I had the front S-02s replaced with the same OEM ones around 3,000 miles ago. I have the same tire pressure and wheel alignment setup as I did when I had the previous front S-02s. Ever since I had the fronts replaced, the tires howl (not even the normal high-pitched squeal, but the farty lower-pitched howling noise that come from SUV tires when it reaches its low limit lol) earlier on some of the regular turns I take. The car slides out a tad too (slight understeer I guess). If an average person was driving the car, they wouldn't notice, but I usually take turns at a spirited pace (not race-track kind of crazy turning and drifting - nothing like that at all). When I take some of the spirited turns, the fronts howl whereas in the former fronts, I could take it at the same speed with no noise drama. At first, I just assumed I had to break in the fronts, but it has been 3,000+ miles ever since I had the new ones put in, so its not a break-in issue.

I'm thinking it is either, A)I got the fronts from a slightly bad batch of front S-02s (got these from Jim at Tirerack so I'm sure these are the S2000 S-02s) maybe from a lesser quality rubber compound causing the howling and the slight decrease in grip OR B)my suspension (shocks) are getting old and unable to keep the car at the same speed in turns. But it doesn't seem like B since it started happening ever since I switched the tires. It is getting to be slightly embarrassing when I take a quick turn and the tires start howling (again, normal driving wouldn't produce the howl) and there are other sports car sitting at the light lol. It still has sports car-like grip and turns well and the car still darts around with quick reflexes if I flick the wheel either way, but I also know the car isn't turning like before. Any feedback? Thanks.

 

Have you checked your tire pressure? I'm sure you thought of it, but I heard the same howling on my wife's CR-V, and found that her tires were all at 16-18 lbs, instead of 32.

 

Yea, pressure is the same as before, like I said. I'm thinking it's the tire composition perhaps.

 

They aren't mounted backwards? They are a uni-directional tire.

 

Yea, that was the first thing I thought of - nope, the tires are rolling the right way lol.