richmod

I've been thinking about Dynamat/Damplifier/etc to reduce some of the road noise/gear whine/ etc, but didn't want to invest a bunch of money and time if it didn't make a significant difference. I'm not lookng for Lexus quiet, just some noise reduction. Did some web research and noticed that polyurethane foam is a good sound absorber.

So, bought some 100% polyurethane mattress foam at Walmart - two twin size pads were 20 bucks. laid then down quickly in my trunk - didn't even lift the trunk liner, just laid it on top of it, and stuffed some against the back of the back seats (the part that you can see in the trunk).

Results - significant noise reduction. So much so that most of the road noise semms to have shifted andI now hear it mostly from the front of the car.I expect the result will be even better if/whenI put some foam under the interior rear trim which is directly in front of the wheel well, as well as under the rear seat. The amount of foam I bought should be just enough to do the these areas and the trunk. Not bad for $20.

So the question is - is there some drawback to using this stuff instead of Dynamat or Damplifier? I'm sure they would be even better, but if i'm happy with the level of reduction with the foam, is it okay to use permanently?

northy_polk

hmmm, if you're not going for HEAT barrier as well i'd just be worried about the stuff not sticking properly.good idea though! if it works, why not use it??? i'd prefer the heat/sound barrier stuff, but that's cause i HATE being hot in the car.

Aziraphale

As long as you don't put it near anything hot or moving I don't really see a problem with it. You may want to hide the stuff in the trunk though just for the eye-sore factor but if you don't care, go with it.

Having come from a Jeep Cherokee, I don't notice a lot of the road noise because my jeep was soo loud but one thing I really notice is the sound of water on the rear wheels when it rains. I keep glancing back cause it sounds like a door is cracked open and water is coming in!

richmod

Just going for noise reduction, not temperature. Not even gonna adhere it, just gonna stuff it behind trim, under trunk liner, etc. It won' t be seen. Approx. 20 square feet was $10. Same amount of Damplifier is $52. Dynamat even more.

maniacmikey

The only thing I would worry about is it growning mold if it gets wet.

moe07

ice and water seal at home depot will work as well i think.

Nixtang

Sounds like a good alternative. However, I'm going to go for "Lexus-quiet" feel in my ride. I just purchased about90 poundsof sound deadening material from Second Skin Audio (80 sq feet of Damplifier Pro, 20 sq feet of Damplifier, 3 gallons of Spectrum, 3 sheets of Rattle Pad, 4 sheets of Overkill Pro and 3 cans of adhesive). It adds weight, but I figure a supercharger (and a weight loss program) will more than make up for it.

If anyone is interested in learning more about the various products available to use for sound deadening, I've attached a very helpful link to help you with your decision:

http://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com/

Nick

richmod

Good point. Hopefully, won't be an issue since it won't be in any areas exposed to water (I don't put anything wet in the trunk).