Techniques for reducing road noise (1 Viewer)

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May 7, 2017
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Las Vegas, NV
I’m restoring an ‘81 BJ42 to be my daily driver and road tripping truck. When I put it back together, I’d like to do some things to reduce road noise a little. I plan on having the entire underside covered in a smooth bed liner material to protect it from rust. I have heard of people putting fibers in the underside coating to absorbe road noise. What’s the best materials for that?

I am keeping the full sized doors. Is there anything I can put inside the door or something I can do to the door trim panel to make it absorb noise.

I’m planning on putting removable carpets on the floor inside and I’m going to use the SOR thick headliner all with the intent of reducing as much road noise as possible.

Is there anything else that can be done?
 
A BJ42 is a loud truck. There’s not much you can do about it. The most affective thing may be the use of some type of firewall insulation like in modern vehicles to reduce noise from the engine compartment. Even then, it’s going to get loud again as soon as you roll the windows down.
 
Ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones.
 
Insulation ~ FJ40 Front Floor

I used this in the floors along with a vinyl mat and rear cargo mat. I bought door cards from a guy on Ebay, they are made in GA and I cant recall his name, but they helped a lot. Also, pick a good tire. BFG's arent super quiet. My 33x10.5 mud terrain were way louder than the 235/85/16 all terrain.
 
The droning road noise is part of the nostalgia of driving a 40 series! I used the foil backed insulation from SOR over the tranny hump and floors under the stock rubber mat. It helped a little but tons of noise comes from the uninsulated cowl. Make sure all grommets are in good shape too.
 
Road noise can be different with different tires. For a DD would find a quiet AT. If noise is louder at higher RPMs could switch to a new H55F to give it a OD. 81 would be fairly easy to upgrade. The 83 the H55F was a option on the 40 series. Compared to the FJ40 the BJ42 had by fair more five speeds. Some say all 83/84 BJ42s imported to Canada had them.
 
Road noise can be different with different tires. For a DD would find a quiet AT. If noise is louder at higher RPMs could switch to a new H55F to give it a OD. 81 would be fairly easy to upgrade. The 83 the H55F was a option on the 40 series. Compared to the FJ40 the BJ42 had by fair more five speeds. Some say all 83/84 BJ42s imported to Canada had them.

I have an H55F I’m putting in. That was my plan. To cruise at lower rpm. I was looking at bfgoodrich ko2 a/t tired. They look like a good compromise between noise and knobbies.
 
Regardless of what RPM you drive at or what tires you put on the truck, a 3B is a LOUD engine. There’s no getting rid of all that engine noise. You can’t compare a typical FJ40 to a BJ40/2. You can worry about things like road noise with an FJ, but it’s the last thing you hear with a BJ.
 
I don't like the road noise but prefer the originality of my 1970 fj40. However I am a shooting coach so I regularly wear and carry with me molded ear plugs for hearing protection. these are available at most big box outdoor stores and are extremely comfortable because you mold them yourself and they are formed to your ear. They completely transform the driving experience in an FJ40.
 
I don't like the road noise but prefer the originality of my 1970 fj40. However I am a shooting coach so I regularly wear and carry with me molded ear plugs for hearing protection. these are available at most big box outdoor stores and are extremely comfortable because you mold them yourself and they are formed to your ear. They completely transform the driving experience in an FJ40.

And is probably illegal in your state.
 
Thirty years ago I added HVAC duct liner to the hood of my 68 FJ40. I'm in the dry Southwest and it has held up well. Certainly not a DD and a F145 not a diesel so heat is less. I forget I have it because it held up better than I ever thought it would. Salt and moisture in other parts of the country I think it would promote rust.
 
Many years ago, with my FJ40 Zebranator, I put foam-backed upholstery that matched my seats as the glued in headliner. That with my "street shoes" a fellow Cruiser buddy rode in it once and said (and I quote),
"It's not fair!"
"What's not fair?"
"Your Cruiser rides like... like a CAR."

Yes, the truck was solid. Yes I drove it daily and wheeled it hard. I couldn't believe it either but that headliner absorbed lots of noise.
 
My hearing is damaged from years of noise abuse so I now have hearing aids. Protect your hearing, all sorts of noise can damage it and hearing loss cannot be repaired.
ed
 

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