Reducing cabin noise

turquoise · 28-09-2011, 02:50 PM

Hi Guys,

My ute is noisy inside the cab.

I went away on holiday for a couple of weeks and wasn't in/near a car at all. Got in my ute and headed up the highway and was struck by the amount of road/wind noise inside the cabin. After not going for a cruise for only 2 weeks I had to ask myself if the ute was always this noisy. Guess it was and I'd just gotten used to it.

As this drive makes up 90% of my driving (I do it twice a week, 2hrs in total each way; 1hr on 110km freeway and 1hr on 100km country 'b' roads). I naturally want it to be pretty comfortable.

I know that short of changing tyres I won't reduce noise from them (and being a tonner the susp. will be a bit harsh and not help the noise situation) but has anyone had a go at reducing cabin noise in general? Any pointers to reducing noise from the sills (the rubbers are in good condition, pretty fresh), etc?

I'm thinking of getting a heap of dynamat and installing it behind the door skins, under the carpet, headlining, rear cabin lining, anywhere else i can squeeze some. But it's not that cheap and i've never had any experience with it. Anyone used it? Does it work? Easy to install/work with? Should I spend up, go nuts with it and jam it into every crevice and behind every surface i can find? Any alternative products that people have had success with?

Answers to any and all questions are much appreciated and will be rewarded with beer*

*That's clearly a promise I can't keep but you do have my eternal gratitude!

Day-mow · 28-09-2011, 05:17 PM

Dynamat is a win! but its really expensive as well. that would be my sugestion though. or the paint on stuff. but i've not had much to do with it.

fourl6 · 28-09-2011, 08:58 PM

When I changed the carpet in my forte to fairmont ghia stuff I noticed it was nearly twice as thick, I can't really remember if it made much of a difference, I only fitted it because it was black (old stuff was grey) but that could help.

One of the changes between AU1 and 2 was a laminated firewall to reduce road noise. But I don't think that would be possible or worth the effort

Cheers Cam

mongrelEF · 28-09-2011, 10:56 PM

I've had good results in the past with regular carpet underlay.... particularly if you can get the felted stuff!

cartaa100 · 28-09-2011, 10:58 PM

dynmat is great but pricey.

maybe go to clark rubber and pick up some sheets of thick ruber.(not to thick it wont bend around the footwells bends).

id then lift up your carpet and shove it under there :P

turquoise · 29-09-2011, 09:44 AM

Ok so I've been doing a bit of further reading, seems like there's 3 steps.
1. Dynamat to stop vibration of metal panels, needs to go directly against them to stop noise from their vibration
2. A noise barrier such as lead or vinyl over the dynamat (mass loaded vinyl seems to be the go, lighter and cheaper than lining your whole cabin with lead too!)
3. Some sort of foam over the top of this, I'm thinking clark rubber for the vinyl and foam, maybe wetsuit material if i can source enough cheap wetties!

So, the project begins...

ronwest · 29-09-2011, 10:28 AM

Years ago a mate of mine glued used carpet tiles to the floor and boot of his old rattler. At the time the carpet tiles were quite dense (about a kg each) with a rubber base. They may be different these days.

Worked a treat.

edit: also worked with a guy who used his old carpet tiles as soundproofing in a garage that he turned into a rumpus room. Just glued the tiles to the inside of the external wall before sheeting the plasterboard. Reckons it worked well.

JC807 · 29-09-2011, 10:31 AM

i used the Jaycar version of Dynamat in the boot, combined with some foam underlay. stops heaps of noise.

Day-mow · 29-09-2011, 11:22 AM

also remember there are paint/spray on sound deadners. how ever i've not had anything to do with them. but its another option. probably cheaper then dynamat as well

4ford · 29-09-2011, 12:08 PM

Are your door rubbers properly seated on the frames, otherwise they will create quite some wind noise, and it's an easy fix...

Cheers

turquoise · 29-09-2011, 03:20 PM

Yeah I saw the paint/spray on products but as well as the CBF syndrome I also dont want the mess the could potentially make. Would also like to do the ute in sections at a time (eg. door, door, drivers footwell, passenger side, roof, rear of cabin) rather than pull out the entire interior to do a paint job.

No doubt carpet tiles work but looking for something i can easily secure on vertical surfaces as well as the underside of the bonnet (not sure about rubber and synthetic carpet just a few cms from the engine).

Looks like Jaycar have a few different products, have just ordered a sheet each of 2 different ones, will see how they go

AU101 · 10-12-2011, 07:39 PM

How did you go with it all turquoise?

XR6SQ · 16-12-2011, 01:15 AM

I think some people might find this helpful http://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi

If you want some examples of sound insulation in cars head over to some car audio websites like http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/ and http://www.mobileelectronics.com.au/forums/.

b2tf · 17-12-2011, 09:01 AM

I find the rear of the cabin wall to be the noisiest part so I would start with that area. Dynamat is just a brand name and there are plenty of other products on the market that would do a similar job at a much cheaper price.

turquoise · 03-01-2012, 01:39 PM

Sorry for late reply AU101.

As it turns out, I haven't done a thing. Bought a '64 EH instead so all time and $$ going in to the new project