Cheap Sound Deadening/Insulating/Fire Retardant Mod for the Cargo Area

[BlueCrush]

It provides sound deadening, insulation for the interior and is a fire retardant. The insulation compresses down to about 1/16" and best of all, I can easily remove it if I need to. I just thought I'd share this cheap and easy mod with everyone. Enjoy! Material Cost = $17Install Time = 1 hourNot Not hearing road noise from the rear wheels and cargo area = Priceless!

[Kari]

What are you storing in there that it needs to be fire retardant? LOL

[BlueCrush]

So, when you get rear ended and the gas tank explodes you will have 1-2 more seconds before the flames reach you. Ha, Ha! That's just what the package said so I added it. lol.

[kostby]

Quote, originally posted by BlueCrush »Material Cost = $17Install Time = 1 hourNot hearing road noise from the rear wheels and cargo area = Priceless! There IS another, uh, 'alternative'... Ear plugs $4.00Install Time = 5 secondsNot hearing screams/complaints from the passenger(s) or road noise from the rear wheels and cargo area = Priceless!

[zionzr2]

Quote, originally posted by kostby »There IS another, uh, 'alternative'... Ear plugs $4.00Install Time = 5 secondsNot hearing screams/complaints from the passenger(s) or road noise from the rear wheels and cargo area = Priceless!Not hearing that fire-engine screaming towards you, big mistake!!

[zionzr2]

Killing road niose with that stuff sounds like a great idea!! esp. with some of the roads i was on last week. Sounded like a little kid's ray gun.

[Ponyota]

Quote, originally posted by BlueCrush »It provides sound deadening, insulation for the interior and is a fire retardant. The insulation compresses down to about 1/16" and best of all, I can easily remove it if I need to. I just thought I'd share this cheap and easy mod with everyone. Enjoy! Material Cost = $17Install Time = 1 hourNot Not hearing road noise from the rear wheels and cargo area = Priceless! So how well does it work? I think it's a great idea!

[BlueCrush]

Thanks. It has cut the road noise down coming from that cargo area by about half, from what I can tell. I think it has helped a lot. I can still hear it somewhat on the freeway(much better than before though) but it has really cut down the city driving road noise.

[Ponyota]

I might just try this myself. I was thinking inside the doors might be a good idea to!

[BlueCrush]

Yeah, I was thinking about doing that too but I didn't feel like tearing the car apart. This is good enough for my ears.

[Baltovibe]

Wondering if any condensation (moisture) problems might occur, especially in winter?

[BlueCrush]

Why would there be condensation?

[Baltovibe]

Not sure if there would be any moisture problems. But, you are using an insulator that has a vapor barrier, so in temperature differences (where the inside of the car gets warm but the spare tire well keeps cold), it might trap any condensation from escaping. You do have the vapor barrier facing the warmer side, which is the proper way of installation when insulating a home.Best way to know for sure, is to check it in a couple of days and see if the insulation is damp. And even if it is, not sure if that would bother anything, other than possibly rusting out the well in a few years.

[BlueCrush]

The insulation just sitting in there and not sealed off to allow for any evaporation out the sides. Also there are holes cut in the spare tire well for the raised rubber pieces that the tire sits on. I always have the HVAC set on venting air in from the outside so it shouldn't be a problem. But I was planning on keeping an eye one it for that very reason regardless.

[gnnr]

How do you think your solution compares to http://www.stockinteriors.com/...=4783I have put this in doors and on the floor of cars before and it really works quite well. Not so much on the firewall though... a better solution is http://www.crutchfield.com/S-r...namat though I haven't used it.

[BlueCrush]

Those seem like they would be easier to work with and have a rubber type compound that would probably do a better job of sound proofing than just the insulation that I have. But, mine's cheaper!

[idontknowwhatimdoing]

Two Words.......Ice GuardBuy it from home depot for about $70 a roll...which is 100 feet long X 40 or so inches wide. It is IDENTICAL to dynamat and even has the adhesive backing for application...It works REALLY well.

[gnnr]

This stuff? : http://www.jm.com/roofing_syst...0.pdf

[idontknowwhatimdoing]

Yep...that is the stuff...works GREAT!!! I thought it was 100 feet or so, but it is 67 feet. Still a great deal in comparison

[gnnr]

That stuff is asphalt based... how is it on interior odor in hot weather?I am probably going to insulate as much as I can... inside the doors, firewall and floor pan under seats, in the wheel well, probably remove the back side interior panels and gate panels and do that too.

[idontknowwhatimdoing]

Good point...you have to let the ice guard "flash off" after you install it...then no worries at all.

[gnnr]

Never used an asphalt based one, but given the extent of the space I need to cover inside... what is 'flash off'?

[idontknowwhatimdoing]

Quote, originally posted by gnnr »Never used an asphalt based one, but given the extent of the space I need to cover inside... what is 'flash off'? There are vapors that "flash off" during the adhesion process...24 hours without replacing the panels/carpet usually does it...this allows vapors with odors to leave the cabin area and not get trapped in the car.

[binary]

I always thought dynamat was overpriced... that pretty much proves it. Back on topic - great idea BC! I got my Friday afternoon planned to install that too!I would also think this would help reduce the interior temp when driving on sun baked highways and roads... it seems the trunk area gets cookin' on my commute.Won't help as much as tinting the winders... but every bit helps.

[binary]

Not to hijack this thread - but using your instructions and taking it one step further - I did this project last Friday.I removed the entire trunk interior panels and went window to window with insulation.I used spray adhesive to attach to the rear side body panels, and carried the insulation up to the underside of the rear seats.After insulation -----

[BlueCrush]

Looks good! Have you noticed a difference with doing the rear side panels? I am considering doing the rear side panels this spring also.

[binary]

Quote, originally posted by BlueCrush »Looks good! Have you noticed a difference with doing the rear side panels? I am considering doing the rear side panels this spring also.Yeah, there is a noticeable difference from in back - overall just not as much as I was hoping. But really I would need to do the two front doors to get rid of the road noise that pesters me most... the thin sheet metal in the doors is acoustically transparent... The panels all fit back great. I had to punch holes in the insulation to allow the bolts to fasten down again, but everything is tight and solid - no rattles or squeeks.I'm not sorry I did it, and I considered it a success - however, I should have started on the doors - but I'm afraid of popping the door panels off, I just know I'm going to snap a clip or something.

[zionzr2]

Looks great Binary!!I do believe this will be my next project...off to the hardware store tomorrow and then to find a nice day to perform the mod.

[LUVROK]

Quote, originally posted by binary »...I should have started on the doors - but I'm afraid of popping the door panels off, I just know I'm going to snap a clip or something. I am spending this weekend installing some Polk components speakers up front and some Polk 6.5's in the rear. I have less than 1k miles on my Vibe and was worried about removign the door panels also.It is cake. All you should need is a phillips screwdriver, a small jewelers flat head/slotted screw driver and a window crank remover ($5 at Advance Auto Parts) if you don't have power windows like me.I couldn't find a trim panel remover so I used my bare hands instead. Use the small slotted screwdriver to flip open the cap behind the interior door latch. There is a phillips screw there. Then the 2nd phillips screw is in the interior door handle. Remove the screw and pull the handle up vertically. If manual windows use the window crank tool to remove the spring clip. The clip only goes on one way, the tool is fed from the roller end towards the regulator/pivot point. The handle slides off. I don't know about power windows. The sail panels up front (tweeters in moon and tunes, or cover for side view mirrors) are popped out by hand by gently lfting up on the botton and then pulling the whole thing towards you. Without tweets there is one press in clip up top and one cast leg in the bottom that fits behind an indentation or sheet metal pleat. The main door panels are removed by just feeling for the slightly open area at the lower rear corner of all 4 doors and pulling straight out. A couple of clips will come undone with one pull and the remaining clips come out easily by working your way around pulling the sides of the panel. Then lift the panel off. Done.Back to determining where I want to mount the tweeters Back on topic...great idea! I may try this out today. How many square feet do you get for $17? Enough to do the doors also? I'd like to stay away from the asphalt based method.

[binary]

Thanks for the info! That's good to know having power windows actually makes something easier. $17 gave me enough to complete the back cargo area - and that's it.I'd probably start with another two or three rolls - and expect to make one more trip to buy just enough to finish.Until I actually complete two doors, I won't know how much I'll need.Still haven't decided if I want to do this to the doors yet...

[NewNeptune]

Hey, can you guys please update your pictures? I'm thinking of doing something to reduce the noise and this might be the way to go, but I'm a visual person. Thanks!