Noise Control Project

[roaniecowpony]

Many months ago, I gutted the driver door and put in Kilmat butyl/aluminum sheet and Noico Red foam. It was a lot of work for one door. I procrastinated about the other door and still haven't gotten to it. But I figure the floor would be easier, since the rear seats were out for a dog platform and that comes out with two screws. Still it took a few hours to gut the interior and remove the console. I'll vacuum it today and maybe start insulating tomorrow. (I'm retired....I don't have to work fast or long, and I have a couple other vehicles)

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[Mike921921]

Did you do any 'before' sound measurements?

 

[roaniecowpony]

Did you do any 'before' sound measurements?

I tried. The meter was boucing around from the high 70s up to the mid 80s at 75 mph.

 

[Mike921921]

I tried. The meter was boucing around from the high 70s up to the mid 80s at 75 mph.

Cool, looking forward to seeing the results

 

[ChattVol]

Cool, looking forward to seeing the results

I had a sweet custom custom sound system installed by @Sting_NC_USA and then spent about 12 hours removing the interior to add Noico butyl deadener to the tub, all the doors and added hothead headliners with sound assassin strips. It dropped the interior sound about 4 decibels at 70mph and was pricey and alot of work....also added about 120lbs of weight to the jeep. The door seals and hard top seals seem to let in the most road noise. At the end of the day, I learned it's a jeep and isn't going to ride like a Lexus. I dont think the results justified the labor/cost and I wouldn't do it again...You live and learn.

 

[HeavyUser]

Tuuuurn up, the raaaadioooo!

 

[roaniecowpony]

I had a sweet custom custom sound system installed by @Sting_NC_USA and then spent about 12 hours removing the interior to add Noico butyl deadener to the tub, all the doors and added hothead headliners with sound assassin strips. It dropped the interior sound about 4 decibels at 70mph and was pricey and alot of work....also added about 120lbs of weight to the jeep. The door seals and hard top seals seem to let in the most road noise. At the end of the day, I learned it's a jeep and isn't going to ride like a Lexus. I dont think the results justified the labor/cost and I wouldn't do it again...You live and learn.

Agreed, about the live and learn. I probably wouldn't buy another JL for my uses, knowing what I've gone thru in the steering system, and a few other quality issues I've had to deal with.

For my uses, Sound reduction makes more sense than the same weight increase in bumpers or tires, skids, or hundreds of other parts you can buy from the vendors.

I originally started this project because there was a thread where the OP had a 7 dba reduction with all his changes. That is huge. To me a reduction in noise is something I'd enjoy every time I get up to highway speed and was trying to have a conversation with someone next to me or talk on the phone where someone could understand me.

 

[ChattVol]

Agreed, about the live and learn. I probably wouldn't buy another JL for my uses, knowing what I've gone thru in the steering system, and a few other quality issues I've had to deal with.

For my uses, Sound reduction makes more sense than the same weight increase in bumpers or tires, skids, or hundreds of other parts you can buy from the vendors.

I originally started this project because there was a thread where the OP had a 7 dba reduction with all his changes. That is huge. To me a reduction in noise is something I'd enjoy every time I get up to highway speed and was trying to have a conversation with someone next to me or talk on the phone where someone could understand me.

I found measuring internal noise in a jeep to be difficult to precisely measure and compare due to infinite variables. When I was researching doing it 2 years ago, several nice car audio shops + a JL Audio tech guy advised me that they wouldn't waste time sound deadening the tub/doors on a wrangler because there are more areas that cause/allow exterior noise when compared to a typical car. I went for it anyways and in the 2 years after I did it, many JLU owners drove/rode in my JLU and no one mentioned that it seemed quieter than their JLU or asked if it had added deadener.

If you're having trouble having conversations with passengers or talking on the phone in your jeep on the HWY, I would start by inspecting door/hardtop seals. I bet you have gaps...regardless of what you do, have fun with it!

 

[roaniecowpony]

I found measuring internal noise in a jeep to be difficult to precisely measure and compare due to infinite variables. When I was researching doing it 2 years ago, several nice car audio shops + a JL Audio tech guy advised me that they wouldn't waste time sound deadening the tub/doors on a wrangler because there are more areas that cause/allow exterior noise when compared to a typical car. I went for it anyways and in the 2 years after I did it, many JLU owners drove/rode in my JLU and no one mentioned that it seemed quieter than their JLU or asked if it had added deadener.

If you're having trouble having conversations with passengers or talking on the phone in your jeep on the HWY, I would start by inspecting door/hardtop seals. I bet you have gaps...regardless of what you do, have fun with it!

I hear you.

I've been around the seals a bit. Probably could stand to shim more in a few places. In this pandemic and me being retired, I am out of projects, just having completed a novelty gift compressed air gun. A guy has to do something. So, I thought I'd tackle the sound reduction. Frankly, I may get rid of the JL in a year or two, if our RV plans don't materialize, and just buy another sportscar. I have a fullsize 4x4 crewcab that is nicer to travel in and does 95% of the trails I use for bird hunting, and carries more. The JL was going to be the toad for the RV if we traveled across the country in our retirement.

My last project finished before Christmas with no practical application.

 

[madscientist]

Watch out where you post that "Assault" gun.... Biden & Beto will have the ATF knocking at your door.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Watch out where you post that "Assault" gun.... Biden & Beto will have the ATF knocking at your door.

Not my problem... I gave it away. I know nothing about it.

In America, as long as there are mills and lathes and metal, there will be guns.

 

[ChattVol]

I hear you.

I've been around the seals a bit. Probably could stand to shim more in a few places. In this pandemic and me being retired, I am out of projects, just having completed a novelty gift compressed air gun. A guy has to do something. So, I thought I'd tackle the sound reduction. Frankly, I may get rid of the JL in a year or two, if our RV plans don't materialize, and just buy another sportscar. I have a fullsize 4x4 crewcab that is nicer to travel in and does 95% of the trails I use for bird hunting, and carries more. The JL was going to be the toad for the RV if we traveled across the country in our retirement.

My last project finished before Christmas with no practical application.

Haha...nice work. I actually sold my jlu a few weeks ago bc of repeated issues...it wasnt used as a daily driver in the last year and became more of a headache.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Haha...nice work. I actually sold my jlu a few weeks ago bc of repeated issues...it wasnt used as a daily driver in the last year and became more of a headache.

I'm on day 3 of actually laying down Kilmat. I have lined the firewall and front footwells over the tunnel, left front kick panel, left rockers back and up the rear fender, and left B pillar.

I went overboard and I'm blaming it on you. You mentioned the door seals seemed to let lots of noise in. I saw lots of noise with my meter around the door seals as well. After looking at the door jambs, I think they were worth insulating too. But man, what a pain. I removed the harnesses and all the components on the B pillar. Also, the front kick panel has a shape like a speaker cone that I'm sure is the perfect road noise resonator, so I lined it as well.

 

[ChattVol]

I'm on day 3 of actually laying down Kilmat. I have lined the firewall and front footwells over the tunnel, left front kick panel, left rockers back and up the rear fender, and left B pillar.

I went overboard and I'm blaming it on you. You mentioned the door seals seemed to let lots of noise in. I saw lots of noise with my meter around the door seals as well. After looking at the door jambs, I think they were worth insulating too. But man, what a pain. I removed the harnesses and all the components on the B pillar. Also, the front kick panel has a shape like a speaker cone that I'm sure is the perfect road noise resonator, so I lined it as well.

Haha...if you want to do it full bore, lay down MLV on top of the deadener.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Haha...if you want to do it full bore, lay down MLV on top of the deadener.

I still have other layers to install. Some on the inside of the plastic panels, some on the floor. This project is going to take a week or two for me. I just can't work long hours on it these days.

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