Harsh ride: any easy solutions?

[Reynger]

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[pendle wizard]

Hi m8 i have the 2006 TDi sport on 17" alloys the ride was a bit harsh on mine too after looking around this forum (there are a few threads on this) the cheapest solution seems to be reducing tyre pressure i run 2.45 bar as opposed to the 2.6 and you can definitely feel the difference.

[Reynger]

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[Crasher]

the 'Westwood conversion'

The what?

[Reynger]

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[Crasher]

Got you, 7 spoke 7.5x17 alloys called “Westwood’s” (I though the name rang a bell) but I have never heard of them referred to as the “Westwood conversion”, there were others such as Solitude, Monte Carlo and Macau, I think the dealer made that one up. The German listing for this is “Sportpaket für 17-Zoll-Leichtmetallräder "Westwood" - 4 Leichtmetallräder 7 1/2 J x 17 - Mobilitätsreifen 235/45 R 17” or roughly “Sport package for 17-inch-Light metal wheels " Westwood" - 4 light alloy wheels 7 1/2 J x 17 - mobility tires 235/45 R 17”. On your data sticker these are shown as CV5 and probably G03 or G08 front sports suspension and 1JC sports rear suspension which I think may be the cause of the harshness you do not like, mind you I hate to think what you would make of the 18 inch wheel option or aftermarket 19’s.

[Reynger]

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[lorriman]

Hi Reynger

The Vredestein tyres on the front will in fact be called 'Ultrac' which are rated as superb wet weather tyres, but they can be a little noisy due to the shape of the treads. You won't get a better wet weather tyre, but there are quieter ones out there, but at a much higher price. The Giugiaro bit is the name of the design house who came up with the tread design. They tend to be a style choice amongst car owners due to the interesting tread configuration. (How sad is that?)

I ran Ultracs on a previous car and was very happy with them, but it was a sporty car and that's what I wanted at the time.

Take a look at the Autoexpress website and read their annual tyre review.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/total_tyre_guide/213177/tyre_test.html

They rate tyres for all sorts of stuff including noise. From memory I think the Michelins are pretty good on all counts, but they tend to be quite expensive.

However, there's not much to choose between most of the major manufacturers. Just keep away from the cheap brands. They are a false economy, given that they are your only contact with terra firma.

[lorriman]

Hi m8 i have the 2006 TDi sport on 17" alloys the ride was a bit harsh on mine too after looking around this forum (there are a few threads on this) the cheapest solution seems to be reducing tyre pressure i run 2.45 bar as opposed to the 2.6 and you can definitely feel the difference.

Here's an extract from the Autoexpress.co.uk tyre Q&A section about letting the tyres down. Not sure whether reducing from 2.6Bar to 2.45Bar is too much or not. This is just a comment.

What would the difference in ride, comfort, noise and grip be between 17 and 18-inch tyres?
The critical factor here is the sidewall height rather than the size of the rim – although generally, the bigger the tyre, the lower the profile. The shorter the sidewall, the less flexible it is, so steering will be sharper and there will be less roll. On the downside, the
ride will be harsher and it’s likely to be more noisy, too; rubber is pretty good at absorbing sound, but low-profile tyres have less of it. If you are contemplating an upgrade from 17 to 18 inches and find the ride too harsh, don’t be tempted to drop the pressures to soften it up, as this could lead to sidewall failure.

[Reynger]

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[Crasher]

So is it road noise or harsh ride that is bothering you?

[Reynger]

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