06 MCS 16" Dunlop RFs 15K miles.

I'm hearing a lot of noise that sometimes sounds like bad wheel bearings, sometimes like old bias ply snow tires. This is especially loud below 50 mph. Is this typical noise from half worn out RFs? These are my first ever set of RFs.

If this noise is truly from the tires, this alone is enough to dump the RFs now. I don't have a buddy near to do a swap and listen test.

Thanks for your opinions.

YD

 

My runflats make a lot of noise on rough/old sections of highway. They are pretty quiet on newly paved sections of road. I have found from stock runflats on two different MINIs that the runflats are in general noisier than non-run tires.

 

I have the exact same noise. I switched to non-runflats in the summer and the noise was gone. Switched back to my all season RF for winter and the noise is back. I didn't notice it when they were new so it must be a wear issue. I have about 15k on them. Hope this helps.

 

Maskita,

Thanks for the reinforcement on this issue. Guess I need to start reading the 'which tire' threads.

YD

 

Check for cupping.

 

What's cupping?

 

I keep them rotated every 5K, the noise started at 10K, now at 15K the noise is getting worse... no cupping, thanks,

YD

 

Cupping is when the tread forms shallow divots ('cups') in the tread. Generally caused by worn out shocks. If you see it, it's pretty obvious.

 

run flats tend to get flat spotted easily and i think that's wat you're hearing.
they are pretty noisy when worn...

 

I agree that it is probably your tires. My OE Dunlop run flats lasted until 25k. Noise levels have been increasing for the last 5-8k miles and it did sound like a bearing on the way out.

There was some tread left on the tires at 25k but once we removed the wheels we noticed that the inner edge of all of the tires was well worn.

I took it in for an alignment yesterday and discovered that Toe was out of spec all around which is what caused the wear. Tires worn by bad toe often sound like a bad wheel bearing fyi.

 

Same here at 10K on OE Dunlops. Have rotated them every 4K and on the last rotation the noise began.