Day 1: Prepping for Sound Deadening the 80
If you’re planning to fully sound deaden your rig, just know—it’s not a quick weekend project. This takes time and patience if you want to do it right. And once the material is installed, it’s not coming off without a BIG MESSY fight so do your homework before buying anything. I chose to go with premium sound deadening because I only want to do this once. I plan to keep this rig for life and eventually pass it down to my godson, so spending more up front made sense for me.
A couple months ago, I stripped the interior when I had the exterior painted. That alone was a solid 6–8 hour job by myself, and it set the stage for what I started today.
To kick off the prep, I used a leaf blower and air compressor to clear out all the dust and debris (which there was a lot from MOAB and our dusty trails in Oregon). While I was in there, I pulled the dash gauges and tachometer to replace the dash bulbs—figured I’d knock it out while everything was accessible, and sprayed out those areas as well. Then I went through with a metal scrub brush to remove any lingering fuzz or loose grime.
After that, I deep-cleaned the entire interior with Harbor Freight’s Grant’s steam cleaner and microfiber towels. Once it dried, I wiped everything down with 90% isopropyl alcohol to remove any remaining residue and ensure the surface was prepped properly for adhesion.
Since the interior was already out, I took the opportunity to apply POR-15 to any low points and metal seams where water might collect or where existing rust might have already formed—just a little insurance against future rust. I also sealed the edges of the factory sound deadening to help prevent moisture from creeping underneath it down the line.
If the POR-15 cures by tomorrow, I’ll begin laying down the first layer of Resonix Mega CLD Squares, aiming for roughly 90% coverage across the floor. I’ve invested about $2,000 into materials for this project, with the goal of reducing road noise, improving sound clarity, and enhancing thermal insulation. I’ve got a quality audio system going in, so I’m treating the foundation with the same level of attention.
I didn’t do a decibel reading before the teardown, but I’ve got plenty of local 80s to compare against later. Honestly, I’m confident it’ll be a big improvement either way as I've done this on previous vehicles.
I’ll continue to post updates as I make progress. If you’ve got any questions, drop them below.
If you’re planning to fully sound deaden your rig, just know—it’s not a quick weekend project. This takes time and patience if you want to do it right. And once the material is installed, it’s not coming off without a BIG MESSY fight so do your homework before buying anything. I chose to go with premium sound deadening because I only want to do this once. I plan to keep this rig for life and eventually pass it down to my godson, so spending more up front made sense for me.
A couple months ago, I stripped the interior when I had the exterior painted. That alone was a solid 6–8 hour job by myself, and it set the stage for what I started today.
To kick off the prep, I used a leaf blower and air compressor to clear out all the dust and debris (which there was a lot from MOAB and our dusty trails in Oregon). While I was in there, I pulled the dash gauges and tachometer to replace the dash bulbs—figured I’d knock it out while everything was accessible, and sprayed out those areas as well. Then I went through with a metal scrub brush to remove any lingering fuzz or loose grime.
After that, I deep-cleaned the entire interior with Harbor Freight’s Grant’s steam cleaner and microfiber towels. Once it dried, I wiped everything down with 90% isopropyl alcohol to remove any remaining residue and ensure the surface was prepped properly for adhesion.
Since the interior was already out, I took the opportunity to apply POR-15 to any low points and metal seams where water might collect or where existing rust might have already formed—just a little insurance against future rust. I also sealed the edges of the factory sound deadening to help prevent moisture from creeping underneath it down the line.
If the POR-15 cures by tomorrow, I’ll begin laying down the first layer of Resonix Mega CLD Squares, aiming for roughly 90% coverage across the floor. I’ve invested about $2,000 into materials for this project, with the goal of reducing road noise, improving sound clarity, and enhancing thermal insulation. I’ve got a quality audio system going in, so I’m treating the foundation with the same level of attention.
I didn’t do a decibel reading before the teardown, but I’ve got plenty of local 80s to compare against later. Honestly, I’m confident it’ll be a big improvement either way as I've done this on previous vehicles.
I’ll continue to post updates as I make progress. If you’ve got any questions, drop them below.
