Thinsulate?

[BTLSHP]

I have been helping a neighbor with the conversion of a Transit Van into a Campervan. He has offered his surplus Thinsulate as a means of quieting/insulating the doors and rear quarter panels.

This had not ben on my "to do" list but as I search and could find no references, I wanted to ask explicitly has anyone tried this and does it work?

My negatives are: taking apart 30 year old doors (I have to do drivers side and dos this somehow attract moisture and encourage rust? In the van world they seem comfortable with the hydrophobic nature of the stuff.

Thanks in advance for ideas or thoughts.

 

[voodu3]

I think you could use it in the cargo area quarter panels area no problem. Also above the headliner. I don’t know how well
It would do in the door cavities because of the window regulators and the possibility of water intrusion. It will definitely improve the insulation from the outside. In a van it’s isolated from water intrusion no windows rolling down inside.

 

[Marvelicious]

You might take a look at the archive of the old Sound Deadener Showdown site.

Sound Deadener Showdown | Your Vehicle Quiet

Vehicle sound deadening is a process, not a product. Vibration dampers, barriers, acoustic foams and decouplers each play a role. Learn what they do and how to use them. Do it once, do it right, enjoy the results.

web.archive.org

They took sort of a "holistic" approach to soundproofing instead of layering every square inch of the vehicle in heavy deadener mat. One of the things they used was insulating foam and thinsulate was one brand mentioned. The recommend uses were just what voodu3 mentioned: quarter panels and headliner. If I remember right, the headliner was a particularly good location for foam because the benefits are twofold: sonic and thermal. No matter how good your climate control works, it's even better if it doesn't have to overcome as much.

Anyway, the archive is a little limited, but there's still a lot of good reading there.

 

[Marvelicious]

Also, I should mention that thinsulate is hydrophobic, meaning it doesn't attract water.

Also, taking apart old panels is a lot easier with the right tools, and they're surprisingly cheap. Honestly, auto trim tools are one of the things harbor freight does pretty well.

 

[Pascoscout]

While the thinsulate may not attract water the fiber nature of it will certainly attract and hold on to dust that gets in the doors. That dust will attract and hold water. It could also become a breeding ground for mold. I would not use it in the doors or anywhere that gets wet as part of normal operation.

Go with dynamat, lizard skin or similar. There are also dense foam options designed for HVAC duct insulating (its adhesive on one side and has an aluminum skin on the other) that work. That's what I used in my doors and it helped a lot. Inspection after a couple of years revealed no issues. Can pick it up fairly cheap at Home Depot.

 

[BTLSHP]

You might take a look at the archive of the old Sound Deadener Showdown site.

Sound Deadener Showdown | Your Vehicle Quiet

Vehicle sound deadening is a process, not a product. Vibration dampers, barriers, acoustic foams and decouplers each play a role. Learn what they do and how to use them. Do it once, do it right, enjoy the results.

web.archive.org

They took sort of a "holistic" approach to soundproofing instead of layering every square inch of the vehicle in heavy deadener mat. One of the things they used was insulating foam and thinsulate was one brand mentioned. The recommend uses were just what voodu3 mentioned: quarter panels and headliner. If I remember right, the headliner was a particularly good location for foam because the benefits are twofold: sonic and thermal. No matter how good your climate control works, it's even better if it doesn't have to overcome as much.

Anyway, the archive is a little limited, but there's still a lot of good reading there.

Yes, I was reading there today and went down a rabbit hole looking for the Land Cruiser specific stuff which is no longer easily found. I have to think about where this project begins and ends. I am intrigued as my neighbor has offered help and he has done solid work on his transit van. On the other hand I have: coolant/heater hoses, transmission lines/fluid, EGR cleaning, rear wheel bearings .... and a new interior in front of me.

This may not make the cutoff, but I really appreciate the advice and ideas.