Sounds like a flat tire but isn’t.

[Chloe.rsn]

Good afternoon, I have a vx commodore that’s started making a loud sound, sounds like a flat front left tire but definitely isn’t. I’ve changed the wheel bearing as I suspected it may of been that but wasn’t that. I’ve been told by a tire place that it could be sway bar, sway bar links etc but I’m not certain that it is. Wondering if anyone else has had this issue and found the problem? The only thing that I’ve done differently is changed to a different set of rims. The tires do look a bit old and buggered I did however change the front left wheel to a spare wheel and the sound was still there so I’m not sure if this is the issue either.

 

[krusing]

Car ?
Year ?
Engine ?
K/s ?
Modifications ?

 

[Chloe.rsn]

Vx commodore as stated.
2001.
V6
320k
No mods completely stock as it’s just a simple daily.

 

[RiffRaffMama]

Is the tyre hitting the inner guard lining? Does the black plastic bit look scratched up at all?

 

[lout]

brake caliper dragging?
does it make the noise if you jack car up and rotate wheel by hand

 

[chrisp]

Good afternoon, I have a vx commodore that’s started making a loud sound, sounds like a flat front left tire but definitely isn’t. I’ve changed the wheel bearing as I suspected it may of been that but wasn’t that. I’ve been told by a tire place that it could be sway bar, sway bar links etc but I’m not certain that it is. Wondering if anyone else has had this issue and found the problem? The only thing that I’ve done differently is changed to a different set of rims. The tires do look a bit old and buggered I did however change the front left wheel to a spare wheel and the sound was still there so I’m not sure if this is the issue either.

My (previous) VX had a strangle road-speed related noise that would come and go. It sounded a bit like a damaged tyre. I replaced the hubs, rotors (and pads), tyres and had wheel alignments done. But the noise would still come and go. I eventually tracked it down to the front radius rod bushes (the big ones that you can see when looking under the front bumper). These bushes are apparently hydraulic and can loose their fluid (apparently it’s just water). So, what was happening was the toe-in was changing a bit at times (usually after braking) and the noise would return. New bushes and another wheel alignment and it was as quiet as a new car.

 

[Chloe.rsn]

Is the tyre hitting the inner guard lining? Does the black plastic bit look scratched up at all?

I checked this first and not rubbing.

 

[Chloe.rsn]

brake caliper dragging?
does it make the noise if you jack car up and rotate wheel by hand

brake caliper dragging?
does it make the noise if you jack car up and rotate wheel by hand

It makes a slight rubbing noise but nothing like what it does while driving.