Anyone else got these?

Fabia vRS.

For 12 months and 17k now I've had these on the car, and they've generally been great vfm.

I'm not a particulary agressive driver, in fact I drive like a granny around town. Still got nearly half the tread left on the front ones even.

Took them off yesterday and put the original wheels with a worn variety of tyres back on, as I've been slightly suspicious that they are mimicking a worn wheel bearing/s noise..

After 17k, I'd have expected a worn bearing to become unbearably noisy or even collapse tbh, but it 's just never happened, just a constant annoying humming noise

Gues what?

The noise virtually disappeared with the old tyres back on, so that's seemingly the mystery solved.

Anyone else with these excat tyres noticed the same?

Quite common for many tyres to do this. I've replaced a pair of Avon ZV5s on mine that were doing the same.

Quite common for many tyres to do this. I've replaced a pair of Avon ZV5s on mine that were doing the same.

I'm gobsmaked just how close I was to replacing all the wheel bearings one by one. Really noisy, and really so similar to the sound of a failing wheel bearing.

So glad I've got a spare set of rims and tyres otherwise I'd probably have never known.

Buyer beware ey?

Meanwhile, I've had to put them back on smartly as the others were bordering on illegal.

Gave me chance to clean all the crud off the inside of rims anyway I suppose?

Sad aren't I? :yes:

Edited 6 June, 201016 yr by Mr Ree

I had a set and thought the bearings had gone, and its just the federal tyres, they always do this, become almost unbearably noisy as they wear, I never bought them again, they didn't fail, but it didn't sound good to me!

I had a set and thought the bearings had gone, and its just the federal tyres, they always do this, become almost unbearably noisy as they wear, I never bought them again, they didn't fail, but it didn't sound good to me!

False economy then I suppose.

You pay yhe lower price, but have to endure the imitation failed wheel bearing thrumming and humming noise it seems.

I shall be purchasing a top quality brand next time, when I can burn these damned things down enough.

P'raps I should start driving like a hooligan to speed the process up?

assuming they're not directional tyres, does swapping the wheels left to right do anything about the noise?

This would indicate that the tyre is wearing in a strange way. On my Saab 93 which has rear wheel steering, the rear tres will wear on the inside edge wlthough not so you could see it. the end resutl that is no matter what tyre you have fitted will start whining after about 2000 miles. Swap the tyres round and you will probably find the noise will move too.

Use to run these on the front of my Astra Coupe Turbo, and never had a problem with them. They didn't use to last very long though given the bhp.

Edited 6 June, 201016 yr by Browny_37

This would indicate that the tyre is wearing in a strange way. On my Saab 93 which has rear wheel steering, the rear tres will wear on the inside edge wlthough not so you could see it. the end resutl that is no matter what tyre you have fitted will start whining after about 2000 miles. Swap the tyres round and you will probably find the noise will move too.

I have moved front to back, but if anything, the noise is even worse now!

Checked the wear pattern closely on all 4 tyres, and they do seem to be wearing consistantly and evenly.

Directiion is fitted the correct way too.

This all flies in the face of comprehension after reading Brownies post regarding his Astra.

Is this just a problem with the Fabia then I wonder?

Anyone else with a different make or/and model had similar experiences?

I wonder if an email to the manufacturers might throw some light on this most annoying problem.

As I said, I've generally been very happy with the tyres, given my style of fairly tame driving, but this noise is leading me to now having the radio on louder than my ears can take without bleeding. :S

Edited 6 June, 201016 yr by Mr Ree

Thinking about it, the astra tended to wear the inside and outside edges off quite easily, rather than even across the tread.

But thats probably down to them being pushed a little harder than most users, i also use to run them around 34psi on a 17" Rim.

The size i was using were 215/40/R17's. Maybe the size has a effect?

For the price i didn't think they were too bad. I didn't see much difference in the dry, going from Avon ZZ3's to the Fedrals.

I wasn't seeing 17k from a set. More aless 7k.

A friend replaced all 4 corners on his Saxo VTS with the SS595's and he wasn't that impressed with the grip.

Edited 7 June, 201016 yr by Browny_37

I had the same on my GPS, its just the nature of the federals, they imitate worn bearings, I looked into it at the time, and found lots of posts on forums confirming the same, I took it to the fiat garage, and they inspected the car, and said there was nothing wrong with the suspension or drivetrain, therefore it HAD to be the tyres, went and got them replaced, and the noise went away

Previous owner fitted federal super steels to the fabia.. I bought it and couldn't wait to get rid of them, horrible noises disappeared with a set of yokohama pradas

Ditch cheap tires..

Kev

Previous owner fitted federal super steels to the fabia.. I bought it and couldn't wait to get rid of them, horrible noises disappeared with a set of yokohama pradas

Ditch cheap tires..

Kev

They weren't actually the cheapest @ approx £75 each iirc, but I just couldn't stretch to £110+ for Michelin, Pirelli or Continental at the time.

As I say, for the style of driving I do on the public highways around the local towns, they've been more than satisfactory in terms of wear.

Dreadful and very wearing on the ears on long runs on the motorway though.

I reckon they're going to be good for 30k at this rate....IF I can stand this wretched 'wheel bearing failure' noise.