robroy90 Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Greetings All! I have a 2011 Sport FWD (with the 22" wheels). It has about 63k miles on it. We replaced the original tires at about 32k, and now have about 30k on a set of Pirellis. Recently, the road noise has been increasing, and is now unbearable. Took it to my local NTB for a rotate, and they told me the internals of the tires are "cut" and this is what is causing the road noise. They suggest that it is suspension related, and that is what is causing the issue. We are also going to explore the warranty with Pirelli as it could also be a defect in the tires, I am told. So, I want to fix this issue before I install another set of tires. Does this vehicle have shocks or does it have struts? Or, does it have both? If both, is it common to replace all components at the same time? Would anyone happen to have the appropriate part numbers for those components on an Edge w/ 22" wheels? I looked on rockauto, etc. and seemed to have some difficulty in finding the appropriate parts for those wheels. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I just want to make sure I repair this correctly and as economically as possible. I don't want to replace more parts than I need to, as I do trust my local NTB, but they have a penchant for the upsell I have noticed. Thanks in advance, -Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Welcome to the forum! Struts up front, shocks in the rear. Normally only need to replace the components (in pairs) on the axle with the issues. Not all 4 at the same time. Which Pirellis are you running? The Scorpion Zero's did have some issues early on. Did you notice the noise moving around when the tires were rotated? Sometime the 22" wheels crack or suffer from bead seal failure also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omar302 Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 How about checking the alignment first? Usually alignment shops point out worn suspension parts because they wont be able to correctly align the suspension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldo Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 I agree with the alignment, shocks aren't nearly as likely to cause tire wear issues as a bad alignment is, especially at only 60K miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbwt Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 22 inch wheels look nice but IMO are a maintenance nightmare and the tires problematic. As noted the alignment even slightly off will end up causing more noticeable wear issues vice the 18-20 inch wheels. Any suspension changes need an alignment afterwards to at least check that nothing moved or changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robroy90 Posted August 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Thanks for the advice and insights! I forgot to mention I did have it aligned at about 30k when the factory tires were replaced. And, I need to correct myself, the original tires are Sumitomo HTR Sports. Where should I look to get the specific part numbers for the struts and shocks appropriate to the 22" wheels? As I mentioned earlier, I can't find a site like rockauto that consistently lists the parts. And so it is definitely struts (and no shocks) up front, and shocks (and no struts) in the rear? Our goal is to run out the ESP Warranty (expires at 120k) so, we are looking to keep the vehicle for another 60k miles if possible. I don't mind replacing the shocks and struts if that is what is required. I spoke to Tirerack about the tires, and they told me I could ship them in for evaluation, but that really isn't an option, obviously. I guess I could put it on blocks for a week or so and pay $200 for shipping, but I will pass. Looks like I am in for an expensive road ahead to get this ride smoothed out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbwt Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Shocks are are easy. If it takes you much more than 30 minutes you are drinking too much beer. Struts will take more time, but can still be accomplished in the driveway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Look over the reviews at Tirerack. Seems the tires do well initially but once the miles pile on (20K or more usually), the ratings really drop. Could be they were never rotated or checked for pressure etc. but in the absence of that knowledge: http://www.tirerack.com/survey/SurveyComments.jsp?&category=tire&additionalComments=y&commentStatus=P&tireMake=Sumitomo&tireModel=HTR+Sport+H%2FP&fromTireDetail=true&tirePageLocQty= Maybe you should try to find a local reputable tire shop that will allow you to test drive new tires to see if that is what you need (a 30 day guarantee or something). I have had that option available to me before. With that many miles on the tires, if there ARE problems, the tires cannot be "corrected". And you are sure that it IS road noise? Does it go up when you turn the wheel to the left vs the right (thinking wheel bearings)? Fordparts.com is the reference site for all things Ford, but when in doubt, you can always ask Benny at LevittownFordSuperCenter.com. He has a thread on here where you can post any parts questions you have, and is VERY helpful. http://www.fordedgeforum.com/topic/10937-employee-pricing-on-all-parts-accessories/page-10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbwt Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Agree on wheel bearing possibility. I suggest getting on a straight road and then making small left right corrections. If the noise lessens or gets louder then your problem is not tires but wheel bearings. The next thing would then be to identify which wheel bearing it is. Just a note if you have to turn up the radio to hear the radio then you have a wheel bearing problem. The first time this happens to you can be confusing but after about a dozen you get good at identifying them. Look over the reviews at Tirerack. Seems the tires do well initially but once the miles pile on (20K or more usually), the ratings really drop. Could be they were never rotated or checked for pressure etc. but in the absence of that knowledge: http://www.tirerack.com/survey/SurveyComments.jsp?&category=tire&additionalComments=y&commentStatus=P&tireMake=Sumitomo&tireModel=HTR+Sport+H%2FP&fromTireDetail=true&tirePageLocQty= Maybe you should try to find a local reputable tire shop that will allow you to test drive new tires to see if that is what you need (a 30 day guarantee or something). I have had that option available to me before. With that many miles on the tires, if there ARE problems, the tires cannot be "corrected". And you are sure that it IS road noise? Does it go up when you turn the wheel to the left vs the right (thinking wheel bearings)? Fordparts.com is the reference site for all things Ford, but when in doubt, you can always ask Benny at LevittownFordSuperCenter.com. He has a thread on here where you can post any parts questions you have, and is VERY helpful. http://www.fordedgeforum.com/topic/10937-employee-pricing-on-all-parts-accessories/page-10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldo Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 If it's been 30K miles since your last alignment, there is absolutely no question that you should do an alignment first before wasting any money on anything else. Though if you really want to throw money at new shocks/struts, you will need an alignment afterwards anyway. No Edge ever came from the factory with Sumitomo tires, so if that's what was on when you bought it, they were not original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robroy90 Posted August 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Thanks for the info guys, It looks like I need to be more specific. If it was inferred that the Sumitomo tires were OE, that wasn't intended. It did come with Pirellis from the factory, and I put the Sumitomo tires on at about 30k. They were a good deal on Tirerack at the time, and now I am starting to see why. As I stated at the top, they have been properly maintained. I keep the pressures set, and rotate them every 5-7k. The noise is definitely coming from the tires, especially the rears. I paid for an alignment program at NTB (3 years) so I can have them check/set it anytime. I would always align when a new set of tires go on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 If it's the tires, on rotation, the noise should > in the front and < in the rear. If it's wheel bearings (and the rear WBs do go out more often), then the rotation will have little to no effect on the noise. Have the wheel bearings checked for free rotation while on the lift and emergency brake off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldo Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 The noise is definitely coming from the tires, especially the rears. I paid for an alignment program at NTB (3 years) so I can have them check/set it anytime. I would always align when a new set of tires go on. Changing tires doesn't change your alignment. Hitting a pothole, curb or something else would. If that happened two days after you had your last alignment, then you've been driving 30K miles with a bad alignment and that could be why your tires are wearing unevenly. The alignment will change slowly over time as well as the rubber in the suspension hardens, springs sag, ball joints wear and so on. If you've already paid for an alignment, get it done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbwt Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 From many miles of experience if you are getting uneven wear on the rear tires your shocks are the reason. I have been through this several times and when I see uneven wear on the rear tires I change the shocks. Sometimes one or both may go bad, but with 60k plus there is a fair shot at the rear shocks going bad. I am changing my rears later this month to pre empt the tire wear. Then the struts after that. I have never had a wheel bearing cause wear to my tires, mostly because I never let it go that long just because of the noise the bearing makes. Check the rear shocks for a moist look on the sleeve or cylinder it will be obvious. If nothing then you will have to remove the shock to inspect further so at that being said, just install a new one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robroy90 Posted August 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Ok, perhaps I haven't been clear and I am sorry if I have failed to articulate the issue properly. Visibly, I cannot see uneven wear on these tires. It isn't like they are cupped or show toe or camber wear. I will even try to grab a photo or two tonight. They are just ridiculously loud, the higher the speed, the higher the noise. I honestly think I got a bad (or just cheap, inferior) set of tires. I have ordered a new set of Continentals as they have a 50k warranty and the highest rating (AA 560) I can find. I will definitely get it aligned again. I am also going to inspect the shocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Hope the Continentals do the trick! It is rather annoying not to be able to narrow down the cause of prominent NVH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbwt Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Tires do have an affect on the road and make a lot of noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbwt Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 WWWPerfA_ZN0W your message box must be full or not working. FYI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 Yeah, it's full. So limited!!! K, i'll go empty it now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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