There shouldn't be any "wonder". Under pressure the carcass cords in a tire act like violin strings and the air inside acts like the sounding box. Foam will definitely reduce the amplification. The only question is by how much. (I suspect a lot).
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DIY solution to deadening tire noise
- Thread starter artsci
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- Driving Dynamics Model S
There shouldn't be any "wonder". Under pressure the carcass cords in a tire act like violin strings and the air inside acts like the sounding box. Foam will definitely reduce the amplification. The only question is by how much. (I suspect a lot).
Sogorman
Member
I ended up getting a set of conti silents and am pretty happy with them. That being said I am still very interested in the results of the test for the next go around.
Just heard from Recticel after a three week hiatus. They can arrange for shipping of the tires to Belgium and back for a price that now makes this feasible. So we're now moving ahead with plans to ship the Michelins to Belgium for installation of the Reciticel sound deadening foam. I'll report progress, but I'm guessing I won't have the tires back until June or July, a long wait but in time for extensive summer testing.
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MassModel3
Member
That's great news. Thanks for the update, artsci.
Boy, what a long process. We're all getting so impatient waiting for the results!
Boy, what a long process. We're all getting so impatient waiting for the results!
You're not kidding. I decided this morning to give it all up then the email from Recticel arrived.
Mine are 21s, David's 19", both Michelin. So we'll have some interesting tests when we get them reinstalled on the wheels and car.
Both sets of tires are shipping back from Belgium next week, so I'll have them on my car in time for the drive across country to TMC Connect in July. Will take many photos of the tire insides before they're installed on the wheels and post the before and after sound tests.
DavidB is leaving for California much earlier so I'm hoping he'll have his in time to install before he leaves.
DavidB is leaving for California much earlier so I'm hoping he'll have his in time to install before he leaves.
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MassModel3
Member
The tires have cleared customs and have been delivered!!!
There really isn't that much to see, but here is one picture:
There are two layers of foam. The 1st layer feels rough, but I can't see the actual foam. The second layer is the grey layer in the picture.
I'll do some testing tonight, after the traffic clears away so I won't pick up as much incidental noise.
There really isn't that much to see, but here is one picture:
There are two layers of foam. The 1st layer feels rough, but I can't see the actual foam. The second layer is the grey layer in the picture.
I'll do some testing tonight, after the traffic clears away so I won't pick up as much incidental noise.
My 21's were delivered to David along with his 19's so I'll be picking them up tomorrow at David's house and installing them on my car ASAP. As I have sound readings for the same tires before they were shipped to Belgium for the foam I should be able to have some comparative readings very soon.
brucet999
Active Member
Actually, 3 dB reduction is perceived as half as loud. 9 dB reduction would be a huge difference.
brucet999
Active Member
Interesting items on Cintinental website
The animated videos on the technical Details page show a car that looks like a Model S.
Continental Tyres -Technical details
The graph showing noise reduction displays elimination of a peak at some particular narrow frequency range.
That suggests that, unless all tires produce acoustic noise at the same frequencies, whatever foam is used would have to be "tuned" to the frequency peaks of each particular tire.
The animated videos on the technical Details page show a car that looks like a Model S.
Continental Tyres -Technical details
The graph showing noise reduction displays elimination of a peak at some particular narrow frequency range.
That suggests that, unless all tires produce acoustic noise at the same frequencies, whatever foam is used would have to be "tuned" to the frequency peaks of each particular tire.
I know the Recticel technology but I signed an NDA so I can't say much about it. But I can say that the Recticel foam is not tuned to individual tires and the Conti video is not representative of the bandwidth of frequencies affected.
I just installed the new foam-insulated tires today. First impression: EXCELLENT! Yesterday, with my old 19" Michelin Primacy MXM4 with only 2/32 tread depth, the tire noise was clearly the loudest source of noise when I was driving highway speeds. Today, with the new foam-insulated 19" Michelin Primacy MXM4 tires, the car is so much quieter that the rear motor (I do not have the "D") is the loudest source of noise when I am driving highway speeds.
Here are the preliminary test results*:
49 dB - average dB level when sitting parked with the AC on (all readings done with the AC fan speed set to 5)
54 dB - average dB level when driving aprox 55 MPH
56 dB - average dB level when driving aprox 65-70 MPH
59-61 dB - average dB level when driving aprox 80 MPH.
I will do more tests tonight or tomorrow night. It is difficult to get consistent results when driving in this area during the day with all the traffic.
* I am not a sound engineer. The app I used on my iPhone to measure the dB levels is: dB Meter Pro
Here are the preliminary test results*:
49 dB - average dB level when sitting parked with the AC on (all readings done with the AC fan speed set to 5)
54 dB - average dB level when driving aprox 55 MPH
56 dB - average dB level when driving aprox 65-70 MPH
59-61 dB - average dB level when driving aprox 80 MPH.
I will do more tests tonight or tomorrow night. It is difficult to get consistent results when driving in this area during the day with all the traffic.
* I am not a sound engineer. The app I used on my iPhone to measure the dB levels is: dB Meter Pro
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