Weak rear shock absorbers = rear tyre wear and droning?

[Spadds]

Hi

So I've had the mk5 for about 6 weeks now and only drive it at weekends  as I'm in the soot chucked all week for work, so I notice things progressively.

This week I happened accross this buying guide which I think points out from what I've read as most of the niggles with this great car:

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/Search-Results/First-drives/Volkswagen-Golf-GTi-Mk5-2004-2009/

Interesting our mk5 sounds like a spinning top at any speed above 30mph.  I initially thought wheel bearing, but then saw it was fitted with crap tyres on the rear.  Very crap.  I've put some good years on the front and will on the rear too but I thought about the above link.  It says near the bottom that "weak rear suspension can lead to droning noise and inner rear tyre wear". 

Well hey presto, I've got the droning noise but can't see tyre wear just yet, but I've read on here of strange inner tyre wear claimed to be caused by poor wheel alignment.

Car seems to handle well so I'm hoping suspension is ok (what would be weak, the springs??) -its done 58k.  Anyone had such a problem?

However after Washing it on Sunday I noticed from the back, you can clearly see the side profile of the rear wheels and it is very clear that the rears are to cock.  I think it's the camber (?) but the bottom is out and top in = uneven tyre sitting on the road, which I am presuming is giving the tyre drone.

If rear wheels are off camber, how do I know if its due to the alledged weak suspension or poor wheel alignment????!    I thing I may just get the wheels aligned as a matter of course as I don't want my new eagle as2's scrubbing prematurely    this seems sensible rather than renewing suspension components at this time?

Comments welcomed

Spadds

[OSB]

The rear wheels do have negative camber - ie bottom out top in - as standard. Its part of what gives the Golf the handling it has.
I would have a 4 wheel alienment check done if you are at all worried though.
A reputable garage or tyre fitting centre should be able to check for wear on the susoension/wheel bearings at the same time.

The Goodyear A2s are a v good tyre. terrific grip wet and dry, but perhaps not quite as quiet as the ads would have you believe. Much quieter than some though!

[rob_e]

alignment out = uneven rear tyre wear = noise.

sounds like a wheel bearing but is in fact the tyres (unless you still get a noise if you jack the car up at the rear and spin a wheel, in which case it probably isn't the tyres  ).

get the alignment done (all 4 wheels) and replace the knackered tyres and you'll be sorted - very common issue on this car.

[john a]

Mrs John A's MK5 TDI had what I diagnosed as a knackered n/s/r wheel bearing but the continued droning noise was caused by misshapen rear tyres, either as a result of the wrong load rating (T rated which was *just right for speed but the load rating wasn't right as far as I could tell). It may also have been down to weak rear suspension but I don't think that's the case.

[Spadds]

Update:  so I took the car to north east tyres in York and they put it on thier wheel alignment jig.  Rears were out a bit but they reckoned not enough to really worry about.  Thier main comment was on thebudget rear tyres = noise and to ditch them, which I will soon.

Hope this is of use!

[OSB]

Nice to have the update and glad its not serious!
Budget tyres are often noisy - as well as lacking in grip, increased wear rates etc. Not all of course, but its wise to do some reasearch online before buying.

[Richie_101]

Update:  so I took the car to north east tyres in York and they put it on thier wheel alignment jig.  Rears were out a bit but they reckoned not enough to really worry about.  Thier main comment was on thebudget rear tyres = noise and to ditch them, which I will soon.

Hope this is of use!

Please post again and let us know if this does fix it, as I have exactly the same problem my car which I bought just a month ago.

I've already swapped the tyres around front to back, but it made no difference to the drone - which was disappointing. I checked for play in the wheel bearings on all 4 corners too while they were in the air, and all felt ok.

My current tyres (Continentals) are all pretty worn though, 2-3mm left, so new tyres was going to be my next move.

Let us know how you get on.


Rich.

[OSB]

My experiance with Contis in the past is that they have great grip and are relativley quiet when new, but get hard, noisy and slippy when worn especially if a few years old.

[Degudodger]

When i bought the GT there was a serious speed related droning come from the rear which i thought was a dodgy wheel bearing. however after investing further both the rear tyres were deformed causing the droning. Both were replaced with Conti's as i had the same on the front and the noise disapeared. :)

[torque777]

I've bought my tdi last August with 28000 on her ...she was fitted with conti sport contact 2's all round ...this too suffered drone ...so I bought some different wheels but same size but fitted with uniroyle rain experts ...no drone now ...not as good as conti's tbh but slot quieter

sent using my own fingers