Does tire pressure fluctuations make your car noisier?
11-19-2018, 07:21 PM
#1
Zen Vet Master Level VII
Thread Starter
Does tire pressure fluctuations make your car noisier?
Does anyone notice "extra" squeaks and noises as tire pressure fluctuates? As the weather changes, tire pressure becomes super (at least here in Texas) sensitive gaining and dropping 3-5 pounds in a day. Today In Dallas it was in the 30's to start the day and ends about 50ish coming off of 100 degree days a couple of months a ago. I normally keep the tires at factory (30 psi) but with the recent change, they dropped to 24.5. I filled up yesterday to 31.5 and checked after I got home and it was 33.5!
I did notice a few more creaks, squeaks (especially from the dash and steering column?) and ticks especially as I went over bumps. The obvious is that the increased pressure and stiffness is more jarring on the car and noises are more prevalent.
Does anyone else notice your car getting noisier with the change of the seasons and/or tire pressure or am I the anomaly?
I did notice a few more creaks, squeaks (especially from the dash and steering column?) and ticks especially as I went over bumps. The obvious is that the increased pressure and stiffness is more jarring on the car and noises are more prevalent.
Does anyone else notice your car getting noisier with the change of the seasons and/or tire pressure or am I the anomaly?
11-19-2018, 07:25 PM
#2
Race Director
Member Since: May 2003
Location: Iowa
Posts: 13,995
Received 2,706 Likes
on
1,668 Posts
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16'-'17-‘18-'19-'20-'21-'22-
'23-'24
It has to do with things becoming more brittle when cold, esp. things like plastics. More creaks for sure here in the Iowa winters.
PS Air pressures usually vary 1 psi per 10 degrees of temperature change
PS Air pressures usually vary 1 psi per 10 degrees of temperature change
11-19-2018, 11:46 PM
#3
Administrator
Member Since: Mar 2001
Location: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
Posts: 342,907
Received 19,286 Likes
on
13,962 Posts
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-
'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Tire pressure increases a few PSI just through the tires heating up when the car is driven and I do not recall excessive noise because of it. But plastics do seem to make more noise when the temps are cold.
11-20-2018, 06:54 AM
#4
Le Mans Master
Pro Mechanic
^^^ This. Nothing to do with tire pressure per se, everything to do with temp...almost everything contracts the colder the temp...including interior trim which is usually plastic. Gaps appear where there were none before (talking hundredths of an inch here...not enough to see...but enough to allow movement between parts...hence the noise).
Last edited by 4XLR8N; 11-20-2018 at 06:55 AM.
11-20-2018, 09:02 AM
#5
Le Mans Master
Yep, our Grand Caravan gets much more stiff and a bit noisy when temps drop to negative double digits (Celcius; so 15F or lower). Thankfully for many reasons we generally stay warmer than this in winter.
11-20-2018, 01:53 PM
#6
Drifting
My guess is what you're probably hearing is some of the more plastic items on the car susceptible to temperature changes, like if you still have the GM plastic end links on the sways. They're surprisingly noisy over much better aftermarket items.
Tire pressures themselves aren't going to cause squeaks and such.
Tire pressures themselves aren't going to cause squeaks and such.
11-20-2018, 02:25 PM
#7
Zen Vet Master Level VII
Thread Starter
11-20-2018, 02:38 PM
#8
Drifting
The OEM sway bar end links are a "plastic" construction that, I would surmise, were designed to save costs. It's a well-documented and worthwhile upgrade to change over to a more competent sway bar end link, not only for a little increased performance but also because the OEM units are very susceptible to both heavy wear and creating all sorts of unexplained noises. Owners report noises ranging from clunks to squeaks.
11-20-2018, 02:41 PM
#9
Zen Vet Master Level VII
Thread Starter
The OEM sway bar end links are a "plastic" construction that, I would surmise, were designed to save costs. It's a well-documented and worthwhile upgrade to change over to a more competent sway bar end link, not only for a little increased performance but also because the OEM units are very susceptible to both heavy wear and creating all sorts of unexplained noises. Owners report noises ranging from clunks to squeaks.
11-20-2018, 04:34 PM
#10
Race Director
Member Since: May 2003
Location: Iowa
Posts: 13,995
Received 2,706 Likes
on
1,668 Posts
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16'-'17-‘18-'19-'20-'21-'22-
'23-'24
The OEM sway bar end links are a "plastic" construction that, I would surmise, were designed to save costs. It's a well-documented and worthwhile upgrade to change over to a more competent sway bar end link, not only for a little increased performance but also because the OEM units are very susceptible to both heavy wear and creating all sorts of unexplained noises. Owners report noises ranging from clunks to squeaks.