Sound deadening

[ShakyHandJeff]

I'm planning on replacing my carpet this spring once it gets a bit warmer outside. I was planning on using the carpet from @tupelohoney with standard backing, since the mass backing is less pliable for install. While I'm at it, I'll take off the door cards to repair the speakers.
This will be my opportunity for sound deadening. Does anyone have head-to-head comparisons of the brands? (Dynamat vs Kilmat vs Siless vs Soundskins)? Any consensus on recommendations? What mil for floor vs doors?
Thanks!

 

[GTV]

I like Dynamat, it seems to stick easier than the other brands I’ve tried.

 

[discoverydave]

Dynamat vs Kilmat comes up a lot. Kilmat is fine for the money, I've used it on a couple 80-series floors and it works well once you heat it up and roll it down properly. The Dynamat sticks better initially but the real difference comes from install quality, not brand. Get a proper roller and a heat gun and either product does the job.

For the floor on a 100-series I'd use 50-80 mil butyl on the floor sections, over the wheel arches, and on the firewall. Doors: 50 mil on the outer skin is enough, you don't need to go overboard in there - just kill the resonance of the bare metal panel.

The trans tunnel and the area right under the front seats is where you'll notice the most improvement on the highway. That's where road and drivetrain noise transmits most directly. If you only have a limited amount, prioritize those areas over the outer door skins.

One thing that's underrated: pull the original foam pad that's under the carpet while you're at it. At this age the foam on most 100-series is pretty well shot - crumbling, compressed flat, not doing much. Sound deadener alone under a rotten foam pad won't help as much as people expect. Replace the foam and you'll notice the difference more than the deadener brand choice.

 

[ShakyHandJeff]

Dynamat vs Kilmat comes up a lot. Kilmat is fine for the money, I've used it on a couple 80-series floors and it works well once you heat it up and roll it down properly. The Dynamat sticks better initially but the real difference comes from install quality, not brand. Get a proper roller and a heat gun and either product does the job.

For the floor on a 100-series I'd use 50-80 mil butyl on the floor sections, over the wheel arches, and on the firewall. Doors: 50 mil on the outer skin is enough, you don't need to go overboard in there - just kill the resonance of the bare metal panel.

The trans tunnel and the area right under the front seats is where you'll notice the most improvement on the highway. That's where road and drivetrain noise transmits most directly. If you only have a limited amount, prioritize those areas over the outer door skins.

One thing that's underrated: pull the original foam pad that's under the carpet while you're at it. At this age the foam on most 100-series is pretty well shot - crumbling, compressed flat, not doing much. Sound deadener alone under a rotten foam pad won't help as much as people expect. Replace the foam and you'll notice the difference more than the deadener brand choice.

thanks much for the advice!

 

[Berkut10r]

From the affordable category, NVX Ultra Thick is very tough to beat. Premium deadening, such as Gladen or Resonix, is top-shelf stuff, but it comes with a price. I use a mixture of Vibraflex and Resonix, immense difference in hearing road noise.

 

[rbrave]

I installed the thick Resonix CLD in my front doors, and used NVX for everywhere else. At one point before doing a serious install I had put some of the Amazon Basics stuff in the fronts, and it was falling off when I went back in. The cheap stuff isn’t worth it, in my opinion.

I also did Resonix Fibermat in my front doors, and Thinsulite where I could fit it. Do front doors really well, and you may find that you don’t even want to do anything else. Of course…I did rears and the back hatch after, and I’m no longer super interested in tearing out my entire interior for what would be incremental improvements. The early LCs have almost nothing in them for deadening or absorption, and it is a great quality of life upgrade just doing the fronts.

 

[ShakyHandJeff]

I installed the thick Resonix CLD in my front doors, and used NVX for everywhere else. At one point before doing a serious install I had put some of the Amazon Basics stuff in the fronts, and it was falling off when I went back in. The cheap stuff isn’t worth it, in my opinion.

I also did Resonix Fibermat in my front doors, and Thinsulite where I could fit it. Do front doors really well, and you may find that you don’t even want to do anything else. Of course…I did rears and the back hatch after, and I’m no longer super interested in tearing out my entire interior for what would be incremental improvements. The early LCs have almost nothing in them for deadening or absorption, and it is a great quality of life upgrade just doing the fronts.

when deadening the doors, does the material go inside (ie: the outer sheet metal), or the sheet metal immediately facing the passenger compartment, basically touching my arm if it is on the armrest? If it goes inside, is there a trick to manipulating the sticky material into the holes and still laying flat?

 

[Berkut10r]

when deadening the doors, does the material go inside (ie: the outer sheet metal), or the sheet metal immediately facing the passenger compartment, basically touching my arm if it is on the armrest? If it goes inside, is there a trick to manipulating the sticky material into the holes and still laying flat?

If you are going inside the cavity, you need this product.

ResoNix Lockout - Hydrophobic Melamine Automotive & Marine Sound Absor – ResoNix Sound Solutions

ResoNix Lockout is a composite of Hydrophobic Melamine foam with a Polyester Facing to create the ultimate automotive sound absorber and heat insulator.

resonixsoundsolutions.com

Outside the cavity, this

Premium Sound Deadening Material - ResoNix CLD Squares – ResoNix Sound Solutions

ResoNix CLD Squares are premium butyl sound deadener mats for cars. A proven sound deadening material delivering top performance, designed and made in the USA.

resonixsoundsolutions.com

Inside of the door panel, this

ResoNix Fiber Mat - Self Adhering Automotive Sound Insulation – ResoNix Sound Solutions

ResoNix Fiber Mat is an automotive sound absorber, decoupler, & thermal insulating material used inside vehicles to lower overall noise, heat, & more!

resonixsoundsolutions.com

 

[GTV]

when deadening the doors, does the material go inside (ie: the outer sheet metal), or the sheet metal immediately facing the passenger compartment, basically touching my arm if it is on the armrest? If it goes inside, is there a trick to manipulating the sticky material into the holes and still laying flat?

I did both. The outer skin is flatter so it will resonate more.

 

[Berkut10r]

I installed the thick Resonix CLD in my front doors, and used NVX for everywhere else. At one point before doing a serious install I had put some of the Amazon Basics stuff in the fronts, and it was falling off when I went back in. The cheap stuff isn’t worth it, in my opinion.

I also did Resonix Fibermat in my front doors, and Thinsulite where I could fit it. Do front doors really well, and you may find that you don’t even want to do anything else. Of course…I did rears and the back hatch after, and I’m no longer super interested in tearing out my entire interior for what would be incremental improvements. The early LCs have almost nothing in them for deadening or absorption, and it is a great quality of life upgrade just doing the fronts.

NVX always piqued my interest, but Nick always had sales when I needed material. Whatever you do, stay away from Viberflex! It is better performing than Mega CLD, but it is a nightmare to install. Density of a gator hide.

 

[rbrave]

I documented some of my process here.

 

[dubdub20003]

I am gone down this path twice on the LC and have invested waaaay more in time and than I should have… diminishing returns is a point way behind me.

First, @Berkut10r was getting at this, realize that fight against unwanted sound has many tools as sound has many sources. The dynamat-type materials only stop things from vibrating. That is it. Very little actual noise blocking or absorption. So use it only on big flat panels that will resonate. Doors, no doubt, roof if you have it open, rear wheel arches. For sound blocking you need thick heavy and limp… and that has to be applied with near full coverage, or sound just goes around… so floor, firewall, and doors. Then there are some light woven materials that actually absorb and eat sound waves, like some he listed above.

My $0.02? Just go after the vibrations. And on that, I think everyone wastes $ and time on the floor, which has like no chance of vibrating. Do the doors, inside and outside skins. Just tap and apply until it feels extra solid. If you have the headliner dropped there are places there, including making sure the horizontal supports are bonded tight… rear tailgate… some on the exterior 3rd row. They are right when they say you don’t need full coverage. Less than 50 percent gets it done, and big pieces are more impactful than lots of small.

 

[rbrave]

The biggest lesson I learned from doing my front doors really well is that my windshield trim was poorly installed when I got it replaced, and that wind noise is now the primary noise to address. A focus on doing front doors really well provides 90% of the overall improvement of doing the whole vehicle, and more importantly dramatically improves midbass response where it matters.