Front tyre wear and noise

[ns]

Hi all. I know that there are loads of posts about tyre noise on here but I can't find one that fits my symptoms.

First noticed a 'humming' or 'throbbing' type sound a few months ago at certain speeds, began to get most noticeable around 30 to 40 mph, hard to tell where it was coming from. When it got bad enough to irritate me, I researched on this forum, decided it was most likely tyre noise. Had the bearings checked at the Saab garage and during routine serviced asked that they swap rears and fronts.

Now the noise is massively louder, from the front. Before the swap, the rear tyres had hardly any wear at all. They are NCT5s. Fronts are more worn, some Bridgestones Turanzas, near side was more worn on outer edge. I had rear bushes changed last year which transformed the handling of the car, I am wondering if I need to do something similar to the front given the wear on the tyres.

Tyres tread depth now (until last week these were other way around front and back)
Fronts: 7mm tread all round
Rears: O/S 4mm, N/S 2mm outer, 3mm centre, 3mm inner

Clearly I need to replace the worn tyres, but my question is do I need to do more than this, and should I put the NCT5s back on the rear given how much noisier they are on the front? They are noisy at all speeds above 30 really.

[ns]

Right I've now also got a puncture on front left....

I've narrowed this down to either Maxxis MAZ1 (97w) or the Falken ze-912 (97v)

Both are going to be approx £380 fitted for four, (including wheel alignment with the Maxxis at ATS Euromaster)

If anyone has any recommendations either way I'd be very grateful!

[the zohan]

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/


worth a look. I would be looking at the Falken 452's i know a lot of people rate them.

[ns]

Great, thanks, will probably go for them.