I see a lot of forum posts about sound deadener ideas but didn't find anyone that went through with it. I just got my 2007 Prius back from the audio shop after sound deadener installation. I had them completely strip the interior and doors and install the sheets everywhere including. It definitely feels quieter inside, especially reduced engine noise through the firewall. There's still a lot of noise that comes through the wheels but I don't think you can do much about that except change tires. The road noise in general is muted and deeper. The sound deadener sheets used are mineral-filled vinyl from McMaster.com. I had them left over from another project. It took 9 sheets total. The only area they avoided was the battery. All photos are here since there are limitations to uploaded files: 22 Photos here: s1003.photobucket.com/albums/af156/tvanderbeek/Prius%20sound%20deadener/ Audio shop: maps.google.com/maps/place?um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=custom+audio+mountain+view+ca&fb=1&gl=us&hq=custom+audio&hnear=Mountain+View,+CA&cid=1837756075560574802 Used this material: mcmaster.com/#9709t26/=areq85]McMaster-Carr
Well, it wasn't cheap. The material is $25/sheet but I got it in trade from a friend who had it for an unrelated project. The price at the audio shop kept going up. I would have loved to install this material myself but I just couldn't make the time and didn't want to mess with the massive disassembly. It took the shop 1 week but they also tinted my windows. When I first discussed the project with them, they said $500-$600 for labor. When I took the car in, the final price of labor was $700 because the original quote didn't include the doors. It was more than I wanted to spend but I had the material and wanted to do this for a long time. It's not Mercedes quiet (I had one and it was extremely quiet inside; traded the Mercedes for the Prius and never looked back) but it's definitely better than stock. It's most noticeable at higher speeds on the freeway, especially on cruise control when the engine is quieter and the road is one of the quieter surfaces. Total labor and materials would come to $925 which seems like a lot now that I look at it. But I'm happy with the outcome so it was worth it to me.
With my sound system, I just turn it up as I get on the freeway. I can't hear much of anything besides the music at that point. The subs kinda overpower every noise.
Looks like the shop did a nice clean install. Given how much time goes into it (I know!) it's bound to be expensive. I've put a lot more material into my car and I agree, no noticeable change in MPG. - D
Thanks for the post with the pictures. There are actually a lot of post on "Sound Deadener" some with pictures and some not. Most can be found using the search and keyword "Dynamat". Although it is a really old thread here is the one I used as reference for my installation in 2008. http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...-extreme-installation-finally-competed-4.html Happy driving, Chris
Looking at the photos again, that McMaster-Carr product looks like Cascade Audio's VB-2 "Vinyl Vibration Damping Material" - different than the aluminum backed butyl CLD products like Dynamat and Second Skin's Damplifier. Cascade suggests heating theirs as you install. I used some in my car and liked the results, but working with the heat got old fast! Nice thing about the VB-2 as compared to the butyl products is that it doesn't weigh a whole lot. I think if I had my project to do over again I'd use a little bit of Second Skin Damplifier Pro (butyl) on the outer door sheet metal, then treat the inner door skin similar to yours, with VB-2 like they show here: How to install VB-2 by Cascade Audio Engineering This all makes the car less "tin can" like but doesn't do much to block out road noise. For that you need a barrier product, usually Mass Loaded Vinyl with a foam layer attached. Difficult to install well and heavy at 1lb/sqft. I'm still not convinced my efforts with MLV were effective. Lots of info here though, explains it all well: Sound Deadener Showdown - Your Source for Sound Deadening Products and Information - D
