I'll be the first one to disagree with this statement!

Run flats are the #1 source of noise on these cars. Have you ever ridden in a Vette with non-run flats and comared the noise? Its night and day.

I agree with everyone else that some awesome gains can be made by insulating the interior with some Dynamat or something comparable but ditching the run flats will still be your biggest improvement.

 

The problem is NOT the tires.. it is Not like night and day, as many who have garnered my help after buying Khumo's, Pilot Sports and other non run flats, have said in Private message many times and at how disappointed they were after spending all the money for a QUIET RIDE.. Are the non run flat quieter than the EMT's yes they are by maybe 10%.. but like night and day???? not on your best day... The problem with the car is there is no insulation... there is a clear an unobstructed path from the wheel wells Right into the cabin via an open channel and through the hatch drains... the only thing between your ears and tire contact to a concrete surface is a 1/8 piece of plastic found in the inner wheel wells. Anyone who jogs or walks everyday can hear the sound that tires make... they all make noise... EMT do Not stand out if your standing on a street corner listening to the sound of tires going buy... Cadillac tires, Lexus tires, BMW tire all make noise, but they have steel welded wheel wells, 200 to 300 pounds of sound insulation and a long wheel base.. A C5 puts the tires 2 feet from your ears... anyone who thinks going to non run flats lowers the tire noise dramatically is just plain in denial.. AS I have said, I have had countless Pm's from people after listing to the herd of sheep that brag about their purchase... and the "Night and day" sound quality of non run flats.... The problem is these same people that follow the herd are too embarrassed to stand up and say Yeah I got dooped into buying non run flats so I could dramatically reduce the tire noise... After spending 1200 dollars few people have the ***** to admit they made a mistake.. listened the blind leading the blind... AS I have always said, with respect to tire noise, It's the car not the tires.... more than half of the hundreds of people who have done my sound insulation mod, bought non run flats, and were bitterly disappointed. They hoped that the insulation mod would help.... Myself and Mike , have received so many testimonials in public forum over the last few years, just goes to show that non run flats do not substantially reduce tire noise.. Are there better handling tires? Performance tires? Sure they are... But all tires make noise in an uninsulated C5.... I applaude the poster who makes the statement that their new non runflats are not much better, noise wise than their EMT's, and now they have to deal with flat tires...

 

I vote ET for President!!!

 

Well...I'll tell you what ET...I've got your ***** right here! What would you like to do with them?

I spent almost $1600 for my Michelin Pilot Sports and THEY ARE LIKE NIGHT AND DAY compared to the stock EMT's. Honestly, I dont really give a damn if YOU think they are all that much better. The fact of the matter is that I do. I didnt get dooped into buying my tires and I'm not disappointed that I did.

I could give 2 ***** less whether you think its is the "blind leading the blind" or the "herd mentaility". I've never done one damn thing to my car because someone else did. Everything I have ever done is because I wanted to and because it gave me satisfaction.

You can spew all the technical jargon that you want to but it is a simple fact that the non runflats ARE quieter than the EMTs'. When I said that they were like night and day compared to the EMT's, I didnt quantify what % quieter I thought they were? You are the one that said they were "10% quieter" so right there you agreed with me that they were quieter.

Like I said in my other post, YES, doing the wheel well insulation makes a big difference and so does Dynamat. BUT SO DOES CHANGING THE TIRES!!!!!!!

I didnt say that if you have brand new EMTs then you should trash them and go some traditional tires. All I said was that the non run flats make a big difference, and they do.

I respect your knowledge Bill but maybe sometimes you need to get off your perch and just take things at face value rather than relying on your engineering background.

 

FWIW, Just last night I installed a set of Z06 rims with the factory super car tires to replace the BF Goodrich G-force run flat tires that the PO installed. The ride was significantly smoother and they stick a lot better so I was very happy but one thing that my wife and I noticed was the non run flats were actually louder then the run flats. I don't care because I love how they stick but it was noticeably noisier above 50mph. Hence why I started reading this post. I think I will be doing some frost king or dynamat over the wheel wells for the long road trips and enjoying my new found traction and handling.

 

It is not just me.... it is the hundreds who echo my statement .... BTW, after reducing my tire noise by 50% I wanted to go the extra mile and reduce it further so I was dooped and bought Pilot sports, spent the money and was on the forum after one trip to the shore 120 miles round trip, I was on the forum the next day telling everyone that they made no difference to my already quiet car...
What you have my friend is what is called the placebo effect... You believe it is like night and day. So to you it is... But when so many other say they were disappointed and are seeking further help...then either you are right and all the people doing the tire noise reduction are wrong... or you are in denial, and the hundreds who sought a cure for their noisy non run flats are right... Both cant be right... (I Have been trying to tell people that if your going to spend 1200 dollars on tire to get ride of the tire noise , then don't waste your money. I said, Hundreds have posted to me and Mike Mercury of their bitter disappointment.
Ill give a slice of life.. when I was young I heard a 100 dollars stereo, it sounded great to me until I heard a thousand dollars stereo, AS I got more into sound, a 10,000 dollar stereo made the thousand dollar stereo sound like crap and soon in the for sale adds. The "ear" can be a great sence... but it can cost you dearly.... I am honestly happy that your Tire noise experience is pleasing to your ears... Don't ever try to listen to a 10,000 sound system. Hold on to your non analytical skills, and don't try too hard to listen.. Innocence is bliss.

 

Wow, that's the first time I've heard that. How do they compare at lower speeds?

 

Wow, that's the first time I've heard that. How do they compare at lower speeds?

 

I have never ran EMT's on my car to say anything about that. But once again I ask, how well does "your mod" work? What is the actually sound reduction measured in decibles? I have seen countless times people claim it works but NOBODY says how well it works. That can ONLY be measured in decibles. How many Db's dropped after applying "your mod"? How come that question always gets over looked? It is just like me saying" By this part it adds horsepower. But we do not know how much becuase we never measured it. But the car feels faster"

 

I thought YOU were voted President... I can be your flunkie
Hey, I'm just here for the amusment... If it wasn't for this place I would be playing checkers down at the fire house with all the old guys...

 

I reduced the noise level in the front seat area by 50%. I make my wife stay home now.

 

A true leader is always humble (in public) That's why I voted you for President - to make me look

EG

 

I dont know Bill....maybe your batteries in your hearing aids were dying the day that you test drove your Pilot Sports. Or maybe you need to take more Geritol? I dont know, I guess it could be a bunch of things. I guess I should trust your 65 year old ear much better than my 33 year old ears.

And I guess when I expessed my OPINION above I should have checked with you first before doing so?

All I know is that the Pilot Sports are definitely quieter than the EMT's. If you want to be an *** any try to quantify the % quieter, then fine, go ahead. You already agreed with me in your previous post that they were 10% quieter so get off it.

I know Bill, we've heard the stories over and over about the millions of forum members that flood your PM's with loads of praise for you and your infinite wisdom. You even had to have the mods increase your inbox size because you were so popular

I already agreed with you initially that doing other soundproofing made a big difference, but so does changing the tires. I've never fallen for the herd mantality and I've never done one damn thing to my car just because someone else did. I put the Pilots on because I wanted to and I noticed every improvement that I was hoping to.

 

Wow - you guys need to lighten up. Relax. Life is way too short.

 

Exactly....the key word is "GUYS"

I simply started out by giving my OPINION.....I guess I should have know better. ET decided he needed to call me out....I simply responded in kind.

 

I was surprised too. At low speeds I didn't notice any difference. But when we got going about 50mph we could hear the tire noise coming on. I was expecting it to be quieter but it was in fact the opposite. It wasn't a big difference but it was noticeable. Maybe the BFG run flat are abnormally quiet?

 

You have the last word here and have really put me in my place with my tail between my legs... I already said I was happy you are happy with the level of sound or the lack there of, that your Pilots emit.
I was just telling others reading this post that changing tires to non run flats will not significantly reduce tire noise just as another poster said and to whom I took my hat off too...and I said that hundreds have PMed me and Mike Mercury telling the same sad story, and that Night and day is in the ear of the beholder.. AS far as chilling?.......... I could not be more chilled...
I love the forum and this country of free speech and the right to say what we want even thought the forum is Not part of the democratic way of life we all have taken for granted.
The End !

 

 

NO. I have no problems. And I've had it out in the snow and rain. If you cover the interior side of the wheel well this will not be a problem. Bear in mind, this is what the wheel wells are there for, to keep out the elements. If you have wet insulation, you probably have holes or openings in your wheel well, which would help to transmit noise into the cabin.

BTW. I used to work for an auto interior supplier and tire/road noise has always been the enemy. The luxury cars would always get extra padding and EVA (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate) that's the black rubber like backing on your carpet. Some of the high end cars would get foam in place of jute (the cloth equivalent of particle board).

 

To be honest, road noise has never been an issue for me! I've only read about it here. Made me wonder if my car was indeed, loud! Guess I'm either lucky or going deaf...