Date:         Mon, 14 Aug 2000 09:15:14 -0700
Reply-To:     Mark Mages <wasserbox@yahoo.com>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Mages <wasserbox@yahoo.com>
Subject:      Re: Reducing road noise in Westies... what works most effectively?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

This is my plan.  I am currently enacting it in the
Scirocco, but I have enough ordered to do the vanagon
once I have the Scirocco quiet enough.  This is
primarily in the front area, but may include the
engine area by the time I am done.

Phase 1 - Asphalt aoustical dampener.
This stuff is commonly called Dynamat, but I have
found a supplier that provides a product with the
exact same specs for 1/5 the cost of the name brand
stuff.  You pull all the carpet & padding, then apply
it with a heat gun to the sheet metal.  I will cover
the tops of the wheel wells, foot wells, and seating
area.

Phase 2 - acoustical foam
Applied under the carpeting.  I'll remove the stock
carpet padding and replace it with this stuff.  I have
only found it as the retail version Dynamat Dynaliner.
 I got it for 75% off on an auction site, and got 3
12ft^2 rolls

Phase 3 - door panels
Acoustical foam spray - dynamat Dynashield.  Generic
products are available, but once again I got a smokin
deal on an auction site.  I am not sure if I am going
to use the asphalt sheets, but the dynashield is a
must.

Also - adding carpet to the kitchen area helps.

The scirocco is also getting Dynamat Xtreme under the
headliner, and dynamat hoodliner under the hood.

Total cost for me - $200/vehicle + 10hrs labor (my
own)
If you buy the stuff retail it'll be around $600.

Also - if you have crappy tires, good tires make a
huge difference in road noise.

Mark

--- Mark Dorm <mark_hb@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Higher end stereo shops do this for customers... and
> when they do it its not
> cheap - theres a shop around here that recently did
> someones Suburbun and it
> cost 2000 dollars and the guy said it was as quiet
> as a Mercedes... and he
> mentioned that the kit can be sold so I could do the
> work myself.... And
> I've heard that the undercoating spray some places
> will use to protect your
> car from rust can help reduce noise...
>
>
>
> >
> >First, thanks to all who've answered my several
> questions in the last
> >couple
> >of months.  I hope that someday I'll have enough
> background in this area to
> >help others.
> >
> >REDUCING SOUND IN MY VANAGON?
> >
> >One of the things that I'd like to change on my '90
> Multivan is to reduce
> >the road noise before the monsoon season starts.  I
> remember the day I
> >bought my Westy, and was very surprised at the
> noise from the windshield
> >wiper motors.  My wife recently bought a new used
> car, a Maxima, and was
> >surprised at how we could travel down the freeway
> and easily hear each
> >other
> >as we talked.
> >
> >I've been told that the #1 fix to reduce noise
> level in a car is to have
> >accoustical undercoating sprayed on the surface of
> the wheel wells.  I
> >suspect that a lot of the road noise is coming from
> the front end.
> >
> >What modifications have you found to be effective
> in reducing noise on your
> >Westy?
> >
> >-- Ken, in Marysville, Washington
>
>
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=====
Mark
Just because you have an opinion, doesn't mean that anyone wants to hear it

87 Westfalia Gl
84 Scirocco 8v
http://student.fortlewis.edu/~mwmages/

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