Tyres Have Suddenly Started Rumbling

[satz]

hi all

any ideas what would cause fairly new tyres on my RX350 (2007 model) to start rumbling? Rumbling starts almost from 1km/h and gets louder as the car gets faster. Like I'm driving on truck tyres or very chunky-tread tyres, which these aren't.

The tyres have done about 3,500km since I fitted them new in Dec. No offroad driving.

Yokohama Parada Spec X, which although are SUV tyres, are still supposed to be pretty quiet.

In fact they were nice and quiet until literally this week! I could this noise started overnight virtually.

Checked each tyre for stones, tar or nails but couldn't see anything. Tyre pressures are even and the wear seems pretty even. Slight feathering on the outer edges of each front tyre.

Googling this problem revealed it might be tread separation! Booked in to get the tyres checked next week, but was hoping for some ideas...

cheers

Satz

[Lexo]

Good luck Satz. It's unusual for a fairly new set of tyres to rumble. Are you getting any vibrations in your steering? Please let us know your findings.

The Yoko Parada Spec-X is what I was going to replace my bridgestone with since it is ranked one of the best on tirerack. I'm not so sure now that I heard about your issues. I got a quote from my local Yoko tyre store for $315/each.

[LEX51S]

you may have a couple of loose wheel nuts

[satz]

update:

took the RX back to Bob Jane's where I bought the four tyres in Dec.

They rotated them front to back but the noise was still the same.

Then they suggested doing a 4-wheel alignment. I didn't do this when I bought the tyres.

Anyway...after the wheel alignment the noise is still there. Perhaps slightly better. They claim it will go as the tyres wear evenly (in 6 months or so!!!)

Ridiculous. Of course Yokohama Australia didn't respond to my email 3 days ago...

I still don't know whether there's a structural fault with one of the tyres

[LEX51S]

Take it to lexus they are great with noises.

[satz]

The tyre shop stated that it had to be the bearing.

So, armed with that knowledge, approached my Lexus Service mgr again and this time got him to get a good mechanic to drive it.

He confirmed it was one of the front bearings that had worn.

Replaced under warranty and it seems fine now!

Still surprising that the bearing went after just 60,000 km. I don't think I've ever replaced a bearing on any of my previous cars!

S