justinhynes

Hey guys! Hopefully this isn't too stupid of a question...

I was driving home yesterday on a highway when I realized that something seems seriously wrong with my tires. They are so goddamn loud now that it actually made my ears ring while driving the car.

Little backstory...
I have a 2000 Camaro SS. They seem to have gotten VERY loud over the last 1,000 miles. The tires are BFG G-Force Sport Comp 2's (summer, not A/S) that I purchased brand new last year in April. They have 7,000 miles on them currently and are mounted on the factory 10 spokes (17x9.5 if it matters). I lowered the car on Strano springs with Koni STR.T shocks. I drove the car for 3 weeks and then brought the car in for a four wheel alignment. I'm at work right now and I think I have the alignment sheet at home but it's not available right now. The car has been driving perfectly fine through last summer. No vibrations or shakes. I did 1 autocross with these tires. I have never taken the car to a dragstrip. I don't do burnouts or donuts... this car is mostly a summer daily/cruise car.

Now, last winter, I didn't have a place to store the car inside, and I didn't have any spare wheels. The car was stored in my driveway on the summer tires. I live in MA, and it was one of the coldest winters we've had in years. The car only got driven a handful of times from November to April.

I started driving the car again in April, checked tire pressure (little low... around 22-23 psi), added some air, and have been driving the car since. It has seemed fine. No shakes, no vibrations. I thought I was being crazy... but the tire noise definitely seemed louder. Cut to yesterday... the howling these tires are making is near unbearable. My ears were ringing after driving it for 35 minutes. I suspect the tires have some cupping/scalloping... I looked at them yesterday and didn't see any visible wear. Inside/outsides look decent and the tires themselves still have a TON of tread (9/32nds). I felt them a bit... but I'm not 100% sure what I'm looking for so I didn't FEEL anything out of wack... but I know something is wrong.

I'm going to go buy a set of Z28 16" wheels and tires and throw them on the car. This way I can verify 100% that it's the tires that are making this awful noise.

I want to avoid this from happening in the future... so I wanted to get some opinions. Do I check the alignment? Could I have damaged the tires leaving summer tires mounted on the car through the winter? This winter should I store the car on a separate set of wheels? Any way of actually fixing the tires I have now... or are they complete trash? Could there be a problem with one of the wheels itself?

Video to a link of the sound at highway speed (70-80mph):
Thanks for any suggestions or advice.

justinhynes

Found an NTB with open appointments today. They checked out tires and alignment and everything looked fine.

However, while it was on the lift, they called me back there to take a look at the car. Looks like the rear end was leaking... so I probably destroyed the rear end driving it on low/no gear oil. That explains the awful noise. I should have had it taken in earlier when it first started getting louder. This will likely be an expensive lesson in trusting my gut and not being lazy.

Brianm

Brianm

FirstYrLS1Z

iTrader: (4)

^^^ that !!!

Since it's a 2000,it would have a Torsen 'posi',unless it had an Auburn or Eaton put in when it was made into an SS at SLP.
Torsens don't require the gear lube additive.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Most likely not.


+1

FirstYrLS1Z

iTrader: (4)

In 2004,travelling from Cleveland Ohio to SLP Appreciation Day in Englishtown NJ,a 'growl' developed. Being that I work on rears,I diagnosed it as passenger side carrier bearing. Got some gear oil there and added,it was low but not almost 'dry'. Growl didn't increase nor lessen. Drove it for four years with no change,then pulled it apart. Carrier bearing was 'gone' but no other damage existed.
So just adding gear oil helped me.

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

Adding oil will help if it's low.

Inspect to see if there is a leak. Often the pinion seal at the front of the differential will start to leak.

I would change the differential oil. My 91 RS put ~ 400,000 miles on a stock 10 bolt. I think changing the rear end oil every 50,000 miles or so helped. The rear ends get hot with a long drive. The Mobile 1 synthetic 75w-90.

Note while the traditional GM limited slip additive isn't required or needed for durability GM, I think GM did issue a TSB that using the GM limited slip additive did sometimes help reduce noise in the Torsen. The service manager at the dealership I bought my TA from told me that. He also suggested changing the differential oil every 30,000 miles or at least when the transmission fluid was changed.

FWIW - I used the GM limited slip additive in my RS & 99 TA. The one change when limited slip additive was skipped the TA's rear end started to get louder. May not have mattered. The RS stayed pretty quiet.

justinhynes

Thanks for the advice, everyone! Definitely helped me get my bearings. Unfortunately, filling it with fluid didn't quiet it down one bit. It's still screaming. Had it opened up and looked at and I was told there is some play in the pinion bearing(s?) and that it needs a rebuild or replacement. Looks like we'll see where this takes me! Not sure what to do yet. Lots of shops don't even mess with diff repair anymore. I got turned down by a few places. Few people that do charge a lot of money. For an extra 1k I can just buy something brand new from Hawks or some other place.

I guess that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes!

2ToeRacing

iTrader: (5)

The transmission shop I worked back it 2010 would rebuild a rear end for 1500. That was replacing all bearings/resetting the lash and warranty it for a year. Try a local transmission shop that you know is worth a ***.

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

My 91 RS & 99 TA both have a Hawk's 8.8 with 4.10's and I'm happy with them.

Sometimes Hawk's also has stock take out rear ends in the $400 to $500 range or so if that helps any. We put on in my fiancee's son's 91 Z28 last year.