Road noise
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 66
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From: Saugus CA
Road noise
Hi
I have a 2003 vette coupe with a six speed and Firestone tires, I love driving my car but on the freeway or open road I get tired of the road noise. Do you guys know if any one makes a sound deadening matt for the back of the car or any other way to get the noise down from the road.
The engine sounds like music and love that noise but the road noise is a little much after a hundred miles or so, any ideas besides spending big bucks on new tires?
Thanks
I have a 2003 vette coupe with a six speed and Firestone tires, I love driving my car but on the freeway or open road I get tired of the road noise. Do you guys know if any one makes a sound deadening matt for the back of the car or any other way to get the noise down from the road.
The engine sounds like music and love that noise but the road noise is a little much after a hundred miles or so, any ideas besides spending big bucks on new tires?
Thanks
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: The Great Truth: "There ain't no free lunch"
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Crazy Cowboy is supposed to have a good kit. I have a Z06 which had no sound insulation. A friend suggested Frostking ( Insulation Lite 
), which was put from the seats back and doubled in the storage wells. Outside: the fender well liners were removed and it was placed on the bucket walls and around the gas filler hose. In my case a homemade partition was added and probably 60% of my noise was gone. Funny thing happens however, when on area is eliminated others show up 
Will do the front this winter and then work on what's left. Unfortunately the windows can't be insulated. Good luck to ya and if you're hardheaded, a big percent of the noise can be eliminated.
Tom
), which was put from the seats back and doubled in the storage wells. Outside: the fender well liners were removed and it was placed on the bucket walls and around the gas filler hose. In my case a homemade partition was added and probably 60% of my noise was gone. Funny thing happens however, when on area is eliminated others show up Will do the front this winter and then work on what's left. Unfortunately the windows can't be insulated. Good luck to ya and if you're hardheaded, a big percent of the noise can be eliminated.Tom
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Dynamat makes some sound insulation, along with Frostking. Try doing a search on insulation and you should come up with some hits. There have been a number of posts on doing this.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Kelso Washington
St. Jude Donor '09, '13, '15
Yup, there are sound insulation kits available. More weight and installation costs or work if you do it yourself. It's a lightweight sportscar with wide tires.....it's part of the package.....while I don't like the noise, I put up with it for the benefits of driving this great car....at least there is relief on smooth pavement!
Pick your priorities or install insulation.....your choice......Personally, I'm thinking the insulation might be worth it sometimes...
Pick your priorities or install insulation.....your choice......Personally, I'm thinking the insulation might be worth it sometimes...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Kansas City Missouri
St. Jude Donor '09
I installed Dynamat in mine along with some PS2 tires and the road noise is not near what it was before. Now I can hear all the dumb rattles and squeeks throughout the rest of the car.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Someone posted up an idea a while ago. They filled a bin liner with the polystyrene beads and put it in the underfloor compartments in the trunk. Its light and kills some of the rear end noise. It wouldnt cost anything to try it I guess.
Dynamat works by all accounts but its a big mod. The biggest improvement is new tires without a doubt.
Dynamat works by all accounts but its a big mod. The biggest improvement is new tires without a doubt.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: "Man been singin' the Blues, since he began to till the ground"...Vancouver, USA WA.
I bought a foam "eggcrate" sleeping pad ($13), cut into strips, rolled them up, and stuffed them in the 3 rear storage compartments. It makes a big differance and will hold you over 'till you find a permanant fix. mine have been in 2yrs.
JOE
JOE
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Waldorf MD
Putting fiberglass house insulation in plastic garbage bags and stuffing into the three rear compartments will make a HUGE difference. These compartments are located close to tires and exhaust and act as "boom boxes" in resonating this noise.
Try it, it works !
Try it, it works !
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From: Cape Cod, Mass.
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I put Bullets on mine. Now I can't hear anything
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,616
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From: Newport, RI
Interesting ideas about just sound-deadening the storage bins!
How about just using Dynamat around (in and under) the storage bin area? Has anyone tried that? That way, you'd preserve the storage space.
-
How about just using Dynamat around (in and under) the storage bin area? Has anyone tried that? That way, you'd preserve the storage space.
-
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 51,504
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From: Sacramento CA
Lead over foam is the best you can do.
Short of that, Luxury Liner, which is a vinyl mass barrier on foam, is your best option. You need a barrier product like this. Simple damping material or foam aren't really the right tools for the job. Damping mat (dynamat, etc) can add mass to a panel, reducing sound transmission slightly. Probably not worth the cost/weight compared to a barrier material.
You need something that is at least 1lb per square foot on top of foam at least 3/8" thick. Of course, if the foam compresses, it hurts its ability to block sound.
I know a lot of people like to think 1/8" foam can make a significant difference, but maybe they don't think the laws of physics applies to them
If I remember correctly, Frost King (or similar) can only attenuate sound over about 18,000hz. I'm betting most people here can't hear 18,000hz. Also, and I'm going from memory, you would need something like 14" thick uncompressed foam to block road noise. that's why the barrier material is so valuable.
((All that said, my car is heavily deadened with a variety of material, including a mass loaded barrier, and the Corvette will never be a very quiet car.))
Short of that, Luxury Liner, which is a vinyl mass barrier on foam, is your best option. You need a barrier product like this. Simple damping material or foam aren't really the right tools for the job. Damping mat (dynamat, etc) can add mass to a panel, reducing sound transmission slightly. Probably not worth the cost/weight compared to a barrier material.
You need something that is at least 1lb per square foot on top of foam at least 3/8" thick. Of course, if the foam compresses, it hurts its ability to block sound.
I know a lot of people like to think 1/8" foam can make a significant difference, but maybe they don't think the laws of physics applies to them
If I remember correctly, Frost King (or similar) can only attenuate sound over about 18,000hz. I'm betting most people here can't hear 18,000hz. Also, and I'm going from memory, you would need something like 14" thick uncompressed foam to block road noise. that's why the barrier material is so valuable.((All that said, my car is heavily deadened with a variety of material, including a mass loaded barrier, and the Corvette will never be a very quiet car.))
Last edited by Kale; Dec 12, 2008 at 10:44 AM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 477
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From: Los Angeles California
We've sounded deadened C5's using Second Skin Audio Damplifier and Overkill with good results. Depending how quiet you want it and how much weight you're willing to add, we've used the standard versions as well as the thicker Pro versions. If you're looking for a Mercedes ride, luxury liner could be added on top of all that.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Newport, RI
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 51,504
Likes: 6
From: Sacramento CA
I used a liquid damper as the base layer. This makes a lot more sense, MHO, than damping mats in a fiberglass car!
Then Raamat/Second Skin Damplifier Pro (This makes the least sense in a fiberglass car, fiberglass panels don't 'ring' like metal.)
Then Luxury Liner on top of all that.
Secondskin and Raamat aren't forum vendors, so I don't think I can post the links.
Then Raamat/Second Skin Damplifier Pro (This makes the least sense in a fiberglass car, fiberglass panels don't 'ring' like metal.)
Then Luxury Liner on top of all that.
Secondskin and Raamat aren't forum vendors, so I don't think I can post the links.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 16
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From: Olympia Wa
I installed dynamat over wheel wells and on rear floor then overlayed it with 1/4" double foil plastic home insulation from Lowes. Also applied same on underside of storage lids. Made a huge difference. 1999 coupe.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,996
Likes: 61
From: Fort Wayne IN
Yup, there are sound insulation kits available. More weight and installation costs or work if you do it yourself. It's a lightweight sportscar with wide tires.....it's part of the package.....while I don't like the noise, I put up with it for the benefits of driving this great car....at least there is relief on smooth pavement!
Pick your priorities or install insulation.....your choice......Personally, I'm thinking the insulation might be worth it sometimes...
Pick your priorities or install insulation.....your choice......Personally, I'm thinking the insulation might be worth it sometimes...
and do like me turn up your music... like maybe a Stones favorite "paint it black" or "ruby tuesday". Guaranteed noise reducer.