tump
 

hi fellas...i was at a local car show yesterday . i was only like 30 deg . so i only stayed for and hour . on the way home i was doing around 40 out of nowhere i got a big thumping noise from one of my front tires. pulled over found nothing . my tire are kinda old but still have life left . bias type . took car back out today noise gone . flat spot in a tire or maybe wheel bearing? thanks in advance:confused:

Re: tump
 

Both front tires or just one? If one maybe a rock caught in tread?

Also curious (I'm in NJ) where was show?

Re: tump
 

If real old tires could be nylon. When the car would sit and it was cold the tires would have a flat spot until the tires warmed up.

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just one . but at the show my one wheel was on an uneven spot.

Re: tump
 

im in central nj.

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Hi Everyone, 46fordnut, Just my opinion here, but after about six or seven years I change my bias tires regardless of wear ('36 Phaeton, 600x16). I expect my car to be able to drive 300 mi. a day (or weekend) easily whenever I wish to. Seems expensive and wasteful but I look at it as the cost of confidence. I vote for new shoes for baby. But what do I know?

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Maybe the tire has a separation and the bubble bursted. If i am right and you wind the old girl up to 55 you will hear a slapping noise.

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You picked up a hitchhiker who wasn't going far. :D

Re: tump
 

Sounds like ply separation in one of your tires. It's happened to me and took along time to figure out. Good luck

Re: tump
 

I had that "thump" on a radial tire on a newer vehicle a few years ago. It did not go away. Jacked it up and rotated the wheel and there was an obvious bulge in the tread showing that ply separation was happening. The tire was finished. Although it still had plenty of tread.