Front end noise driving me nuts!!!!!

[drwambo]

Hi all,
I'm a newbie here as this is my first GAGT! Have a weired problem that started about 1 week ago. At low speed, it sounds as if I have brakes rubbing in the front. I assumed (incorrectly) that brakes were the problem, and replaced rotors and pads. Noise is still there. Decided maybe I was nuts and the noise was from rear, but after pulling rear tires, I determined that the rears were fine (almost new.) Car has 50K miles on it - it's due for tires, but they're not completely shot yet.
with the wheels off, I can turn the hub (car in neutral), and I do detect a rubbing/squeaking from where the transaxles join the tranny. Only other thing I can guess is that the master cylinder is malfunctioning and not retracting the pads off the rotors enough (although the brakes work fine in all other respects) Maybe in need of a bleeding, but pedal travel is short and pedal isn't too spongy.

Any ideas???

[mshu7]

This is one of the most common problems with the 99+ GA's. It's the tires. If you still have the stocke RSA's, go buy some new tires. I have the same noise coming from the front of my car. I can't stand it. I'll be getting the Bridgestone Potenza RE950's come spring.

Here's a link you will want to check out...

http://www.grandamgt.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1354

[drwambo]

The tires????!!! No kidding? Wow, never would have guessed that from the noise. Sounds so much like brakes to me. Needs tires anyway.....

[mshu7]

Originally posted by drwambo
The tires????!!! No kidding? Wow, never would have guessed that from the noise. Sounds so much like brakes to me. Needs tires anyway.....

Tell me about it. It's hard to believe, but it is true. The brakes do suck also though so you might as well replace those. If you haven't heard, the rotors rust and it causes an uneven surface on the rotors. You'll definitely notice this problem when you brake. You'll feel pulsating in the pedal. Brakes are on my list of "Things I need..." list for my GA along with the tires.

[Hot_Stud18]

Yes my car is doing the same the dealer will replace the two front tires at their expense and also im trying to get them to replace all four.

[GroovyGT]

How the heck can the TIRES make that noise? I thought it was my bearings doing it, but they're fine. Then the dealership told me it was that rotor problem of ours, but it's been getting worse. I first noticed it a few months ago. I have 43,000 on my 2000 GT1. What makes the tires do it at slow speeds? Does anyone else here find it sounds even worse when turning?

[ja_nd]

i had this same problem, and a couple weeks ago i needed new tires. i had them put on the same rsa's (i thought they were the same), not knowing this would solve the problem. the tires they put on are still rsa's, same size and everything but different side wall design. the noise seems to be gone.

[Macleod52]

I asked my dealer about the noise and he said that it's right where the tire meets the rim. If you notice they are sorta grooved or whatever. I don't know what to call it. Anyways if you take a pen or a pensil and rub it across it you can hear a noise similar. He said to raise the tire pressure and it should be less noticable. I rotated my tires yesterday and the noise seems to be gone so far but we'll wait and see.

[gtaholic]

I have been listening to this noise for awhile. I can't complain since I just hit 50K on the RSA's. And they are about gone so that could be why it gets more noticable more and more. HUH???? I will rotate them and see what happens. I notice it has come and gone for awhile now (About every 6K miles) Go figure.

[Mikey's GT]

It all has to do with the way the tires seat against the rims. Over time, as the wheel goes around, when pressure is exerted down to the ground, where the tire bulges at the bottom, it begins to run the clearcoat on the rims. The RSAs have a 'ribbing' on the tire (purely cosmetic in function). Over time, it will essentially polish the rim through the clear coat. As this wears on, the sound will progressively get worse. The reason new tires will cure this is that they seat slightly different on the rim than the RSAs, and whether due to seating, or non ribbbed sidewalls, or higher pressure, will not bulge enough to rub. New RSAs that are used do not have the 'ribbing' therefore no noise.

See this thread:

http://www.grandamgt.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1354

-Mike

[Bob]

I will confirm that. Got my new tires tonight and magically, the noise is gone. This is great. I'm going to drive 15 mph everywhere now because it's so nice and quiet.

[Macleod52]

Originally posted by Mikey's GT
It all has to do with the way the tires seat against the rims. Over time, as the wheel goes around, when pressure is exerted down to the ground, where the tire bulges at the bottom, it begins to run the clearcoat on the rims. The RSAs have a 'ribbing' on the tire (purely cosmetic in function). Over time, it will essentially polish the rim through the clear coat. As this wears on, the sound will progressively get worse. The reason new tires will cure this is that they seat slightly different on the rim than the RSAs, and whether due to seating, or non ribbbed sidewalls, or higher pressure, will not bulge enough to rub. New RSAs that are used do not have the 'ribbing' therefore no noise.

See this thread:

http://www.grandamgt.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1354

-Mike

What he said :)

[drwambo]

Well,
While on the subject. I know everyone has an opinion on what tires to buy, but it would be interesting to get some opinions again while everyone is looking. This is a daily driver, and I'm even considering dropping a speed rating in order to increase treadwear and lower price. It's my wife's car, and she drives 60+ miles a day to and from work.
BTW - drove it this morning, and no noise. Wonder whether it actually gets louder as the tires warm - makes sense.

Douglas

[Brad02]

If you check out the TSB section of the forum you will see that there is a TSB out for the scrunching/scraping noise you are hearing in your front end. Tires are part of the problem and GM will order you new ones but they also replace some parts as well. Check it out: http://www.grandamgt.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1354

[Filter]

So does this polishing of the rim ruin the rim. My 16" SE rims are four years old and are starting to get little pits. They were perfect so I can't stand even the smallest pits. Another thing I hate are where the wieghts are mounted to the rim, they leave marks.

Anyway, I have the S rated Eagle LS tires and they make a noise too so it's not just the RS-A's.