i don't know what wheel size the engineers designed the car for, but is what you bought larger/bigger by any chance?
also, jack it up on all 4 corners and spin the tires. any noise like a bearing noise?
my bet's on tire road noise, assuming they're meatier/gripier tires than you're used to.
tony

 

Unfortunately I can't jack the car up on all 4 corners with my jack.

The car came with 205/65R/15 tires, and I replaced it with the same size tire. It came with a 15x6 wheel and replaced it with a 15x6.5 wheel (15x6 are hard to find). So, the wheel is half an inch wider, but is using the original tire size.

 

after a long drive, does any particular wheel seem hotter to the touch than the others? if they all seem warm but not glowing hot, then just drive it a few hundred miles and see if it goes away when the stickers wear off.
tony

 

Thanks for the tip, I'll try checking the temps of the wheels tomorrow.

 

What brand of tires did you get?

 

I got the General Altimax RT43. They're the highest rated and most well received standard tire on tirerack: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=ST

 

Its the tires. General isn't that great of a tire.

As they wear in it might get better or worse. Only time will tell.

 

I agree with everyone else, it's probably just new tire noise that you aren't accustomed to.

 

Your new tires have a T speed rating and according to the OM you should be using a tire with a speed rating of H unless you have an SE then you need a V rating. Since this is a standard tire and not a grand touring type, I am going with the tires being the problem. Generally speaking, the higher the speed rating the better the tire but they are also more expensive.
Will your tire dealer allow you to return/replace them with the correct tire for your application?
W95c

 

It's your car giving a sigh of relief that it has new wheels and tires!! It's being grateful.


Seriously, you shouldn't run tires with a lower rating than what is recommended.

 

Hey all, thanks for the replies so far!


I haven't yet run the car long enough to get the wheels particularly warm.


As far as the T-speed rating being the cause of excessive noise, my old tires were also T-speed rated. IIRC, T-speed is rated for 118 MPH but the loud "whooshing" sound starts at 65 MPH.


I know that using equipment less than what the car is rated for is not good, but my old tires were T-speed and ran fine. In addition the Generals came highly recommended by user and critic reviews, so I assumed it would run decently?


I can't do a return/replace on these tires.


Thank you all for the tips so far and I'll update after checking the wheel temps.

 

I've used T or S rated tires for years and years, and not had any problems with them. Tire noise is more related to tread pattern and rubber hardness, IMHO.

 

I am really surprised that riva2model64 didn't indicated that his car was more squirmy in curves since the correct tire for his car has a stiffer sidewall with better construction and grip.
I would not use tires that are out of specification because the designers calibrated the suspension for H or V rated tires. My tire shop will not install tire with a lower speed rating than is specified because of liability concerns.
Something to think about.
W95c

 

Hey all, just a little update.


The noise at 65 MPH+ is quieter than it was brand new. I guess it needed a little bit of breaking in?


I checked the temps of the wheels after a drive today. The right rear wheel is slightly warmer than the right left wheel, and the front left wheel is slightly warmer than the front right wheel. No idea what this means.


Thank you for the replies everyone. It appears that there isn't a problem with the wheels/tires, they are just slightly louder than the old ones


And next time I'll get the H rated tire or whatever is spec'd.

 

Glad to hear that. It takes about 500 miles to break in a set of tires and get all the release lube off of them so be careful in the rain until them. One thing about the T rated tire is that it usually rides smoother than a V rated and that is good for a lot of people.
W95c

 

You may want t check tire pressures. With a digital if you have one. Just to be sure they are all the same.


I have seen a 2-3 PSI difference after a rotate and balance some places.