Noise Control (Sound Vibration Damping)

I still have not taken any more DB numbers. The roads and the weather has not been ideal for testing. I did end up doing the Vibration block and Sound block treatment on the rear hatch back. After doing the doors I started tapping on all the panels and the rear hatch was quite noisy. The rear quarter panels are on my to do list as well. I’m so happy with how the doors worked out I decided to move up the to do date on stage 2 (The floor to next week) I ordered all the material yesterday and it should be here next week.

 

Cascade Audio Engineering – Sound Damping and Sound Blocking – Anything Else is a Compromise

Ask for Paul: I have been talking with him. He knows what I have orderd.
You will need
1 Shop pack of the V-MAX This comes with 10 Sheets of the rubber
and aluminum vibration block (this will do the inside of all 4 doors and the hatch with a bit left over (1 sheet)

2 DK-1's That's the sound block material that covers the inside of the doors each kit has 4 sheet's of the "VB-2" it takes about 2 sheets to do each door.

the DK 1 kit also includes material that you use around the speakers

 

Ok I got some DB numbers

These are DB numbers with ONLY the doors done (Stage 1)

Sitting Still motor running 10 second recording's
Before: Min 60.1 Max 63.6
After: Min 51.2 Max 55.1

City Driving 35 MPH 10 second recording (recorded on the same stretch of road each time)
Before: Min 49.0 Max 84.6
After: Min Low Max 80.7

Freeway Driving 65 MPH 10 second recording (recorded on the same stretch of road each time)
Before: Min Low Max 88.9
After: Min 55.1 Max 86.1

All recordings I’m holding the Db meter in the same location so as not to transfer road noise threw the car and into the meter. I’m holding the meter in the center of the car (just over the arm rest) about ear level.

I don’t know why in some recordings I would get a LOW reading in the min portion of the recording. I don’t know how these numbers transfer into real world data. I’m not a sound engineer or scientist just a guy that wanted to see what I could do to make the car a bit more quite. I just took the numbers for my reference. I’m not promoting this company or this mod I’m just sharing what I’m doing, So I apologize in advance if my testing results are not “lab quality†I have done what I can to make sure the before and after tests are taken under the same conditions each time. I can tell you (stage 1) of my little project did make a difference to my ear. I didn’t need the DB to tell you the car is much more quiet. I do feel the greatest noise reduction will be in (Stage 2) the floor

 

MikeD; This is the door with the door panel off.

There is plenty of room to get to the back side of the door skin. You un-bolt that white piece of foam and then you have a pretty big place to put the material threw. Also the Speaker hole is another place you can get your hand into and threw. Even the place where the door handle is open is a place you can put your hand. So don't worry about access. You can see in the picture above the inner door panel is un treated and has nothing on it. Uuuuu I take that back there is 2 small pieces of factory sound damping material. Its a joke.

This is the door with the inner skin that has the Vmax on it.


This is the same opening that you see with the white foam on it but it has the V-max on it. This is the sticky material with rubber and aluminum sandwiched between it. This is the material that makes the door panel sound more dead. The rubber sticky sheet go's over the door panel and helps stop the road noise coming threw the door.

 

Topkick: Yes you have to drill out the rivets on the speakers. It's easy then I just replaced the rivets with bolts.
MikeD: Yea I know what your talking about. My wife has a IS 300. After rolling around in that all weekend and then jumping into the Prius was the reason I started this project. This car has so much potential to be super quiet.

 

Sorry I don't understand your question? Are you asking what thickness material should you buy? I was un aware that you had any choice. All the stuff I have seen is all around the same thickness.

Some material is used to stop the sheet metal like the floor or the door skin from vibrating and creating noise. This material is pretty much one thickness. The Second type of material is a Sound Blanket type of material. This material is used to either keep the noise from transfering into the car. They have sound blankets that mount under the hood or on the fire wall of the car. Im pretty sure these are the only sound dampining material that comes in diffrent thickness. The material you use on the doors and the floor are pretty much all the same thickness.

 

The V-block. (the stuff thats on the inside of the door skin) is Super Sticky. I don't see this stuff coming down anytime soon. When you peel off the backing Look out. It sticks to itself and anything it touches like crazy. I didnt need to roll it. I had a smooth plastic tool that would help smooth the material out.

 

This is my first sound damping project so, I can’t tell you if treating the whole floor is the most effective way to get the car as quiet as you can but it makes sense. I have been told (by the people selling product) that if you don't treat or cover the entire floor the sound migrates to the area where the floor is not treated. Seems or gaps in material have to overlap or sound comes right threw that area. The spare tire area in the Prius seems to be a place where sound ends up. You only have to lift up the cover to see their is noting back their to block noise
My material should be here soon. I’m excited to hear the change. I have a good feeling it's going to make a big difference.

I’m guessing all the material that ends up in my car is going to add about 50 pound's to the car.

 

I got some material today.
I decided to start with the trunk.

The interior comes apart very easy in about 10 mins it looked like this

I added the anti vibration material. This stuff is like Dyna-Matt

This is the Road noise block material. It's a rubber mat with a foam layer.
I decided to make a template out of paper and then I will lay the template on top of the rubber mat and cut it out and then glue it down. Here is the template.
After the trunk is done Im gonna un bolt the traction battery and treat the underside of the traction battery floor and the passenger compartment

 

SYNG: The interior comes apart super fast. Im guessing I could take EVERYTHING out of the car in 1 Hr. Im not done with the trunk so Im guessing it would take about 4 hrs to take apart and install 2 layers of sound damping. If they are only doing 1 layer of sound damping then 3 hrs.

Anybody have any tip's for removing the traction battery. I dont need or want to disconnect it. Just move it for a few mins and do the flooor under the battery and then put it back.