QuestionQUESTION: My 2006 Infiniti G35 Coupe has sport tuned suspension and 19" wheels with 40 profile tires and interior road noise is high on CA freeways. Can I reduce noise by going back to 17" wheels with a higher profile tire? I don't mind losing some handling to quiet the car down as long as it remains safe. Also, how can I pick a quiet tire? Is there a noise rating?
ANSWER: Dan,
No there isn't a noise rating. Tire noise is not only the tire, but also the pavement - and to make the situation more complicated, it is also way the tire interacts with the pavement. That means that there will be situations where the rank order of a group of different tires would change depending on what road surface you are on.
So I suggest you work with a local retailer. They should be able to help you select a tire that is appropriate for where you live.
Also be aware that low profile tires are more prone to irregular wear - which is caused by misalignment - and that may be what you are experiencing. meaning that merely putting on a set of new tires will solve the problem.
So I'd recommend you get the alignment checked first, unless you are sure it is strictly the tire pattern.
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QUESTION: The question I'm most interested in which you didn't answer is - can I reduce noise by going back to 17" wheels with a higher profile tire? The noise I want to reduce is Southern California rough concrete freeways.
AnswerDan,
I'm sorry, but the reason I didn't answer your question is that noise doesn't have anything to do with the diameter of the rim. It has everything to do with the stuff I mentioned. By contacting a local retailer, he would have showed you what is available in a 19" and in all livelihood, what is available in a 17" will be quite different - so this becomes an apples and bananas type of question. In other words, there wouldn't be a good reliable answer that I could give, but a local retailer would be able to sort it out among what is available in both sizes.
