LS Focus Insane Road Noise

[plumpbunny]

Hey all,

Just bought my first Ford at the govt auctions here in Sydney - a 2006 Focus LS LX.

Love the car in every way (we call it the 'trollmobile') except for one thing:

Insanely loud road/tyre noise from the rear wheels.

It really sounds like an industrial coffee grinder back there, especially decelerating. In fact, it was so loud I took it down to my mechanic to check if it was a bad wheel bearing, but he put in on the hoist, spun the wheels and told me it was the tyres - which are Goodyear something or others, and getting to the end of their life.

Does anyone else have this issue? Is there a fix (new springs/shocks/underbody deadener...anything)? And if not what are the quietest tyres I can get for this car, because it's so loud I really think it might be a deal breaker.

Would love any input from someone who's been through this already!

Cheers

John, Sydney

[fiestaz]

yeh we have this issue on our LT focus (07). i am pretty sure it has the good year tyres, they are insanely noisy, especially on rough roads.

getting quieter tyres should help the problem, but wont be a complete fix as i dont think there is too much sound insulation in the back.

[BigCav]

if there that loud it will just be the tyres, replace them with even standard priced units and your problem should be gone

it doesnt take alot to make rear tyres noise, a flat spot from a lock up can do that quick smart

[marg99]

there is very little sound deadening in the wheel arches of the Hatches, and even under the carpets the sound proofing is all but non existant.

[casabonka]

Haha, yeah I changed my tyres within 3 weeks of getting the car!
They are horrid!

[jumbuck]

I have a LV Focus and they still suffer from excessive road noise. Thought they may have improved over time but not so. Tyre choice is part of the problem and I have been hoping my tyes wear out fast so I can get something better. Shame about the road noise as imo it is possibly the biggest fault with the cars and not really that hard to fix with a bit more sound proofing at the factory.

[MR_LON]

apart from tyre noise it could also be from the rear settings out a wheel alignment may help. if that fails get some adjustable rear suspension arms & get a full decent wheel alignment. if the car is lowered or you plan on lowering it this is a must

[svo supporter]

The biggest problem is lack of rotation. It's that simple. Nothing to do with the tyre brand, nor wheel alignment or shocks.

Because there isn't much weight over the rear wheels, they tend to "skip" over the bumps rather than ride over them. Over time, the continual "skipping" causes lumps and bumps in the tyres, which then transforms into the lovely road noise you are currently experiencing. This is a problem with all front wheel drive cars, not just the Focus

My suggestion is, replace them and every 5,000 to 10,000 K, have them rotated. The best way to know when, is once you've covered 5,000K, run your hand over the tread surface and feel for any slight ups and downs. If you start to feel these, it is time to rotate.

Hopefully that dispells any myths

[Riksta]

I just turn the wireless up

[rand0mn00b]

yeah I never realised how noisy the stock tyres were until I changed them (Toyo Proxes 4 FYI)

I wasn't too concerned about the road noise to be honest but when the new tyres were fitted I was quite shocked at the difference.

Don't know what your threshold for noise is though, as stated above it could just be inherent to the design of the focus unfortunately, worsened by the choice of poor tyres by Ford.

[In Focus]

My main noise "issue" is the wing mirrors. Mind you - I've already replaced the stock Goodyears with Toyos.

[svo supporter]

A query for the OP. What brand of tyres are on the front of the car?

[plumpbunny]

The tyres on the front are Bridgestone Turanza ER300. The back are still the Goodyear NCT Eagle 5 - I assume that's the stock tyre (and must be at the end of their lives as the car has done 70K).

Good to hear that it's probably just a tyre problem.

Were there any suggestions for a low-noise replacement? I see Toyos appear to be popular - any particular tyre.

I wonder if you can get the tyre shop to spray more sound deadening into the wheel arches and whether this might help?

Thanks again for all the replies,

John B

Sydney

[svo supporter]

I very much doubt you'd get a tyre shop to spray sound deadening under the arches. I work in one and I wouldn't do it. That stuff gets everywhere. It's more for a panel beater.

As for tyre brands. Look for ones that don't have an aggressive tread pattern for starters. The Goodyear doesn't for one, nor does the Toyo. There are also quite a few others that don't.

Last thing to remember is rotate them reguarly. It will stop this problem re-occurring.

[sailaway]

Mate's 2006 Focus sedan is up for tyres and I see people are recommending Toyo tyres.

Any particular model or do the dealers know what is the best?

Any negatives to this brand? Price, handling, road noise and durability???

Thanks in advance.

Thank God my Focus is a way off needing tyres at this stage.

[In Focus]

I'm using Toyo Teo Plus, which is not a performance tyre, but a solid touring tyre. Should be good for most needs in a standard 2L Focus. Almost inaudible, except on coarse chip bitumen, but the roar is not what the stock Goodyears produce, and naturally all tyres would make *some* noise on that surface. They cost me about $170 a corner, but I'm in WA, so I'm sure someone could get them cheaper in the Eastern States, with the amount of competition on offer and a bit of shopping around.

I've only done about 2000 km, so i can't comment on the wear, but a lot of reviews are suggesting people are getting more than 50k out of them. Obviously, that would depend on your driving habits, but it seems they won't wear out like some brands.

[Turbodiesel]

I got the same problem, it's the stupid "woom woom woom" winding sound I can't stand on smooth roads.

The normal hum doesn't really bother me, but no matter what tyres I get they always start to wind after around 10,000kms. Can hear mostly from the rear as well and I rotate regularly.

[plumpbunny]

Well I suppose it's 'good' to hear other people have this problem - at least it's not some crazy mechanical problem I've got, or a problem with the suspension.

I'll pop up to Tyrepower here in Sydney and see how much the Toyos are. I have Yokohama C-Drives on our Subie Forester, and they were much much quieter than the Geolanders it came with (and phenomenal wet weather grip - dunno how long they'll last though). And they too have started with the 'woom woom woom' sound. So I suppose I should take the advice from this thread of rotating the whole lot more often.

Definitely not a good ad for Goodyear. I've never had GY tyres before, and these ones are outrageously loud.

John, Sydney

[plumpbunny]

Well thanks for all who replied on the thread.

I ended up going and buying four new Toyo Teo Plus tyres from tyrepower in Narrabeen for $160/each.

Result is dramatic - dead quiet and all the grinding noise from the rear has disappeared. Tyres feel great for just cruising around. Nice turn in, and of course the wheel alignment has helped. A bit lighter through the wheel as well than the Bridgestones.

I have two Bridgestone turanzas (16") half way through their lives and evenly worn sitting in the garage if anyone wants them - just come and pick them up.

Only problem with this fix: now I can hear other noises, all of which sound as if they're from the automatic gearbox. There is a 'chirp' during gear changes, which is sort of sweet but a little worrying. And also a big wind up sometimes and then a thumpy change, a lot like all the Ford taxis around Sydney.

Suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Has anyone had that chirp before and found a simple fix?

Cheers

John B, Sydney