_HighVoltage_
Captain Volvo
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2006
- Messages
- 9,964
- Car(s)
- 1998 Volvo S70 T5M
I just put my new winter tires yesterday. Drove them over 100 miles to try them out and I have mixed feelings.
1. Before, with my all seasons, I was experiencing a slight wheel vibration above 55mph and when braking. I got the tires rebalanced - no change. I thought that maybe my rotors are getting warped or I have ball joint issues.
2. With my all seasons the car ran really stiff. It wasn't comfortable at all.
Now with the winter 225/45/17's:
1. No more steering wheel vibration. It's gone. Steering wheel doesn't shake at all no matter what I do. I guess that rules out brakes/suspension.
2. I know winter tires are a softer compound but my God...car rides so smooth! I've never felt so comfortable in this car before. It grips really well in the cold too.
So now onto my questions/problems:
- From everything I've explained, does it mean that I've been running the wrong all seasons all along? Or maybe they were never balanced properly?
- As good as the car feels and handles now, the road noise of the winter tires is terrible. I've heard they are louder than summer tires, but this is a really noticeable difference. Above 45mph it sounds like I have a diesel generator in my car. In terms of volume - I can't hear the engine when it is under 2000rpm, all I hear is road noise. Is this normal? (bear mind these are wide winter tires; and no it's not engine/gearbox related. I thought it could be wheel bearings, but then the car wouldn't feel as solid as it does now. Plus, the noise started exactly after I put the winter tires on)
1. Before, with my all seasons, I was experiencing a slight wheel vibration above 55mph and when braking. I got the tires rebalanced - no change. I thought that maybe my rotors are getting warped or I have ball joint issues.
2. With my all seasons the car ran really stiff. It wasn't comfortable at all.
Now with the winter 225/45/17's:
1. No more steering wheel vibration. It's gone. Steering wheel doesn't shake at all no matter what I do. I guess that rules out brakes/suspension.
2. I know winter tires are a softer compound but my God...car rides so smooth! I've never felt so comfortable in this car before. It grips really well in the cold too.
So now onto my questions/problems:
- From everything I've explained, does it mean that I've been running the wrong all seasons all along? Or maybe they were never balanced properly?
- As good as the car feels and handles now, the road noise of the winter tires is terrible. I've heard they are louder than summer tires, but this is a really noticeable difference. Above 45mph it sounds like I have a diesel generator in my car. In terms of volume - I can't hear the engine when it is under 2000rpm, all I hear is road noise. Is this normal? (bear mind these are wide winter tires; and no it's not engine/gearbox related. I thought it could be wheel bearings, but then the car wouldn't feel as solid as it does now. Plus, the noise started exactly after I put the winter tires on)