Goodyear SCT

[Mactech]

STC? Just another TIA? (Three Initial Acronym!)
Well no, it is one of the best simple solutions to tyre noise within the industry. The most predominant noise at speed in cars now is tyre and road noise. On the the new 'quiet' tarmac it is not so bad. On normal roads it is a constant annoyance and on coarse concrete road it can be very loud.

soundcomfort-technology.html

The real genius of this is that uses the principle of SSS (Sound Silenced at Source) instead of trying to insulate you from existing noise.
So if it is air bourn noise or structure bourn noise, it is silenced before it's born. (pun intended)
That means that whatever car you drive from well insulated limo to cheap hatchback it will work.
Even if you are not a silence lover and enjoy a charismatic exhaust note, you still win as the sound you like will be in better isolation.
Other tyre suppliers have their own names for this, 'Acoustic' and 'Noise control' but my experience is with Goodyear Asymmetric 3 and given that it has no downsides to tyre performance (unlike run flat for instance) why wouldn't you have it?


On my home audio system I can spot a nasty lossy MP3 file from a Hi Res file at a 100 paces. I have never been able to do this in the car before running my Audi A8 on the SCT tyres.
It works that well.

 

[190]

It's such a simple solution you wonder they didn't try it before now. I suppose the trick must be to make sure the foam stays attached for the life of the tyre. I wonder if an after market solution could be developed along the lines of a puncture repair aerosol that injects foam which is spun out when the wheel rotates and sets or semi sets in place.

 

[Mactech]

It's such a simple solution you wonder they didn't try it before now. I suppose the trick must be to make sure the foam stays attached for the life of the tyre. I wonder if an after market solution could be developed along the lines of a puncture repair aerosol that injects foam which is spun out when the wheel rotates and sets or semi sets in place.

Possible, but I know the tyre manufacturers spent some considerable time and effort on the right foam and the correct bonding on a very lightweight product.

 

[E55BOF]

How much of a price premium is there over, say, a non-STC tyre like an Asymmetric 5?

 

[John]

I'd certainly be happy to try them on my car, when the rears need doing next subject to price differential, as I can only get GYF1A3s for the rear as 5s are not available in that size.

Given it's a limo I will be interested to hear the difference.

 

[HB]

We have been running the SQ7 on the Hankook version of these. It came with them from the factory. Without the sound insulation £190 ish a tyre , with approx £220 on a 285/35/22.

 

[John]

That doesn't sound hugely expensive to me.

 

[E55BOF]

Nor to me. Bit late to find out for me, though; I put a complete set of As 5s on the E500 a couple of thousand miles ago...

 

[bolidemichael]

why wouldn't you have it?

I've asked a few separate places about this tech when looking for all-season tyres to fir onto our L322 FFRR. 255/55/R19. All said that there is little discernible benefit (how would they know?) though pertinently, that they are very hard to repair once punctured. With most vehicle nowadays not being fitted with a full sized spare (I have one in mine), this seems like a considerable drawback in practical terms.

 

[Mactech]

I've asked a few separate places about this tech when looking for all-season tyres to fir onto our L322 FFRR. 255/55/R19. All said that there is little discernible benefit (how would they know?) though pertinently, that they are very hard to repair once punctured. With most vehicle nowadays not being fitted with a full sized spare (I have one in mine), this seems like a considerable drawback in practical terms.

I haven’t had a puncture since 1999, except, oddly on a L322 FFRR!
So I have no idea how hard they are to do repairs on, but I‘m sure there is a simple method (perhaps with some foam cutting tool?)
I can say with some confidence that if if they can’t hear a discernible benefit, then maybe it’s time for a hearing test….