So I've tried a different sound card as well as a USB headset and I can still hear a static-like sound with the road feel setting. I even deleted the general folder and had steam re-download it. For testing - in the sound settings I turn road feel up to 100 then turn stuff like backfire and road noise down to 0 so they don't interfere. Then go to single player and practice, set it for 0 AI. Then drive over kerbs. If you have the same experience you will hear the thumping of the kerbs but also a snapping static sound.
I'm hearing it now and it seems to be 6 years after the last post here. Do we have an answer for it, or could it be my pc? For now i've RoadFeelEffects set to very low.