Tire Noise Reduction Treatment for a Passenger Car Used as a Tow Vehicle for Pass-by Noise Testing

The possibility of using a trailer to measure pass-by sound levels of tires has been limited by the tire noise generated by the tow vehicle. In order to verify the viability of the trailer method for passenger car tires, a trailer and tow vehicle were constructed and tested. A reduction goal of 3 dB(A) below the tow vehicle and trailer with the test tire was required for the tow vehicle alone. The noise reduction treatment, designed and developed for this project, successfully reduced the tow vehicle sound level enough to permit the coast-by trailer method to be used for tires as small as P145/80R13.