Hi guys!

I was wondering if anyone here who lowered the car (1.5" and lower) experiences excessive road noise...

I have trouble with this howling sound coming from my front tires...

I changed CV boots and grease, wheel bearings (Koyo), transmission (EX), rotors (Textar) and this sound (noise) remains...

Today I put winter tires and this noise is still present but it is much much quieter...

Setup:
1996 DX coupe with EX tranny
Weitec lowering springs on stock shocks (-1.8" all-round)
15" Momo GTR rims ET38
195/50/15 Dunlop SP3000 tires with 3000 miles

and winter tires are
Dunlop WinterSport 185/70/14
14" steelies (that came with the car)

So do you experience excessive road noise in comparison to driving when your car was NOT lowered...

Cos this sound is driving me crazy... I spent a lot of dollars to get rid of it and it is STILL HERE...

What else can it be besides tires?

The sound is louder on "older" road... when the asphalt is new and "smooth", the sound is ALMOST NOT THERE... but on old roads with "worn" or damaged asphalt, the noise is loud...

This noise is constant and it does not depend on the speed... it is like HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU... not HU_HU_HU_HU

very deep HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU from when I take off til I stop... all the way

Help me!!!

 

did you get it alligned?

 

also are any of your suspension parts bent?

 

Alignment is OK... I did it twice and all numbers are OK...

Passenger side has a bit higher camber (-1'15") but the guy says it is OK...

But this sound like it is coming from the drivers side...

And suspension is not bent... at least I think so...

What should I look for?

 

Axles are OK... CV joints are OK, ball joints are OK

What else?

I must also say that there NO VIBRATIONS WHATSOEVER...

Accelerating, stoping, turning, taking off - NO VIBRATIONS...

And this howling sound DOES NOT CHANGE WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT...

The car runs straight like a bullet...

No matter the speed if I take my hands off the steering wheel, the car will go straight without any problems...

Anyone??!?!?!?!

 

maybe the plastics underneath are rubbing the tire?

 

I forgot to write that also...

it is NOT THE RUBBING ISSUE... there are no rubbing marks on the tires or the plastic...

ET38 + 195 tires are way way far from rubbing... and 1.8" is just a visual-related lowering so it cannot rub in any way...

But thank you for input!!!

 

What does this noise sound like, and when do you hear it?

If you push the clutch pedal in, does the sound go away?

 

i would say its just tire noise

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RedEK &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i would say its just tire noise</TD></TR></TABLE>

yeah, I would agree as long as your alignment is good.

My tire noise got worse since I am running way more negative camber than before, and I have Toyo Proxes FZ4's which are quite possibly the loudest tires in the world. My buddy has 44" swampers on his truck and he gives me **** about it.

 

I would have to say tire noise combined with a a less forgiving spring/shock combo. I know my car has a lot of road noise with Sportlines and stock shocks.

 

does it go away when you hit your brakes? hehe.

did you try new tires too?

 

Like I said...

this sound is HUMMING NOISE that is CONSTANT and it starts when I start moving with the car and it is there until I stop...

No matter if the clutch is pushed or not, no matter if the car is in gear or in neutral, no matter if the engine is on or off... if the car moves, THE SOUND IS THERE...

I tried the different tires (winter ones) and the sound is still there but MUCH QUIETER NOW...

And the sound can best be described as TIRE HUMMING BUT MUCH DEEPER AND LOUDER...

Can you imagine the sound when the wind blows hard and blowing into the closed windows... THAT'S THE SOUND...

HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

Not split sound like HU_HU_HU

Just HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

 

I think it might be the tranny.

 

im thinking more like the ISB, id say it was internal to the transmission but it he said he replaced it.

 

worn out or crappy (meaning old) tires?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EL Vap133 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think it might be the tranny. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I replaced the tranny and it still there no change...

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 93CivicSI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">worn out or crappy (meaning old) tires?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Tires are 3 months old with 3000 miles on them...

Other tires are 2 years old used only in winter and in great shape and they produce less of that noise... maybe that's because they are thinner (185/70/14 compared to 195/50/15)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Kamin &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">im thinking more like the ISB, id say it was internal to the transmission but it he said he replaced it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

First thing I replaced were wheel bearings... then I replaced differential bearings... then I replaced the whole tranny... NO CHANGE IN ANY CASE...

 

ISB = input shaft bearing its in the flywheel, also id check the throwout bearing, altho that should change the noise when you press the clutch

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Kamin &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ISB = input shaft bearing its in the flywheel, also id check the throwout bearing, altho that should change the noise when you press the clutch</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, but you missed my post where I said that this sound is here always
- engine is off
- engine is on
- in neutral
- in gear
- clutch released
- clutch pushed

As soon as the car starts moving (wheels start turning) this noise starts so i am 99% sure it's something axle/joint/bearing/rim/tire/shock related

But:
- differential bearing is replaced
- tranny is replaced
- wheel bearings are replaced
- CV joints are checked and CV boots replaced and regreased
- inner CV joints are checked and are OK
- camber is OK
- rotors are replaced
- pads are almost new (10.000 miles)
- everythings looks OK

But it still HOWLS...

And note that with winter set of tires that noise became QUIETER...

 

just because those tires have 3k doesnt mean they wont make noise. what size/make are they

 

Sound is there with the engine off? Man your car must be possessed!

 

They are 195 / 50 / 15"
Dunlop SPORT3000 (SP3000)

 

put the car on jackstands, run it to a normal speed, listen for the sound. that will help eliminate some things.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EL Vap133 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Sound is there with the engine off? Man your car must be possessed! </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes... for example...

If I shut the engine off and let the car move down the hill the sound is there...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Kamin &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">put the car on jackstands, run it to a normal speed, listen for the sound. that will help eliminate some things. </TD></TR></TABLE>

HAAAAA... I did that...

THERE IS NO SOUND AT ALL WHEN THE CAR IS ON THE JACKSTANDS

You see??? I'm all f*cked up...

I spent a lot of money/effort/nerves but I ACHIEVED NOTHING...

And I don't know what else to look for... what else to check... what else to replace...