With and without wheel resonator question...

[Robert_Alabama]

I just purchased a pair of OEM Clarity "reconditioned" wheels on ebay. Delivered cost was a little less than $390 for the pair. The wheels look great. Only issue is that resonators have been removed. Does anyone know how much these things really help to reduce noise? I could probably complain and send them back, but the price was pretty good. I think I'm leaning toward keeping them, but curious as to other's opinions.

 

[Francofun]

I have winter mags without resonator and see no difference in noise. Different tires also obviously…


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Inside EVs

 

[petteyg359]

You should at least ask for a partial refund if they were promised to be in original condition. The resonators are a pretty important part of making a generic wheel being a Clarity wheel.

 

[insightman]

You should at least ask for a partial refund if they were promised to be in original condition. The resonators are a pretty important part of making a generic wheel being a Clarity wheel.

The much less expensive Clarity accessory wheels I have are resonatorless. They don't have the snap-on plastic pieces, either, but I'm sure it's the resonators that are responsible for most of the extra cost of the OEM wheels.

 

[MrFixit]

I understand that the resonators are there to "reduce noise", but does anyone understand the principal of operation?
I can understand something like a mechanical counterbalance (for instance a harmonic balancer), but this seems like an entirely different principal than that.

 

[Robert_Alabama]

I think it supposedly causes some of the sound waves of around a frequency of 250 hz to be inverted (180 degrees out of phase) with the original sound, causing active noise cancellation for that frequency band. I’m assuming it does it by producing more noise that is just out of phase with the “normal” noise.

 

[ralfalfa]

Does anyone know how much these things really help to reduce noise? I could probably complain and send them back, but the price was pretty good. I think I'm leaning toward keeping them, but curious as to other's opinions.

Hi Robert, I have non-honda "winter wheels" with snow tires I put on my 2018 touring. No resonator in those, but carefully balanced. There's a pretty clear resonance noise I get at about 45 mph and again at around 63 mph with those; I'll describe it as a multi-frequency hum added to the normal tire noise. It's very repeatable and very noticeable, and not just to me; passengers have wondered what it is, a hum very distinct from any other car-noise. Only happens at those specific speeds, only within a narrow range of speeds, and goes away if you change speeds or turn.

It hasn't been a deal-breaker for me, but given a big part of the appeal to the Clarity for me is how quiet it is, if I was to do it again I'd have spent the extra $$$ on original manufacturer Clarity wheels with the resonator intact.

 

[Robert_Alabama]

Thanks for all the responses. I decided to send them back. Thanks again.

 

[insightman]

Hi Robert, I have non-honda "winter wheels" with snow tires I put on my 2018 touring. No resonator in those, but carefully balanced. There's a pretty clear resonance noise I get at about 45 mph and again at around 63 mph with those; I'll describe it as a multi-frequency hum added to the normal tire noise. It's very repeatable and very noticeable, and not just to me; passengers have wondered what it is, a hum very distinct from any other car-noise. Only happens at those specific speeds, only within a narrow range of speeds, and goes away if you change speeds or turn.

It hasn't been a deal-breaker for me, but given a big part of the appeal to the Clarity for me is how quiet it is, if I was to do it again I'd have spent the extra $$$ on original manufacturer Clarity wheels with the resonator intact.

I've never heard anything but the sound of my OEM tires coming from my Clarity accessory wheels, which have no resonators. The Nokian Hakkapeliitta (no, I didn't spell that from memory) winter tires on my OEM wheels make so much noise that the resonators just give up.

 

[Jim1960]

I continue to be amazed at what the people on this discussion group know. I learn something most times I read. I did not know my 2018 Clarity had "resonators." BUT I am recently getting a rumbling noise (not very loud) from the front left wheel area. Can resonators fall out? I have been thinking it is wheel bearings or something in the linkage. What does the noise from non-resonator wheels sound like?

 

[Madmartigen]

I continue to be amazed at what the people on this discussion group know. I learn something most times I read. I did not know my 2018 Clarity had "resonators." BUT I am recently getting a rumbling noise (not very loud) from the front left wheel area. Can resonators fall out? I have been thinking it is wheel bearings or something in the linkage. What does the noise from non-resonator wheels sound like?

I couldn't quickly find the Clarity picture, but this is what the resonators are (black band attached to rim.) Highly unlikely to be removed or fall out, but I guess mechanically they could break and detach from the rim. I still doubt this could lead to a rumbling noise.

https://hondanews.com/en-US/honda-a...e-f208666ebede149755e901516f00ff28/photos/198

Most people notice the difference of with and without resonators at certain speed "bands" that are usually somewhat narrow and could actually be exact speeds.

 

[MrFixit]

I have been thinking it is wheel bearings

Rumbling is highly likely to be a wheel bearing. It will be subtle at first but will progress over time.
We had around a dozen members that reported failed wheel bearings early on, but it has been a very long time since the last report that I am aware of.

You can see the thread that had previously focused on bearings here:
https://www.insideevsforum.com/community/index.php?threads/road-noise-or-wheel-bearing-noise.6267/

 

[Jim1960]

Thanks MadMartigan for the picture of the resonators. Agree, nearly impossible that they would detach, or cause the rumble.
And thanks Mr.Fixit for the thread and advice on rumble.

 

[jzchen]

The cheaper Honda accessory wheels DO have the resonators. I asked the parts that I bought them from and got no answer, so I bought a single wheel. I then verified it does have the resonator, then completed my set. They are pricey but not so pricey as the original, but they do not have those wheel covers that make noise at parking lot speeds. Here's a great article on how they work:

https://global.honda/innovation/technology/automobile/Noise-reducing-wheel-picturebook.html

Unfortunately even though they are built with Enkei's weight saving MAT technology they are still horribly HEAVY.

 

[insightman]

The cheaper Honda accessory wheels DO have the resonators. I asked the parts that I bought them from and got no answer, so I bought a single wheel. I then verified it does have the resonator, then completed my set. They are pricey but not so pricey as the original, but they do not have those wheel covers that make noise at parking lot speeds. Here's a great article on how they work:

https://global.honda/innovation/technology/automobile/Noise-reducing-wheel-picturebook.html

Unfortunately even though they are built with Enkei's weight saving MAT technology they are still horribly HEAVY.

Wow, I was certain the accessory wheels I bought in Spring 2018 didn't have the resonators. They were a lot less expensive than the $345 College Hills is charging now. The resonators aren't visible in their photo, but you've seen the resonators with your own eyes. Perhaps they added the resonators later and that's the reason for the price increase.