Noise from your wheels while driving could be very distracting if you’re not used to it, and anything that distracts your attention on the road is dangerous.
So, if you’re wondering how to reduce road noise when driving, keep reading this article for 13 different methods to achieve noiseless tires!
How To Reduce Road Noise From Tires
There are several ways to reduce the amount of noise that gets to you from your tires when driving. Depending on the reasons why the noise is occuring, where exactly it’s coming from and how loud it is, there are a lot of options that you can choose from, and you can apply different ones simultaneously for better results.
For more on the best methods to reduce road noise from tires, including interior and exterior enhancements, tire maintenance tips, and more, read on for more useful tips!
1. Rotate Your Tires Regularly
Uneven wear across your tires could be one reason why there’s a lot of noise coming from your car as you drive.
If one tire has more wear than the others in your set means that certain vehicle components, including the other tires themselves, will be put under more strain, resulting in more noise.
However, you can prevent this by regularly rotating your tires so that they wear at a more even rate.
2. Balance And Align Your Wheels Regularly
Another way to care for your wheels and ensure they don’t affect your tires to the point where they get noisy is to ensure you balance and realign them as often as possible.
Balancing refers to distributing the weight evenly across all tires, while alignment means adjusting the suspension so it connects properly to the wheels.
Overall, both processes ensure that the tires wear at a more even rate and last as long as they were designed to, resulting in a smoother and more enjoyable ride.
3. Use Soundproofing On The Car Floor
Your tires are directly underneath the car floor, so adding soundproofing material to this area could significantly reduce the amount of noise from the tires that gets into the carriage from the bottom.
4. Use Soundproofing On The Car Doors
Like the above solution, this soundproofing car doors also prevents a lot of noise from getting into the carriage but from the sides.
5. Soundproof The Whole Interior
Soundproofing the interior combines the previous two suggestions to add soundproofing material to the whole interior of the car (i.e. floor, doors and walls), which is useful for situations where you’re getting significant amounts of noise from all sides.
For this option, you might need some help from a friend or an auto shop, because you will have to unbolt a lot of parts, both interior and exterior, to install the sound deadener.
Additionally, soundproofing options use a dampening material like rubber that also doubles as thermal insulation.
6. Keep Tire Pressure Within The Recommended Range
Your tires being under inflated could be the main reason as to why they’re noisy. A tire with low air pressure makes a flapping noise due to the rubber not being as rigid as it should be.
Therefore, to resolve this issue, check the frame of the driver’s side door or contact the manufacturer for the recommended tire pressure (for regular vehicles like sedans, it’s usually between 30 and 35 PSI).
7. Get Quieter Tires
There are certain tires that have been designed to be quieter by default, for example, a tire with a more complex but fine tread pattern will make less noise than one with a simple pattern.
This is because the tire grooves allow air to move along them more effectively when compressed as opposed to remaining under the rubber.
Therefore, air getting crushed at a higher rate translates to more sound coming from the tires.
Some tires come with more ribs than usual to help the tire maintain its shape even in the event of a drop in pressure while others have reinforced edges so they’re more rigid, though both are ideal for drivers who are looking to reduce tire noise.
Additionally, a tire with smaller spaces between tread blocks is also going to provide you with a quieter ride because less air passes through them.
8. Purchase Narrower Tires
A wider tire makes more contact with the pavement, which means more surface is available to produce sound, resulting in more noise.
However, if you purchase a tire with a narrower tread that still manages your vehicle’s weight requirements, you’ll notice a significant difference.
It should be noted that purchasing narrower tires is easier for a vehicle that isn’t expected to haul too much, and therefore isn’t recommended for something like an SUV or trailer.
9. Change Tires
If you have the right type of tire in terms of the factors mentioned above, but they’re still noisy, you’re probably due for a tire replacement.
In fact, most major tire manufacturers recommend that you replace your tires every six years or so and remove a tire from service completely after 10 years regardless of tread depth.
10. Drive Slower
When you drive slower, your tires make less noise because less air is moving through the treads. Therefore, if you’re able to drive slower within the legal speed limit, this may be a viable option to reduce noise.
11. Line The Wheel Wells
Wheel wells are the arches on the outside of the chassis surrounding the wheels, which you can modify so they reduce the noise from the wheels in your carriage.
One way to line the wheel wells is to do so with a sound dampening material that can catch vibrations from the wheels and weaken them before they have the chance to develop into sound.
Another approach is to line the wheel wells with a weighty material that can absorb the sound before it gets to the carriage.
Nevertheless, when using either of these two methods, make sure that you leave enough of a clearance between your wheel well lining and the tires, because you don’t want to interfere with their ability to move freely.
In fact, if you do the opposite, you will end up creating even more tire noise as well as risk of an accident.
12. Replace Door Seals
With the door open, you can see they’re lined with rubber, and while it’s primary to use thermal insulation, it also plays a significant role in absorbing the sounds from your tire.
If your car is old, the lining may have become worn, meaning you may need to replace it and repair one if it’s broken in certain parts.
You also have the option to add another strip of lining to complement the original lining, which will add to its overall effectiveness while maintaining the door’s ability to close properly.
Note that when buying the seal, especially from online vendors, make sure you’re purchasing the right size for your car by shape, size and other similar factors.
13. Clean Out The Tire Tread
As you drive, small amounts of debris could get caught between the grooves in your tire’s tread, which may cause noise.
A straightforward way to combat this is to inspect all your tires for debris like tiny rocks and sticks, removing them, and then power washing the tire.
To learn more about tires, you can also see our posts on tires noisy after rotation, quiet tires, what causes tire noise at low speed, and if tires make noise.
Conclusion
If you notice noise coming from your tires while driving, soundproofing is an option that you can apply on individual parts or the whole interior of the car depending on the level of noise.
Having a regular and thorough tire/wheel maintenance routine also helps to keep wear across the set even and allows you to get the most use out of your tires. Additionally, cleaning out any debris that gets caught in the tread will also help bring the noise down.