Lexus Builds a Quieter Wheel

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The battle for decibel decimation is a seemingly sisyphean task-- just when automotive engineers have quelled a significant amount of road noise, another sonic culprit is sure to muddy the aural experience.

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Intent on creating the quietest cabin possible, Lexus engineered a new wheel design for their redesigned LS model that reduces the road noise formed when heat generates audible frequencies through the rim.

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According to Bill Camp of Lexus College, "Our hollow spoke wheel can actually reduce the frequency that's created when the tire hits an imperfection on the road. When air expands within the rim, it squeezes through a small channel [illustrated here with a red arrow] into one of four or five chambers, depending on whether the rim is 18 or 19 inches."

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"Once there, its frequency diminishes and thus creates less noise...?but the frequency doesn't shrink for free," explains Camp. "When it squeezes through it becomes heat, which then dissipates through a heat sink effect."

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At least Lexus engineers have the job security of knowing that there are plenty of other meddling noises which will require them to find new ways to build a quieter mousetrap.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/lexus-builds-a-quieter-wheel?src=rss

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