Continental Tire Noise
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Continental Tire Noise - UPDATE (was wheel bearning)
Finally got around to having this rear hum diagnosed on a lift. What the garage is telling me is that the inside of the tire is starting to wear every so slightly in a stepped fashion, on all four wheels. Car drives fine, no pulling left or right. The tires look almost brand new.
The way they diagnosed it was to get the car up to about 70mph and off the gas. The characteristics of the noise changed enough to pinpoint as tires when the car sat down off the throttle. On the lift running ones hand on the inside of the tire reveals the slight stepping. Bonus points for finding a completely detached small heat shield near the exhaust clamps in the middle of the car. Hoping this is the source of a mystery rattle I sometimes hear.
Continental Extreme Contact DWS 06 Plus with about 8k (not miles) on them. Will get an alignment to see if that helps the wear but the last one was done 8k (not miles) before I purchased and installed the new tires. I am very surprised to see this happen and will probably stay off the brand in future and go back to Michelin.
The way they diagnosed it was to get the car up to about 70mph and off the gas. The characteristics of the noise changed enough to pinpoint as tires when the car sat down off the throttle. On the lift running ones hand on the inside of the tire reveals the slight stepping. Bonus points for finding a completely detached small heat shield near the exhaust clamps in the middle of the car. Hoping this is the source of a mystery rattle I sometimes hear.
Continental Extreme Contact DWS 06 Plus with about 8k (not miles) on them. Will get an alignment to see if that helps the wear but the last one was done 8k (not miles) before I purchased and installed the new tires. I am very surprised to see this happen and will probably stay off the brand in future and go back to Michelin.
Last edited by AEightSilver; Aug 11, 2024 at 08:39 AM.
AudiWorld Wiseguy
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From: Chicago
You sure it’s not the rear diff? Early cars have a rear diff that can whine off the throttle at highway speeds. No other ill effects, other than the noise. Diff was updated in later models to prevent it. Early diff has a black painted case, updated one is silver.
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Not sure 100% TBH, its what the garage is telling me. I know about the diff noise concern in the early cars. My plan is to change the fluid and wait until its time to put on the winter tires (November) and see if the noise goes away. I believe I have the black diff, will re-verify. The tires are 255/45ZR18 XL-103Y. Wasn't sure if the thicker sidewall could be a contributor if it is indeed the tires.
Last edited by AEightSilver; Jul 26, 2024 at 07:32 AM.
AudiWorld Wiseguy
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From: Chicago
It’s fairly easy to tell. Tires make the noise pretty much constantly at whatever speed, regardless of what you’re doing with the throttle. The diff whine appears when off the throttle at highway speeds, and you can make it go away with slight throttle application, taking up whatever slight excess backlash is in the diff that causes the noise.
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Thanks for the tip. I'll try to test it more when driving tomorrow. The noise seems to always be there but I hear less of it when accelerating hard, seemingly due to the engine noise being louder. Never completely goes away and is like a drone on the highway but I can hear it at slow-ish speeds as well.
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I drove it on the weekend about 250km and the drone was horrible. Its not tires, it is at least the rear passenger wheel bearing.
I followed this post: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a8-...ticed-2837323/ for disassembly. Still fighting with the trailing arm as the nut is spinning but there is no more room to grip the end while turning it and the tail end slips in the 8mm wrench. May have to cut it off. You cannot get to the 4 bolts holding the bearing without taking the axle out of the hub. You cannot take the axle out without starting to remove the hub. I got it out after removing the top camber bolt and one of the bottom bolts. Mine is all seized up so it will need a press or slide hammer to separate it fully.
The funny thing is that there was no real way for me to tell until I got the axle out of the hub and spun it. It was obvious then. What made me consider it?
I followed this post: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a8-...ticed-2837323/ for disassembly. Still fighting with the trailing arm as the nut is spinning but there is no more room to grip the end while turning it and the tail end slips in the 8mm wrench. May have to cut it off. You cannot get to the 4 bolts holding the bearing without taking the axle out of the hub. You cannot take the axle out without starting to remove the hub. I got it out after removing the top camber bolt and one of the bottom bolts. Mine is all seized up so it will need a press or slide hammer to separate it fully.
The funny thing is that there was no real way for me to tell until I got the axle out of the hub and spun it. It was obvious then. What made me consider it?
- I sat in the rear and tried to listen to both sides of the car putting my ear against the pillar. The noise seemed to be coming more from the right side but very hard to tell.
- The brake rotors gave another clue. The rear pads have plenty of life in them but I did notice some scoring around the inner area. Its there on both but on the right side there is around 3/4 inch of it vs about 1/4 inch on the left side.
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Got everything back together. It was indeed the right rear wheel bearing and the job wasn't too bad based on the other thread. I did both sides plus the trapezoidal links and the rear camber toe links as well. Interestingly the TRW JTC1142 camber/toe links I got from Rock Auto are OEM Audi. Same part with the 4 rings ground off. Was very happy about that because they were $40 CAD each side. They come with 2 new locking nuts as well.
Another tip getting the bearing/hub out of the knuckle given it was really seized in there was to put the knuckle on 2 blocks of wood so the inside of the bearing is facing upward and the hub was a few inches off the ground. I used a round metal plate from a bearing extractor kit I had that fit over the entire bearing face, and hammered it out with ease safely. Ended up having a garage just press the new bearings in vs trying to do it myself.
Sorry for blaming the Conti's. They are nice and quiet as expected to be. Will get an alignment this week and that is that.
Another tip getting the bearing/hub out of the knuckle given it was really seized in there was to put the knuckle on 2 blocks of wood so the inside of the bearing is facing upward and the hub was a few inches off the ground. I used a round metal plate from a bearing extractor kit I had that fit over the entire bearing face, and hammered it out with ease safely. Ended up having a garage just press the new bearings in vs trying to do it myself.
Sorry for blaming the Conti's. They are nice and quiet as expected to be. Will get an alignment this week and that is that.
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