Dynamat Soundproofing Project

[skrivan]

i guess thats why we had to study logarithms in high school.....

[JoeH]

Bumping an old thread. Anyone know where to source matching carpet that that which SMB installs in the front? Is it pre-formed?

[Marcel Huijser]

Finally getting around to following this recipe.
Got the seats and panels removed.
Cleaned up the glue on the floor.
Treated scuff marks.

[Marcel Huijser]

Installed dynamat
Followed by dynapad

[Otter]

Originally Posted by Marcel Huijser

Installed dynamat
Followed by dynapad

Let us know your Dynamat results when you can drive it. Quieter? Worth it?

[Marcel Huijser]

The floor insulation is shown in previous posts in this thread.

Front doors: the image shows it in process with dynamat, but I covered part of the outer metal (on inside door) and all of the inner metal (on interior side). Then a layer of dynapad to replace the standard insulation behind the door panel. Note: I also put dynamat in the side barn doors and rear barn doors. Only limited dynapad there.

Doghouse: removed all old material. Then installed dynamat, followed by hoodliner, taped the seams.

Hood: First dynamat, followed by hoodliner, taped the seams. Left room for air intake; didn't want to influence that.

[Marcel Huijser]

I didn't use a decibel reader before and after, but this is how my wife and I experienced it on a test drive:

In town: much more quiet, noise is just fine, not annoying, and allows for normal conversation.

Highways: Nice and quiet till 55 MPH for sure. With 65 and 70 MPH there is definitely benefit, but it is still a bit noisier than I would like.

In general: 55 MPH and below I no longer have an issue with the engine noise. Most reduction seems with higher frequency noise. The engine noise sounds muffled at all speeds (which is good), and there is a marked reduction in vibration in feet when they are on the floor. Also, it no longer feels tinny in van, regardless of engine noise.

For reference, the old situation was carpet glued directly to the metal floor; it probably hadn't been removed since the van was built and converted in 1997.

Is it worth it? I probably spent about just under $1000 in materials (the quantities recommended by "Wanderluster" were spot on), and (1 person) maybe 1.5 week of labor (I am probably slower and less experienced than the average person on this forum). Dealing with the sticky dynamat is annoying, especially when it is hot; it gets more sticky and difficult to work with at high temperatures. Dynapad and hoodliner are fine to work with. Without a doubt, there are enormous benefits with lower speeds (perhaps till about 55 MPH), and at those speeds I no longer have an issue with the engine noise at all. With 65 and 70 MPH there are also noticeable benefits but I wish it was a bit quieter still. So, I asked my wife "Do you think it was worth it?" She said: "the results are definitely worth the dollar expense, but I didn't spend the time and I didn't get frustrated putting it in". So, yes, it was worth it, and there is a world of difference when you drive at slower speeds (max around 55 MPH).

[Otter]

Thanks for posting these results, Marcel. “Worth it” is a relative term, I suppose. But it seems you produced some significant change in comfort. I’ll use your results for my upcoming insulation/sound dampening decisions.

[geoffff]

The other thing I've thought of doing to reduce interior noise is to cover some of the many smooth surfaces with carpet or cloth to increase sound absorption and reduce sound reflection. Disadvantage would be keeping it clean...

-- Geoff

[Marcel Huijser]

Indeed, "worth it" can mean different things to different people. Though it was quite a few hours of labor, we will benefit from it each time we drive the van!

About additional noise reduction; I don't really want to stick carpet on plastic surfaces, but I could put some dynamat behind the A pillars still... not sure if or how much it would do, but it is perhaps the combination of working on all possible surfaces, leaving nothing untreated, that eventually makes the difference...