »

Check all the nuts and bolts on the suspension parts too though, not just the wheels. The other thing it could be is a Wheel Bearing, the change in geometry could have pushed a marginal bearing to failure.

I was thinking a wheel bearing too, as before I got the new tyres and suspension fitted, I had a droning noise, at about 100km+. But the noise I have now is different and I just thought the lower suspension/geometry had had caused the noise to change tune, so to speak.

I explained this to the mechanic and he thinks he's in the all clear, as I said there was a noise before he did the work.

But the new noise is more rmp specific, and the old noise more speed related. This leads me to believe that my old tyres were faulty, as I had Sonar tyres and another poster started a thread with the exact same symptoms with his Sonars.

When I asked the mechanic he assured me it wasn't a wheel bearing and said it could be a few other things and to wait until it gets worse. But it wasn't there before they worked on the car.

I'm going to look like a right plonker trying to explain all this when I take the car back, again. :rolleyes:

The Pontiac

Just back from mechanic. We took the car for a test drive and he noted the noise.

He said it's possibly a wheel bearing, but there's was no change in noise when he steered from left or right, so couldn't be sure.

I told him the noise wasn't there before they carried out the work, and he explained if something wasn't tightened correctly then I'd hear scraping noises going over potholes and speed bumps. I tend to agree with him.

He said it could also be a faulty tyre, but he doubts that.

Might just get a used wheel hub/bearing and chance it.