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The drone of tires on pavement can be more than annoying, it can be downright hypnotic and can cause a driver to doze off! But why are some tires so noisy? There are a few answers to that question.

Tire designers take a lot of factors into account when they’re designing tires for noise suppression. It can be tricky since the air chamber of a tire tends to resonate like a drum and actually amplify noise; engineers use elaborate computer technologies to “tune” tires and keep the noise down. It’s a dirty little secret that cheaper tires also tend to be noisier tires; the designers just don’t put as much time and effort into keeping road noise down on cheaper tires.

One thing that’s pretty common, regardless of how expensive your tires were, is that worn tires tend to make more noise. It just makes sense – the rubber layers over the cord and steel belts help provide a forgiving ride and good road manners as they act like a cushion, and they also tend to absorb noise from the pavement. As that rubber layer wears down, ride quality and noise level are going to suffer, as are traction and handling.

Some pavement surfaces are just going to be noisier, regardless of what tires you’re using. Things like expansion strips or rain grooves tend to set up harmonics in the vehicle and create more noise, and blacktop pavement is likely to create more noise than smooth concrete.

Lastly, some tires are just inherently going to be noisier. Truck tires, such as all-terrain or mud tires, are always going to be noisier and there’s just not a whole lot you can do about that. If you suddenly notice one tire getting a lot louder, however, or creating a thumping noise or other unusual sounds, you could possibly be looking at imminent tire failure from tread separation or a belt that’s coming apart!

Whatever the case, it’s a good idea to keep an ear tuned for these kinds of things. If you think you may be in danger of tire failure or if you’re just ready to consider a new set of tires, make an appointment with us at Don Duncan’s All American Tire and Service!