Tyre screeching driving me round the bend!

[Pete.S]

Anyone here running Michelin Pilot Sports on their S4?

Because I do a hell of a lot of miles, I swapped to Pilots a couple of years ago and have found them to be easily the hardest wearing of the brands recommended for the S4, but even on moderately heavy cornering, they screech like a cat with it's tail stuck When I'm driving hard the car sounds like something outta Starsky & Hutch, most embarrasing (this applies when the tyres are still cold btw).

Drove my brother's 330 Coup at exactly the same speed round roundabouts the other week, and not a sound They're 18"s too??

I've got them at the recommended pressures, so any ideas? Or, anyone recommend alternatives that are hard wearing?

[jeffw]

I've got the same tyres and I don't have any problems with noise. When was the last time you had a proper 4 wheel alignment done ? The S4 is quite critical of alignment.

[Pete.S]

Well I had a full 4 wheel alignment done at my local Audi dealership last year, though I've done probably 40,000 miles since (albeit predominantly motorway work). The car's still running on original shocks etc at over 140,000 miles; could this affect noise levels from the tyres on cornering?

Do you guys all run your cars at the standard tyre pressures (36 front, 34 rear)? I remember thinking that sounded awfully high for a 17" tyre when I bought the car, but then I'm led to believe that under-inflation causes excessive noise...

[TarmacTerrorist]

Do you guys all run your cars at the standard tyre pressures (36 front, 34 rear)? I remember thinking that sounded awfully high for a 17" tyre when I bought the car, but then I'm led to believe that under-inflation causes excessive noise...

Are you checking the pressures after you have inflated them with a more accurate gauge? I've found the guages to be well out in most forecourts so carry round a digital one in the glovy to set precisely

[DaveP]

Original shocks at 140,000 ??....Wow...they must be pretty knacked! - I thought my old S4 was feeling dodgy on its shocks at 60k...

Treat her to a nice set of H+R's....amazing handling difference...

[Pete.S]

Original shocks at 140,000 ??....Wow...they must be pretty knacked! - I thought my old S4 was feeling dodgy on its shocks at 60k...

Treat her to a nice set of H+R's....amazing handling difference...

Bear in mind 80% of my driving is motorway cruising, but still, get ya point!!

Rough price/where from?

[DaveP]

You're looking at just over a grand for H+R fitted I think...Usual places can supply it (got mine done at AMD)

Other options....second-hand standard RS4 suspension (a few people have done this, although I'd think it'd be more suited to the S4 avant), standard replacement suspension...

Thinking about it, if the suspension is worn, and you're getting more body roll, surely that's going to put extra load on the tyres and maybe be the cause of the screeching.

I didn't realise how much body roll my S4 had 'acquired' during its life...when you're driving it all the time I think you just get used to it...

[Dippy]

I had Michelin Pilot Sports and found that they would easily screech around corners. Maybe the PS2s are better.

[DavidR]

PS2 on my car, no screeching unless really cracking on.

[BlackShadow]

My standard S4 suspension had some 72,000 miles on it when I replaced it. There was noticeable body roll and you could get the car to understeer and the tyres to squeel relatively easy. Replacement with H&R springs made a significant difference. The ride is firmer but not ridiculously so. It is a good compromise, and now when I get in cars with "standard" suspension, they feel all jelly like. You should get change from a grand with H&R's fitted I think. I can look at the old receipt if you like. The H&R is adjustable so the car can be lowered. This can cause grounding on the worst type of speedbumps (see my seperate post on this).