GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: JP2021 on 19 October 2021, 18:00
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A slight whirring sound at around 70mph... my only complaint with my otherwise fantastic Mk7 GTi PP. I've had the car looked over by three garages, including my local VW main dealer, with the only possible cause of the whirring being noted as a buckled rear NS 19" Santiago Alloy. This, along with a buckle on the rear OS alloy, I had "straightened" whilst having the alloys refurbished but still the whir occurs. The tyres are noted as having some feathering and uneven wear which could be adding to the whirring, but then that begs the question what caused the feathering and uneven wear in the first place? I've swapped the tyres from back to front but still the whirring persists.
I'm trying one last local independent VW specialist early next week and hoping that the cause of this "whir" is found. Any more thoughts on what may be causing this sound AND if the buckle that still exists in the "straightened" alloy wheel is within tolerance and acceptable would be very much appreciated.
A link to a video showing the "before and after" of the buckle can be seen here (apologies for the framing):
https://youtu.be/c5APJ-yDIG0
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Once you have feathering, the noise will be there until the tyres are replaced, because it is the feathering that causes the noise, not where the tyres are fitted. Feathering is a problem which has occurred on Golfs for a few generations. It seems to be caused by suspension geometry, but the magic solution has never really been found. New tyres and a four wheel alignment should get rid of the whirring. I had feathering noise on my Mk5, but so far none on any of my three 7s.
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In my experience its the rears that do this. With the rear end being so light the rears can last for 65k or more but get chewed up with internal edge feathering before that and the noise drives you mad.
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Another vote for rear tyre feathering.
Buckles can induce a bit of wheel wobble unless balance weights are tactically applied but don’t normally generate much noise.
Rear tyre feathering however sounds like a wheel bearing has died and is really annoying.
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Agreed. My rears have sawtoothed / feathered and I get the noise when driving. Swap fronts to the back and you'll probably hear the noise move as well.
Got mine booked for a hunter 4 wheel alignment seeing as I now have fresh boots on.
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I should have said, the answer is never leave the rears on until they die.
When you get new fronts, have them put them on the rear.
In the 12-15k the fronts will last you won't have seriously feathered the rears. 12-15k on the rear is probably only 20-25% of their life. You'll get easily 8k with them on the front.
That way you use up the tyres more evenly, using all of the rubber to destruction.
I wouldn't religeously pursue this front-rear swap for any other reason, but on a Golf you really don't want that horrible noise! I too thought I'd got a broken wheel bearing!
Your only choice now is to get new rears on and bin the noisy ones.
BTW I also wouldn't bother trying to solve the alignment issue to fix this. Its money down the drain - if anyone uses the OEM figures for geometry they will still feather because that is how the car is setup from the factory - its a stability choice.
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Are you all running high rear tyre pressures because apart from my Mk5 which were notorious for sawtooth I've never had an issue and I'm on my third variant of a 7/7.5. It's also not recommended to swap front to rear etc because of the different camber settings. I know people still do it though to prolong tyre life.
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Running OEM pressures correct for the load at the time of driving.
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Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated! It seems that this whirring sound is more common than I thought. My tyre pressures are as stated in the manual, allegedly no issue with any of the wheel bearings according to the garages so I'm hanging my hopes on the respected VW specialist I'm taking the car to on Monday. They're taking it for a full on test drive and doing a full four wheel alignment (appreciate this could well be a waste of money but I'm desperate), is there an offset they could put in to stop future feathering? I've also ordered four Goodyear 225/35 R19 Y (88) EAGLE F1 (ASYMMETRIC 5) XL from Costco (last weeks deal - all four tyres supplied and fitted £395, hopefully won't destroy the alloys whilst fitting them!) so if once these are fitted the noise still exists, well???!!!
On the subject of wheels, looking at the video, does anyone think the refurbishment company did a good job on the buckle? Must admit I thought a 'straightened' wheel would be totally buckle free but maybe I was expecting too much?
Agreeable Slick - be interesting to know the outcome of your wheel alignment if you can update once it's done!
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Not sure 4 wheel alignment alone will solve the issue unless you mean a full suspension geometry check?
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I wasn't aware there was a difference between the two? Definitely a difference between the 'high street garage £25 tracking deals' you see advertised and a garage that actually knows what they're doing. The garage I'm taking my car to on Monday is a VW specialist with a good reputation locally and on-line so fingers crossed!
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Another vote for tyre noise. When I replaced my 6 year old rear tyres the difference was night and day....
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Agreeable Slick - be interesting to know the outcome of your wheel alignment if you can update once it's done!
Had to move it to Thursday, so will try to remember to come back and update.
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Thanks Agreeable Slick, be good to collate as much information on this whirring issue. My car's booked in to the garage tomorrow so will update!
Looking at the buckle video, does anyone think the amount of buckle still remaining after the refurb might cause any issues - worth investing in a new set of wheels guaranteed to be straight and true or would that be a waste of money?
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Thanks Agreeable Slick, be good to collate as much information on this whirring issue. My car's booked in to the garage tomorrow so will update!
Looking at the buckle video, does anyone think the amount of buckle still remaining after the refurb might cause any issues - worth investing in a new set of wheels guaranteed to be straight and true or would that be a waste of money?
why don't you put your spare on and go for a drive and see if anything changes?
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Thanks Agreeable Slick, be good to collate as much information on this whirring issue. My car's booked in to the garage tomorrow so will update!
Looking at the buckle video, does anyone think the amount of buckle still remaining after the refurb might cause any issues - worth investing in a new set of wheels guaranteed to be straight and true or would that be a waste of money?
I had a slight buckle (pot hole damage) on two of my Santiagos. Never even noticed, only reason I knew was a garage pointed them out to me.
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Sorry, should've mentioned that I did try the spare as a diagnosis tool but still the whirring was there (didn't stay at 70/80mph too long though, very skinny wheel compared to the others!). Good to know that your buckles went un-noticed Watts, no uneven tyre wear or adverse effects?
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No problems whatsoever. Wear was very even, no noise, wobble, nothing. Didn't even need rebalancing. I changed the first set of tyres after 20k miles and the next set were at 20k when I sold the car with all of the miles with the the buckled wheels and nothing ontoward at all.
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So.... I've had the alignment done on the car. Everything was in spec (per manufacturers recommendation) except for the toe on the front. So I've had that adjusted back to nominal range.
I did have Rainsport 3's on mine which are directional, and it has been said that the directional tyres for the GTI doesn't work especially well and can add to the droning noise.
Now got PS4S on the new wheels and now it is whisper quiet again on smooth roads, and now I've had the alignment done I'm hoping to not see this droning noise back again.
Oh and was £45.
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Thanks for the update Agreeable Slick, much appreciated and sounds like you've had a result! My story is a little different...... So, on Monday took the car to the local, reputable, great reviews independent VW garage who looked it over. After a test drive they called to say they could hear a whirring, even at 40mph but couldn't identify exactly where it was coming from although on balance would say rear NS wheel. Once back at the garage, the only issue they could find was worn rear brake disc/pads which rubbed slightly creating a slight grinding noise. They said this could be amplified at speed and suggested to get them replaced. Knowing that they needed doing in the next few months I bit the bullet and got them done. Alas, noise still there! They then suggested looking at the wheel bearing but after being somewhat aghast at the £390 for the brakes and quote of £330 for a rear wheel bearing I declined and said I'd think about it. £390 was a bit steep in my book for OEM discs/pads as was £330 for the bearing, need I ask if all out there thinks the same?
So next, I called the garage where I take the wife's 2005 Honda Jazz. They did the rear wheel bearing for £153 whilst I waited, now I thought I was getting somewhere! Yes, the whirring was decreased but not whisper quiet as I hoped.
So next, being today. Had 4 new Goodyear Eagle F1's fitted and the wheel alignment checked on a Hunter Hawkeye Elite. Wheel alignment slightly out and now all within VW spec.
Has the whirring noise gone?????? Well, I assumed that the car would be whisper quiet as Agreeable Slick mentions in his post, but the whirring is still there, albeit much reduced, but still there! Maybe I'm expecting too much, any ideas???
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My rear disks and pads are getting done this month (2014, Performance pack). I got quotes a few months back so can't remember exact figures. But the very good local Bosch Centre quoted around £260, and VW Huntingdon quoted around £330.
I also had a front wheel bearing done last month by the Bosch centre and it was £250 all in.
So yes, I think that is a piss take!