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cookiemonster -> Wow! What a difference ... (Sound Deadening) (10/19/2007 3:39:59 PM)
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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
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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)
Instructions I Used:
* Door Trim: http://www.swaaggs.com/documents/door_trim.pdf
* Airbag safety: http://www.swaaggs.com/documents/airbag_safety.pdf
* Front seat removal: http://www.swaaggs.com/documents/seat_completer&r.pdf
* Floor console: http://www.swaaggs.com/documents/console.pdf
* Rear Seat Cushion: http://www.swaaggs.com/documents/rearseatr&r.pdf
* Rear Seat Backrest Removal: http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/attachments/2005-mustang-gt-tech/33285d1190025819-2005-mustang-convert-rear-seat-rear-seat-backrest.pdf
* Headliner: http://www.swaaggs.com/documents/headliner.pdf
* Interior Trim http://www.swaaggs.com/documents/inttrim.pdf
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 adhe
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