I finally had enough. Rolling down the highway yeasterday with everything off and the windows up I had a db meter recording sound levels in the cab.
With everything off and the windows up I got a high reading of 78db. It stayed within the 65-75 db range throughout. To give a referance point a typical converstion is at 40 db and an acoustic guitar is played at around 60-65 db. So it's pretty loud to say the least. With the windows down it hit 100db in the cab.
So, after reading every thread I could find on here and researching the topic I decided to go with FATMAT. I called them yesterday and left a message. Tammy called me back today and answered every question I threw at her. I told her what I was looking to do and explained my avenue of attack. She actually saved me about 200 dollars by suggesting alternative products they sell for my application.
So here it is. I'm going to gut the cab (except for the dash). Doors will be treated inside and out with their FATMAT 50 mil peel and stick material. Access cut out's in the doors will be covered with lexan or plexiglass and covered. I'm not sure if I'm going to fill the door void or not. I'm open to advise on that one. The floor will be treated with the FATMAT material and then covered with their 1/4" floor covering. This will run as high as I can get it behind the dash and up the back wall. Pillars will be covered with the FATMAT. Should I fill any vioid with expansion foam or leave it alone ? Would doing under the hood help at all ? My goal is to cut the db level in half. I would be happy with a high of 40 or so afterwards. So, I'm open to advise, suggestions, cares or concerns especially from those of you that have been there and done that. I've never done a project like this and will listen attentively to those that have.
PS..I recommend FATMAT........HIGHLY!!!! They were professional, patient and very knowledgeable. I'll post a link it a bit
After spending time around all the 6.4's at Rudy's, holy heck is the 7.3 loud.
Couple of things I'm wondering;
Is your truck straight piped?
What is the idea behind putting plexi over the holes on the doors? Will you mat over the plexi as well?
Does anything get added to the roof?
Final straw for me was my father's been in town visting, and it was impossible to carry a normal conversation in the truck. He's little hard of hearing, but still :doh:
Basically, from what I understand, by covering the access openings in the doors you make a large speaker box that improves speaker performance. Perhaps someone a little more experienced in this area can verify or deny this.
I'm not doing the roof right now, I may in the future but I want to see the gains first, before I do the roof.
It's very worth it Jason. Ask Imelmo about my truck...we were coming back from Florida and he kept laughing because all you could hear with the radio off was a little wind noise and the injectors clicking.
I'm about to add mass loaded vinyl and Ensolite to what I already have to make it even better.
Rich, thanks for your input. I know you are the audio guru here and appreciate your insight. I take it your adding the loaded vinyl and ensolite to the doors and any other opening you can stuff it into?
mlv and ensolite to the doors, a, b and c pillars, rear cab wall and floor.
expanding foam I'm adding into the voids in the framework and the 2 huge cavities under the front floorboards.
I thought that decibel readings were accumulating, so cutting the number in half is unlikely. I have downloaded the decibel app on my old phone and I have recorded the following
'02 E350= 79-80db
'97 F250= 69-70db
'05 saturn vue 69-70db
'06 honda ridgeline 58-60db
and the ridgeline is SO much quieter than the truck and the vue it's not even funny, you can have a nice quiet conversation as compared to the other vehicles. And my ears were almost ringing after driving the van for an hour or more. I'll be interested to see your after readings.
I just found the same thing. I just took my Tacoma and my wife's Edge for a ride with the db meter. The Tacoma saw a high of 72 but stayed pretty constant in the 62-67 db range. The Edge saw a high of 58 db but stayed in the 50-56 db range. If I can get my rig somewhere close to these numbers I will be more than happy. At those levels it is real quiet. Phone conversations are no problem at all.
This weekend is phase 1. Gut cab, fab up the lexan and fill all small voids with
Hilti CF 812 foam. I chose this cause the dispenser gun allows total control of the rate of foam expansion. So I don't need to worry about bowing sheet metal. (I also work for Hilti.....so it's free )
Looking forward to the results. Sure does sound like you are on the right track for the cab work though.
Along with the door seal mod what about the "snowman mod" I think its something like taking a koozi and stuffing it around the steering shaft as it passes through the firewall. Also have you checked out SunsPSD's work on the bedlining of the valve covers? He seemed to be pretty happy with the results at cutting down the injector noise he had.
The expanding foam is good in the larger voids of the truck which are too small to get deadening mat into. It basically works along the same process as stiffening up the metal and thus reducing its resonating frequency. I am not sure of its capabilities for stopping air born noises as the mlv or ensolite will, but a combination of the products should give you an awesome sounding interior. All you'll be left with is noise coming through the glass, kinda cool when you get to the point where you can actually pinpoint the glass as the weak point.
You are right on the sealing of the larger door openings for improving speaker performance. I believe when it does is change from an open air configuration to an infinite baffle configuration.
Looking forward to the results. Sure does sound like you are on the right track for the cab work though.
Along with the door seal mod what about the "snowman mod" I think its something like taking a koozi and stuffing it around the steering shaft as it passes through the firewall. Also have you checked out SunsPSD's work on the bedlining of the valve covers? He seemed to be pretty happy with the results at cutting down the injector noise he had.
The expanding foam is good in the larger voids of the truck which are too small to get deadening mat into. It basically works along the same process as stiffening up the metal and thus reducing its resonating frequency. I am not sure of its capabilities for stopping air born noises as the mlv or ensolite will, but a combination of the products should give you an awesome sounding interior. All you'll be left with is noise coming through the glass, kinda cool when you get to the point where you can actually pinpoint the glass as the weak point.
You are right on the sealing of the larger door openings for improving speaker performance. I believe when it does is change from an open air configuration to an infinite baffle configuration.
I keep forgetting to hunt down a set of the Excursion underdash panels. They clip in somehow and isolate the area under there.
Might be something else to consider.
Same here. Ive been looking for part #'s but even looking at interior pics on Tousleys web site and i cant find anything. If you do find part #'s please post back.
I used black b-b-que paint first. Painted the line x on the v/c and then hit it with the heat paint again over it. Holds up great and makes a big differance.
on my old F350 CC i did the roof along with everything else. The roof made a big difference in the noise drop. I really noticed the difference with rain hitting it. It also seemed to cool the interior but i have no data to back that up
I cleaned them up real good. Scuffed them lightly with 200 grit and sprayed a coat of heat paint on the OUTSIDE. Next day I applied the line x to the OUTSIDE. Later I hit the finished product with 2 coats of the heat paint to seal it up. I did the v/c's and dog house. Just stuff a small rag inside the dog house and coat the exterior.
DO NOT touch the inside. Lot's of important things under there and you don't want to tempt fate by putting something in there that can potentially flake off, melt, whatever. Just do the outside.
Anybody here play guitar? If you are familiar with amplifiers, a marshall 100 watt head is in the 100db area in its sweet spot...a 50w marshall head is only 6 db quieter when pushed into the distortion spot. Its pretty noticeable too.
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