Reducing noise from the diff shifter hole? (2 Viewers)

[Rd929]

Hey all,

After a decent amount of searching I still haven't seen a great answer. Other people with similar issues have talked about buying a different shifter boot. I put down deadener + closed cell foam + mass loaded vinyl in my rig which was a VERY noticeable improvement in noise. But...at the end of the day there's still literally a HOLE where the diff lock shifter is. So on the highway it seems like clearly that's the biggest culprit. I'm wondering if anyone has ever come up with a solution. My current thoughts are to take some closed cell foam and just shove the shifter boot full of it to help absorb some of the noise from coming in the cabin. Another idea is maybe measure the width of the hole again, and simply cover it with mass loaded vinyl, but cut it in half and mount them where the boot is. That way the shifter can still move up and down in between but there's almost another barrier where the shifter is mostly surrounded from MLV so that hole is less "open".

Would love to hear any ideas or see any methods or solutions people have done with their rig or any other car/truck. Thanks!

 

[Rd929]

Superduty 6 Speed Manual Shifter Boot-Broncograveyard.com

Original Ford manual transmission shifter boot.br

shop.broncograveyard.com

I've seen someone on a ford forum post about buying shifter boots that come with a foam material filled in like above ^

My current thought is maybe grabbing some thick closed cell foam and cutting and gluing a bunch together that would fill up the shifter boot, leaving room for the shifter rod.

 

[cruisermatt]

@Godfather90 recommended a microfiber tower in between the inner and outer boots

 

[Rd929]

@Godfather90 recommended a microfiber tower in between the inner and outer boots

I guess that's somewhere to look/start. My diff shifter doesn't have an inner boot that I'm seeing on google. Just one rubber boot that covers the rod

 

[Rd929]

Transfer Case Shift Boot for 1973-1984 Toyota Land Cruisers - BTB Products - Land Cruiser Restoration and Parts

Transfer Case Shift Boot for 1973-1984 4x-Series & 55-Series Toyota Land Cruisers. We source this Transfer Case Shift Boot directly from Toyota.

btbprod.com

@Godfather90 recommended a microfiber tower in between the inner and outer boots

like this?

Transfer Case Shift Boot for 1973-1984 Toyota Land Cruisers - BTB Products - Land Cruiser Restoration and Parts

Transfer Case Shift Boot for 1973-1984 4x-Series & 55-Series Toyota Land Cruisers. We source this Transfer Case Shift Boot directly from Toyota.

btbprod.com

That doesn't quite look microfiber to me, but I def don't have any fabric on the underside of my rubber boot

 

[MrFitzie]

The FJ60s have an inner and outer rubber boot for the transfer case shifter. There might be a difference between the early FJ60 and later FJ60s so double check, but SOR (Switch to the transfer case boots tab) has some images on their page and there are a couple of ads in classified with them as well: MASS FJ60 Shift & Trans boots & mounting rings & Monterey, CA - Various FJ40/FJ60 Parts

Credit: SOR

 

[Rd929]

The FJ60s have an inner and outer rubber boot for the transfer case shifter. There might be a difference between the early FJ60 and later FJ60s so double check, but SOR (Switch to the transfer case boots tab) has some images on their page and there are a couple of ads in classified with them as well: MASS FJ60 Shift & Trans boots & mounting rings & Monterey, CA - Various FJ40/FJ60 Parts

Credit: SOR

ahhhhh. Oh yea. I'm certainly missing this! Thank you. My current thought before this was just to cut a hole in the center of a square piece of MLV to slip over the shifter rod, and maybe leave the outer boot unmounted so the MLV layer will slide back and forth under the boot. MLV like that above this inner layer would also be great! This would def help block a decent amount of sound I think. That with trying to find some high density melamine sponges, cut and glue to shove within the outer boot as well.

 

[cruisermatt]

ahhhhh. Oh yea. I'm certainly missing this! Thank you. My current thought before this was just to cut a hole in the center of a square piece of MLV to slip over the shifter rod, and maybe leave the outer boot unmounted so the MLV layer will slide back and forth under the boot. MLV like that above this inner layer would also be great! This would def help block a decent amount of sound I think. That with trying to find some high density melamine sponges, cut and glue to shove within the outer boot as well.

If you're missing the inner boot then add that first. They make a big difference. What year is your 60?

 

[Rd929]

If you're missing the inner boot then add that first. They make a big difference. What year is your 60?

Yea that would help big time, I honestly didn't know there was an inner. Which makes more sense that they would have the inner to have some sort of barrier and not just an open hole I guess.

Mine is a 1989. BTB has a restored one. I don't see any on SOR

 

[cruisermatt]

Yea that would help big time, I honestly didn't know there was an inner. Which makes more sense that they would have the inner to have some sort of barrier and not just an open hole I guess.

Mine is a 1989. BTB has a restored one. I don't see any on SOR

I have several

 

[Rd929]

I have several

Thank you sir! I was quick on the trigger and ordered one from BTB. I should've been more patient.

I'm going to install that. To be honest I will also still most likely cut a piece of MLV square with a hole to slide down the shifter rod. And then still prob cut and glue melamine sponges to fit in the outer shift boot. This is hands-down the most glaring source of sound since it's just a 5" open hole to the road. So if I can plug it with the inner boot and then add some MLV and melamine hopefully this drastically reduces the leftover noise. The missing inner window trim has some air noise but it's minimal. That came in as well so I'll get that on. I still may end up grabbing hydrophobic melamine from Second Skin and throw on the doors. It has 4mm deadener + closed cell foam on the outer part inside the door already.

I still have more of that 4mm combo, so I may remove that firewall insulation piece and go as far up as I can without removing the dash as well.