Screw the extra weight. I want good sound deadening material in my car ASAP. Does anyone have any good suggestions on 1) what brand to buy, and 2) the best place to get it? :) Thanks!

 

There was some discussion on this topic not too long ago. Check out the following website: http://www.b-quiet.com. There were a couple good comments on a product called "LCOMP." One guy who installed it said it gave his Z06 a "Lexus quiet interior." Good luck. :)

 

The V and L comp stuff at B-quiet is relatively thick at 3/8" and 1/2" thick. I don't know if they work better than the dampers like Brown Bread and Dynamat. I wanted to retain as much original appearance as possible so I had my interior done with Brown Bread, which is pretty thin. I had an upholstery shop do the actual install. They charged $650. If you have the time and room and ability you can probably do it yourself--my garage doesn't have enough room to even fully open a door. I had the interior coated from under the pedals all the way thorugh the rear including the cavities. I did not do the doors or roof.

I am satisfied with the results but would not call it Lexus quality quiet...or Acura for that matter, but the results are VERY noticeable. I also have a partition from Exit 28 that I use in conjunction with the Brown Bread. To my untrained ear the amount of noise reduction from the BB was about the same as adding just the partition. Some estimate that to be a 40% reduction. The combination of the partition and the BB have made highway travel much more palatable. I actually prefer the partition in so things in the back don't slide around a lot. I also have a hinged cavity cover and I lined that with BB as well.

The partition fit rather well in the car...wedged on top of the cavity cover. The thickness of the BB has made that a tight fit and the ears of the partition no longer get a good contact with the velcro on the wheel well cover. However, it seems to be wedged in really tight and several really hard stops didn't dislodge it. I may end up removing some of the BB from under the cargo cover so the partition will fit better.

I can't give you real world numbers on the sound deadening but if you cruise here, Corvette Action Center, or Z06Vette.com I know I read a thread where a guy did a before and after db reading on his Z using Brown Bread and a partition. I believe the readings showed a 6-7 decibel loss (77 to 70 db) at highway speed when using both the BB and partition. Do a search on sound reduction or partitions and you should be able to find the thread. A 6-7 decibel noise reduction IS significant. Noise level as measured in decibels increases geometrically, like the Richter scale so don't think it's only a 10% reduction.

As for the Brown Bread, if that's what you decide to go with you can purchase it from B-Quiet on eBay for better pricing than what you see on their website. I bought a 70 sq. ft. roll for $149 that included shipping. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to finish the job! The guy is great to work with and overnighted another roll at the same price albeit with higher shipping costs. I just love a vendor that knows his stuff and comes through in a pinch with exactly what was promised. Anyway, to do as much as the upholstery shop did for me you will probably want close to 100 sq ft. I bought two rolls of 70 sq. ft. so I have a bunch left over to use elsewhere. The shop that put it in liked it better than other stuff they have used. The guy said it was easier to form and the foil backing didn't rip as easy. That also is a two-edged sword, according to the guy at the store--it makes it easier to get cut by the foil so if you install it use gloves. HTH

btw...70 sq ft of BB weighs 20 lbs. I figure with the 100 sq ft of BB and the partition the increased weight is about 40-45 lbs. Oh yeah...let me assure you...while the car is indeed quieter at cruising speed you still hear the pipes when you open it up. Good luck.


[Modified by TAC, 1:22 PM 10/20/2003]

 

JMHO, I bought an out of the box race car (03-Z06), I love all the sounds etc.
but, your going to love the sound proofing though!!
good luck!! :sleep:

God Bless Our Troops :flag :flag :flag

 

I would be interested in finding something for mine as well. Initially, since I have the Borla's I didnt mind the sound, but the tire whine of the Pilot Sports is EXTREMELY annoying on long trips. I have a partition, and its still loud in mine. I was thinking of 1) Dynamat 2) Ziebart sound dedening spray on undercoating 3) something else. Since we are both looking around, lets see if we can agree on one thing and try to get a deal cut to get both cars done at the same time :cheers:

 

Take a look here: http://www.sounddeadeningmaterial.com

Their stuff is essentially the same as everyone else sells, just far cheaper.

The foam-lead-foam laminate from B-Quiet will be FAR quieter, but it is rather thick, so you would probably have to modify the carpeting. (The B-Quiet stuff is similar to what is used to line ambulances, etc.)

 

Ryan

I just did my 98 coupe and my 02 ZO6.
It was well worth it!!! :thumbs:
I got EVERYTHING that I needed from HOME DEPOT!!! The stuff that I used is made by Frost King and a roll weighs about 3 lbs. One roll is 12" wide X 15' long X 1/8" thick. It is a foil covered dense foam material and has an adhesive on the back. It cuts easy with sissors and/or an exacto knife. If you make a mistake and have to remove it, it comes back off real easy!
It takes about 1 1/2 rolls to do one foot well completely!
It takes about 3 or 4 more to cover everything in the back including the wells.
I also bought some foil covered bubble wrap (at HOME DEPOT) to install on the sides of the drive shaft tunnel over top the insulation (man that thing gets HOT!!!)

After the insulation install, there was a marked decrease in the ammount of road noise that you hear inside. It wasnt gone but a major improvement.

The amount of heat that the insulation stopped was outstanding!
All in all it was an easy MOD and worth the money. I was really surprised how EASY it was to rip out the entire interior :eek: :eek: :eek: It ALL came out in about an hour. Once it is installed you will not be able to tell that it is installed if you do not know it is there! :thumbs:

I used about 6 or so rolls to do every square inch of the interior (except the drive shaft tunnel) I will do that when I replace my shifter!

The stuff is:
FROST KING (self adhesive foil and foam) Duct Insulation.

For the ZO6 sound quieting, we visited ZIP products at the Corvette Carsile this summer and purchased their compartment divider that fits in between the trunk and passengers compartment. I think that made the most improvement on NOISE REDUCTION!!! It is about 1" thick and covered in a carpet like material. GET ONE! You will NOT be sorry!!!
It also keeps stuff in back seperated from the pasengers, improves the stereo sound and makes the AC cool off the front in half the time!


[Modified by Bill Curlee, 10:31 PM 10/25/2003]

 

:nopity :p:

 

Fastest, cheapest:



Also: http://shop.store.yahoo.com/earplugs...natrubear.html
:jester

Super Sound Proofing products appear to work well, and provide a good bang-for-buck (less weight and cost than dynamat; might work better for sound suppression):
http://www.soundproofing.org/sales/prices.html

Check out myths, FAQ, compare prices, etc.

Also Ecklers $39 acoustic foam partition, part# 41087 (cover with your own matching carpet to guarantee a match: attach with spray contact adhesive (adds more sound absorbing ability).

 

Sounds good to me! Let me know if you find anything awesome. I'll do the same.

 

I'm well aware of what I bought. I love the exhaust sounds too, but I'm a hardcore music fanatic and musician.....I want to hear my radio when I'm cruising a 90mph.....and I want it to be crystal clear. :)

 

Just adding a partition made a big difference in mine ...

 

:iagree:

Install an acoustic foam partition first. This will yield the most sound reflection and absorption. Installs in seconds. Low cost. $39 is hard to beat. Adding your own carpet with rubber/spray adhesive will further absorb sound.

 

I've done a bit of this soundproofing stuff. When I got my Z06 I installed a partition and put a layer of dynamat extreme on the floor of the whole storage area. I also had a shop install some in the doors. It made a noticeable difference, but still not nearly as much as I would like. I love the sound of the engine, but cruising at 80 mph is loud. After a two hour trip my ears ring. My other sound deadening project was more extreme. In my Cadillac DTS I had a shop install 432 square feet of dynamat extreme, cover everything with a layer of acoustic foam, and also use a foam/lead/foam product on the floor. The result was 62 Db at 70 mph. Pretty quiet. It'd beat down any lexus. Obviously that weighs a lot, and I wouldn't want to do it to the vette. So I've been investigating lightweight options. I'm trying to figure out what sort of acoustic foam would be best suited to the noise that enters the vette's cabin. Also, I want to identify transmission pathways so I can concentrate on them. One product that I think might be useful is an expanding foam product that 3M produces. It's not the same as the stuff in the hardware store. It's specifically for cars, and comes in varying densities and uh...hardness levels depending on what you are going to use it for. You can fill the pillars, or just apply it to panels. Ultimately I want to see how quiet I can get the car without adding more than say...25 lbs to it. I have a bunch of dynamat accoustic foam hanging around. It weighs almost nothing so I might try sticking that in and seeing how it does.

Scott