[Graybeard]

We have a 2004 Mercury Monterey Premier minivan wtih factory 16" rims and some supposedly super run flat Uniroyals with at least half tread. The road noise at SoCalif freeway speeds is bad enough to hinder conversaton. I believe it's the tires on these rain grooved roads, because I hit a freshly paved road yesterday, and the road noise went dead silent.

Is it the tread design, or is it the sacrifice for low profile tires? I don't remember our prior Windstar being this loud, and it was a cargo van on scruffy 15" tires.

Stumped in SoCal.
GB

[grog11]

Originally Posted by Graybeard

We have a 2004 Mercury Monterey Premier minivan wtih factory 16" rims and some supposedly super run flat Uniroyals with at least half tread. The road noise at SoCalif freeway speeds is bad enough to hinder conversaton. I believe it's the tires on these rain grooved roads, because I hit a freshly paved road yesterday, and the road noise went dead silent. Is it the tread design, or is it the sacrifice for low profile tires? I don't remember our prior Windstar being this loud, and it was a cargo van on scruffy 15" tires. Stumped in SoCal. GB

I have heard alot of people don't like the run flat tires due to noise and handling. I have never had run flat tires, so not sure how different they are.

I do have some knowledge about sound deadening those vans though. These suggestions helped mine with some snow tires on it before winter, and certainly quieted my all seasons. Make sure that the fender sound suppressor foam is sealed well on the inside of the fender. Look behind the door hinges with a flashlight.These tend to move and open a hole. I put silicone seal on my sides, securing it. Spray several coats of 3m undercoat spray on the inner fender wells, waiting a few days for each coat to dry. This helped mine the most. at least made it bearable on those grooved roads.
Covering the doors inside under the panels with aluminum coated butyl for sound deadening will make the inside of your van sound like a lexus inside for road noise, but thats a another involved adventure. I did this to mine and love it.

[Cuda_jim]

Originally Posted by Graybeard

We have a 2004 Mercury Monterey Premier minivan wtih factory 16" rims and some supposedly super run flat Uniroyals with at least half tread. The road noise at SoCalif freeway speeds is bad enough to hinder conversaton. I believe it's the tires on these rain grooved roads, because I hit a freshly paved road yesterday, and the road noise went dead silent. Is it the tread design, or is it the sacrifice for low profile tires? I don't remember our prior Windstar being this loud, and it was a cargo van on scruffy 15" tires. Stumped in SoCal. GB

The fact that the tires went silent on a smooth road says it's probably not the tires. but....It might be a combination of the two. The roads here with rain grooves don't seem to be too noisy.

[Graybeard]

Thanks, Grog.
"Spray several coats of 3m undercoat spray on the inner fender wells, waiting a few days for each coat to dry."

I assume you mean on the road side of the inner fender wells, and not the back side, which would requre removing them. I'll try that right away. I may wait until door locks or something inside the doors fails before lining the doors, as the panels can be such a pain to remove. Can you buy aluminum coated butyl at FLAPS, your Friendly Local Auto Parts Store?

We just returned from a week in the Gold Country, and the noise wasn't bad anywhere but on the LA freeways. Yup, that's where most of our driving is.

GB

[grog11]

I sprayed the undercoating in the wheel wells. 2 cans of the spray did all 4 tire wells. Wipe them down 1st to remove dirt and debris, and cover the tires with an old cloth before spraying, or just remove them for spraying.
A long sleeve shirt and a pair of latex gloves will save you a lot of cleanup time on your skin, the stuff sticks to everything. I am sure you will notice the tire noise reduction when completed.

You can get aluminum coated butyl rubber sheeting at your local building supply store, its used for roof sheeting as a self stick ice seal on roof perimeters. It comes in rolls, and is economical to buy.