Well I finally(!) finished putting my car back together! I spent hours over the last week disassembling and reassembling my Mustang - and stuffing sound deadener in between! Was it worth it? I think so ...
My Results (yours will vary!):
* Rapping on the metal in most places made the car sound like a cheap tin can - sounds MUCH more solid now! * The doors slam shut with an authoritative thump instead of giving off a cheap rattle * Even the OEM Shaker 500 sounds GREAT now; highs and lows are much more sharper and clearer, and both bass and trebel sounds so much better - I don't think I need to change out the speakers or head unit * A loud hailstorm outside? Noisy city streets? I couldn't hear the storm or ANYTHING else inside the car with the doors shut. * I turned up the radio to a fairly loud setting, and I couldn't hear it outside of the car with the doors closed! * It sounds as solid and noise-quiet as a luxury car now! If I had to estimate, I'd say it's 80% of the way to being "Lexus quiet"!! * The ~2200rpm drone from my Magnaflow is gone ... and since I didn't deaden the metal above the muffler, I can still hear the sound of my muffler in the cabin when driving, and the sound of the motor. Other than that, almost nothing else.
My "How To" Guide -----
Tools:
* Good set of professional quality SAE & Metric sockets + ratchets + socket extensions * Screwdriver & Torx bits up to T-40-50 * Box cutter * Shears * Torque wrench * Portable light (e.g. D-cell fluorescent lantern) - optional, but very helpful
Material Cost: Second Skin Audio's Damplifier 80 sq ft - $187.20 (30 lbs) - Used to add mass to metal, and absorbs unwanted vibrations; the foil layer reflects unwanted sound OverKill 36 sq ft - $43.13 (.468 lbs) - This is used to scatter the remaining vibrations that manages to pass through the Damplifier layer Luxury Liner 36 sq ft $99.98 (I used ~27 sq ft = 27 lbs) - Used to absorb the last remaining vibrations that pass through the OverKill layer Spray Adhesive 2 cans $23.94 - Used to attach Overkill & Luxury Liner Panel Popper - $9.34 - Used to pull out pin-type retainers and trim Wooden Hand Roller - $8.97 - Used to flatten Damplifier (saves your hands from cuts!) Rags & Denatured Alcoh. $2.00 - Used to clean metal
How long: * Over a period of a week, approximately ~30 hours total - cause I went slow & didn't know what I was doing!! ;) Don't expect to use your car while it's torn apart (of course)
How I did it ('07 Coupe) w/my very sweet & patient girlfriend's help :
1. I did both doors first; Taking off the door trim panels was straightforward - follow all the steps in http://www.swaaggs.com/documents/door_trim.pdf - After taking off the trim panel, I removed the plastic sheet that covered the metal & wires. I used this as a template for the deadener layers; - Expect to take hours on each door! Unfortunately it has lots of hills and valleys, so you'll end up cutting pieces to fit. - I used Damplifier+Overkill+Luxury Liner in the doors - it didn't really fit! There was so much material that the trim panels barely had any more room to attach back onto the doors. I managed to get it all on, but I don't recommend putting on Luxury Liner like I did. If I could do it over again, I'd use a double layer of Damplifier & a layer of Overkill on it instead. - Watch out for the valleys on the metal near the bottom of the door; there are two holes that looks like moisture/water drains, so I wouldn't cover them or the pathways. 2. READ AND UNDERSTAND the Airbag Safety instructions: http://www.swaaggs.com/documents/airbag_safety.pdf - then DISABLE the airbags!! (NOT OPTIONAL)
- Make sure you wait at LEAST a few minutes before attempting to remove your front seats. - If you're not confident on this part or on removing your airbag-equipped seats, don't do it - leave it to a professional! 3. Remove the front seats: http://www.swaaggs.com/documents/seat_completer&r.pdf & put them away into storage 4. Remove the floor console: http://www.swaaggs.com/documents/console.pdf - This is pretty straightforward too, just follow the steps. - Getting the floor console finish panel & floor console off might be a bit tricky since it has to go around the parking brake; it helps to pull the parking brake up as far as possible and take it slowly. - If you have a stick, just remove the shift lever bezel (item #1) then twist/rotate the top off. 5. Remove the rear seat cushion http://www.swaaggs.com/documents/rearseatr&r.pdf - this was pretty easy; it just pops off when the 2 retaining tabs under the cushions are pushed back. 6. Remove the rear seat backrest: http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/attachments/2005-mustang-gt-tech/33285d1190025819-2005-mustang-convert-rear-seat-rear-seat-backrest.pdf 7. Remove the trim from the trunk - Follow step 2 from http://www.classicdesignconcepts.com/tech_center/05-06_Mustang_sequential_taillight_kit%20TS.pdf to take off the rear panel - Remove the base board - Pop off the four tree-type retainers on the side trim pieces (two per side), and remove the side trim - Remove the spare tire & accessories 8. Remove the interior trim: http://www.swaaggs.com/documents/inttrim.pdf - The door scuff plate (item #2) just pulls off upwards; it's attached to the frame with some retaining clips & some adhesive. - I didn't remove the lower front seat safety belt anchor bolts (#6), I didn't have a Torx T45?/50? bit to get it off. However, the carpet on the driver's side can slide through it (sorta). - You'll definitely need a panel popper here! 9. Remove the headliner: http://www.swaaggs.com/documents/headliner.pdf - The overhead console pops off when you pull it straight down - I couldn't get the headliner electrical connector off (item #6), so I pulled everything else off, and let the headliner hang from the connector while I reached in over it and pasted on Damplifier.
Now for the fun part ...
10. On the passenger side under the dash, I used box cutters to cut the carpet in two places (under the center console). I didn't want to remove the center console just to get at the carpet, so I cut the carpet as close as possible to the center console, so when I put everything back together, it isn't noticeable that I made the cut. (The carpet is joined to the driver's side carpet under the console). 11. Pull back the carpet, or work underneath it (this was the hardest part for me!) 12. Wipe down all bare metal with a rag & denatured alcohol to remove as much dust & adhesive as possible before laying down deadener; 13. Paste on Damplifier to bare metal - I aimed for ~85% coverage, which meant I wasn't obsessive above covering EVERY square inch of bare metal. - From what I read (opinion?): ~20% coverage of bare metal = ~40% reduction in noise ~40% " " = ~60% " " ~80% " " = ~90% " " - I used Damplifier on the floorboard, rear seats, top of the rear shelf, trunk, roof, doors 14. In noise-prone areas (e.g. center driveshaft well), I pasted on two layers of Damplifier. 15. Using spray adhesive, paste on a layer of Overkill. - I used Overkill on the floorboards, over the center driveshaft well, top of the rear shelf, and doors 16. Using spray adhesive, paste on a layer of Luxury Liner. - I also used Luxury Liner on the floorboards, over the center driveshaft well, over wheel wells, and doors. 17. Ready to reassemble everything? Reverse the disassembly from steps 9 back to 3. - Make sure the rear seat belts & the latch are aligned properly along the sides and into the holes before securing the rear seat cushions back in.
Tips:
* Don't try to lay on large layers of material - you'll waste alot (you'll see what I mean!); cut it into manageable sizes (e.g. 1 ft x 1 ft squares). * You can use Damplifier (or equivalent) by itself; or layer Overkill on top of Damplifier. If you use something like Luxury Liner, you should layer it over Overkill. Metal->Damplifier (sticky side against metal)->Overkill (stuck to Damplifier w/spray adhesive)->Luxury Liner (foamy side stuck against Overkill w/spray adhesive). * Make sure the base layer (e.g. Damplifier or equivalent) is flatted against the metal as much as possible; pockets of air should be removed with a box cutter and flattened with a roller (don't cut up your hands on the foil!) * Spray adhesive has to be applied on both pieces you want to glue together permanently; spray it on & wait ~1 minute before attaching together. Make sure the spray adhesive you use can stand up to the temperatures found in your car during the summer heat (>200 deg F) - I used Second Skin Audio's adhesive; I hear that 3M's Super 90 (not 77) spray adhesive will also work. * After removing trim pieces, take note of where all the retainer clips & other attachments are, and mark the corresponding holes in the metal with a red marker - that way you'll know to not cover these holes with sound deadener; * Don't force out the trim panels or tree-style retainers too roughly; I damaged two trim panel clips this way; * Have plenty of antiseptic & bandages on hand! * Have ample space to put all your trim pieces & seats when you take them out; * Label & keep together all bolts, retainers, nuts, etc. for specific pieces (i.e. stick all the bolts & nuts for the front seat on clear tape & label it, for example). * Have plenty of light sources! I had a portable D-cell powered fluorescent lantern, which helped alot when looking at odd places. * I didn't put any deadening materials inside the trunk on the metal area that was right above the muffler, so I could hear *some* of the exhaust sound!
NOTE: DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK; YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE, ACCIDENTS, ETC. YOU CAUSE (OF COURSE!) ... THIS POST IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY!! :p
EDIT: I enlarged the type font to make it easier to read - 28HopUp
< Message edited by 28HopUp -- 3/8/2008 12:04:48 PM >
Wow!! What a wealth of information! Great info!! To attach photos just (don't use fast reply) click on the bottom left hand corner where it says Click here to upload! and you have the option of Embed picture in post you can click on that. When you click on that it will say select a file to upload and you can click on browse...after that it will say choose file and a box that says LOOK IN...just look in your photos you have on your computer in My Photos or Desktop or wherever then click open for whatever you want to attach then click ok. I hope that helps.
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08 Vista Blue GT Premium
“The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” General Douglas MacArthur
It's not as complicated as it seems - it just takes alot of time and attention to detail. Before this the only things I could do was to change the oil and filter
Damn fine Write up. +1 to you for a job well done... Pics would be nice of the before and during process.. You can also upload them to photo buck and just pot the links to the pics.
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2007 V6 silver - daily driver, Single Flows, Hurst short shift, K&N intake 2008 GT black- Toy, Basani X w/flows, Hurst short, K&N intake,
Drbobvs: I didn't bother with the inside of the outer doorskin - I didn't know how to get access to it besides putting my hand through the smallish access holes, and I was worried that the deadener stuff would start absorbing moisture (rust!!), which I didn't want. Besides, the three layers I put under the plastic sounded more than enough to me!
Printable Version
Wow! What a difference ... (Sound Deadening) - 
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RE: Wow! What a difference ... (Sound Deadening) - 
