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Three days and 14 hours later I'm done!
I have to say that the improvements are audiable/significant. The doors close with a solid A8/S500 thunk almost forcing your eardrums to pop because of the increased air pressure. This project originally started out because of a rattling passanger side window...read on...
MATERIALS USED:
Cascade Audio VB-5 gasketing foam - thin open celled foam with adhesive backing which resists compression sets. Mainly used for gasketing/buffering purposes; third stop light, rear shade hooks, basslink feet, speaker mount buffers.
Cascade Audio V-Max dampening sheets - NOT asphalt based like the other junk, made of non curing butyl with strong adhesive. Thin, moldable, easy to work with. No heat gun necessary. Converts structual vibrations into low level heat. These go on the inner side of the outer body shell and any large metal panels.
Dynamat TacMat - Thermoacoustic cockpit liner. 1/8" thick closed cell foam. Reduces the intensity and duration of sounds inside the cabin and prevents road noise from penetrating the doors. This is inserted between the airbag/moisture liner in the doors and the leather door panel to terminate road noise and stuffed into the window trim cavity to reduce wind noise.
Cascade Audio Deflex panels - I was skeptical at first but am now certain that these were an intergral component of the overall improvement!!!
Deflex panels are round 7" discs that go directly behind your door speakers and absorb the backwaves created by the speaker. Yes, I too thought it was bulldoodie but after putting them in I was blown away. Superb definition, clarity and increased punch noted in the mid-frequences! I agonized over the lack of mid range from the doors but now I have no reason to upgrade the H/K speakers.
PROCESS
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TRUNK:
I covered (50-75% coverage of panels) the trunk, trunk lid and wheel well sheetmetal panels with Cascade V-Max dampening sheets. I mounted the basslink on the driver side wall on two layers of V-Max and a layer of VB-5 gasketing foam. The Basslink now pumps out much tighter bass; no rattles.
REAR PARCEL SHELF:
I put a large amount of V-max on this shelf and I put VB-5 gasket foam under the electronic components (moto phone, gps for onstar) there to prevent rattle/buzz. The result is that the rear shelf does not rattle; period. No if's and's or buts, I reduced the vibration and associated buzz by 80%-90%. A very important step here was to seal off the two pass-through holes in the corners which led to the trunk with V-Max. These acted like an exhaust for the trunk, which is essentially a huge sub enclosure, directing waves into the cabin and right at the corners of the rear shelf.
HIGH MOUNT STOP LIGHT:
I lined the inner surface with a big piece of V-Max which silenced the rattles; this piece now has mass to it. Gasketing foam was used on the light bar containing the five light bulbs to prevent rattling within its clip.
REAR WHEEL WELLS (in the passanger cabin):
While fitting the trunk liner back on I decided to apply V-Max and TacMat over the passanger side wheel wells.
DOORS:
This project originally started out because of a rattling passanger side window...for the doors I added V-Max to the inner/outer shell and the door panel itself (behind storage compartment and around the speaker grille) then I placed the deflex discs on the inner shell directly behind the door speakers. Again, I cannot stress how much these have improved my mid-range sound. Then, I cut and modeled a liner out of TacMat and glued it onto the inner side of the door panel. Nothing was introduced into the inner door cavity, with the exception of thin strips to V-Max, due to the presence of the pressure sensetive air bag sensor. I removed the trim around the windows and mirror and took out the OEM styrofoam inserts and filled the entire cavity, including the mirror triangle, with the high quality TacMat. I then replaced the panel and trim. The tacmat was a little thick 1/4" but I was able to snap it back into place...there is a 1/16"-1/8" gap between metal and trim but it's barely visible.
The doors shut with a vault like thunk are noticeably heavier. I weighted the materials and the materials totaled 4lbs for foam and 15lbs for the v-max, most of which (10lbs) is in the trunk...so I don't think the weight will strain the door hinge mechanism.
Aside from the sonic improvements in the H/K system there is an obvious decrease in the road noise. When you're crusing on the highway you can still hear noise from the engine and trunk, roof, but the doors are eeriely (??) quiet, just dead silent...
I ordered more Dynamat TacMat acoustic liner and I have two sheets of V-Max remaining. I'm going after the rear doors this coming weekend to add to the wow factor.
MM
posted by 70.18.38...
, Tue, 9 May 2006 14:07:37, Tue, 9 May 2006 18:17:55
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