hi gang - I'm in a quandary and am looking for some sage advice:

In February I put winter tires on the OEM rims, and promptly thereafter I started getting a strange "grabbing"/vibration/grinding noise from the front right transmission / driveshaft each time I start the car up and go over 30 mph/45kph. I happens for 1-2 seconds and then stops, sometimes it repeats once or twice and then that's it no more noise.

No check engine or any symbols come up on the dash.

Now, the winters I put on the car are ALMOST perfect spec but not perfect per the owner's manual: the tires are all Pirelli sottozero 3s, but fronts are, 225/45/19 and not 225/40/19. the rears are correct size per the manual. Why you ask? Because I got them second hand for a sweet deal and living in the snow, winter tires are awesome.

Questions below:

(1) Would the 45 vs 40 difference in the aspect (diameter) really cause the transmission to start acting up like this? Note that I get no further noise at all after the initial "grab" or two. It seems like the transmission is getting a feel for the wheel size, adjusts and then is set. I have driven hundreds of highway miles after that initial noise without it making any kind of further sound.

(2) I don't think I hit anything with the front right like a monster pothole this winter that would have bent something. Maybe I did but no popped tires. Entirely possible however that unbeknownst to me I ran over something and that is the cause.

(3) This takes on a greater decision point as when I look at aftermarket summer tires/wheel setups (yes, I intend on tracking the car), oh boy if this is happening with these winters imagine what will happen when I buy a square setup and then throw on some fun sticky tires - all around the car will be just off its factory settings - but really not by much at all. It seems odd to me that a performance brand would not have enough play in it to allow for this sort of fun.

Note also the "grabbing" happens to a much more significant degree when it is very cold out (i.e., 0C/32F or less). Warmer weather (it is up to 45-50 these days around here) seems to be much less of an issue but it is still happening.

Thoughts? Advice? It is going back to the dealer soon for a deeper dive.

Your friend,

JFX

 

If this is an AWD then your causing trouble. If it's RWD your in the clear I suspect.

 

I had the summers put back on today and the noise went away immediately. I don't think this car can take a square setup now! Back to the drawing board.

Thanks for the advice.

Jon

 

Okay, so I have an automatic '99 Sentra. I made a post about it a week or so ago. I, along with a couple of other posters, thought it must be a wheel bearing, but the (fairly new) tire shop I took it to to replace the bearing said they thought it was something dealing with the transmission. It shifts the same that it has for the 80k miles I've owned the car and drives perfectly fine aside from the noise, so I'm not sure they got the diagnosis right.