Old-school guy here. Would there be any benefit to spraying a layer of undercoating inside the wheel wheels? Quick and dirty, for sure, but maybe effective?
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Ear pain/Pressure help
- Thread starter justobuf
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- sound proofing
@ilovecoffee, I watched your YouTube video several times, really appreciate it.
I have been dealing with the air buffeting and rumbling noise since day one I got the car.
I tried 1/4 inch clear tube. It solved the highway air buffeting mostly. However, there is still rumbling and obvious wind noise on local street. No matter how I adjust the rubber stoppers, there is always visible room for the liftgate to move up/down slightly by normal push. Is my car special?
I may go for the PVC cap next.
I have been dealing with the air buffeting and rumbling noise since day one I got the car.
I tried 1/4 inch clear tube. It solved the highway air buffeting mostly. However, there is still rumbling and obvious wind noise on local street. No matter how I adjust the rubber stoppers, there is always visible room for the liftgate to move up/down slightly by normal push. Is my car special?
I may go for the PVC cap next.
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ilovecoffee
Member
Yeah it should be difficult to make movement with your hatch when it's closed with your body weight.
Are all your hatch stops gripping paper tightly? You could try rigid hatch stops next. If you've not done basic extra seals for wind noise (all over Amazon), it's also worth it.
1/4" tubing, is that the inner diameter? 5/16" I'd consider is the minimum effective outer diameter size.
I used 1/4" OD tubing. Tried 5/16" OD and noticed the larger gap from the panel. I also used the envelope method to make sure the hatch stops evenly and tightly. But I can push with normal weight to move the liftgate visibly.
I don't have a 3D printer, but I can refer to your 3D Printed Rigid Hatch Stops method together with @MY-Y's PVC Cap method. I plan to wrap a PVC cap around the rubber and leave 0.4mm nozzle. Extra seals for wind noise is also on the list.
Thank you again.
I tried to cut and sand PVC cap so that it can fit in the rubber tightly and touch the plastic bolt. I also made a 2mm washer so that I try out different length.
Which picture looks right? Pic 1 or Pic 2?
With PVC, the hatch definitely has very little room to move. Somehow I cannot get the desired result to reduce the rumbling noise on local street (35 mph). I have not tried highway yet. There must be something else. I will wait until SC looks at (and hopefully fix) the bowed (in the middle) liftgate glass to see that is also a source of noise and air buffeting.
Another thing about the envelope method. How tight should be the envelope? Cannot be pulled out, very tight to pull with two hands, or tight but can pull with one hand? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
After that, I will readjust the stoppers without PVC and then cut/sand PVC to put on. Plus extra seals for wind noise (from Amazon).
Pic 1: almost flat
Pic 2: 0.5mm nozzle
Which picture looks right? Pic 1 or Pic 2?
With PVC, the hatch definitely has very little room to move. Somehow I cannot get the desired result to reduce the rumbling noise on local street (35 mph). I have not tried highway yet. There must be something else. I will wait until SC looks at (and hopefully fix) the bowed (in the middle) liftgate glass to see that is also a source of noise and air buffeting.
Another thing about the envelope method. How tight should be the envelope? Cannot be pulled out, very tight to pull with two hands, or tight but can pull with one hand? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
After that, I will readjust the stoppers without PVC and then cut/sand PVC to put on. Plus extra seals for wind noise (from Amazon).
Pic 1: almost flat
Pic 2: 0.5mm nozzle
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After using 5/16" OD vinyl tubing, the trunk opens with a substantial THUNK like it's being popped open. Is this what you are experiencing on your car too? Just wondering if it's too tightly sprung because my left hatch stop is super tightly wedged despite me screwing it in all the way (ie there's no adjustments possible on the left side, and the envelope can't slide out even at lowest setting), where as the right side I have plenty of room to adjust.
I still cannot believe some people have to do this after paying $60k+ for car.. I still do not understand why Tesla can't fix it?
ZenRockGarden
Active Member
It doesn't affect all cars, and doesn't bother all customers. It's an optimization of how well sealed and snugged down the rear hatch is.
You want a horror story, try getting the folding hard-top on a $100k Mercedes SL to behave reliably
100k Mercedes out of my budget. hahahaIt doesn't affect all cars, and doesn't bother all customers. It's an optimization of how well sealed and snugged down the rear hatch is.
You want a horror story, try getting the folding hard-top on a $100k Mercedes SL to behave reliably
As of yesterday, I test drove the MY performance for the 4th or 5th time and I feel a sensation, almost like my ears need to be popped. Even in the showroom with the windows open, I feel that pressure in my ears for some reason. It cannot be the rear hatch with the windows closed right? The advisor thinks it has to do with the glass bouncing noise around.. I do not know what it is and I really enjoy the car but I don't know if I could fix it when I take delivery..
ilovecoffee
Member
The paper should NOT be removable.
I think either are fine. The rubber should theoretically compress a little once closed and then the rigid component will take over for any harsh bumps.
ilovecoffee
Member
Double check your middle stoppers are relatively even. Even my outer ones are have slight differences but nothing major. Maybe a few mm difference.
There should be a thud and pop with the latch. Don't worry about it. It may further settle in.
They should all make a folded paper unremovable.
I agree. I went to a showroom yesterday and spoke with someone in service who had shown me that everything is sealed so tight even the door on a new MY that I sat in was. I did Not feel the pressure, I turned off the vents and the radio and felt nothing! However I have test driven three or four other MY and have felt the ear pressure., I guess it depends on the actual car as others on the board have said they have not felt anything. I’m going back today for another test drive… I feel if I move forward and take delivery there will be a high possibility that I will have to deal with it using the fix that is on here. The service guy said add a blanket in the back seat and possibly a cover for the roof to help block the noise which I was going to do anyway. I really enjoy the car with the exception of this!
Some interesting observations that I made, from a 2021 vs 2022 model y (built fall of 2021), they now put hot melt on the wheel arches in the rear to further the noise but it still does not help with the boominess. I've used the vinyl tubing and the pvc hatch stops a few posts above and it seems to help a bit. I also removed the rear panels on the lift gate and stuffed some heavy dense foam behind the corner of the hatch stops to "absorb" the vibration. It's quieter but not buy a lot. I'm waiting on my parcel shelf but I don't feel like it may make a difference, if not I'll add foam on the bottom of the shelf. I still feel the vibrations come through the hatch and echo to the quarter panels
ilovecoffee
Member
Wait...are you back? I thought you sold your Model Y...or maybe I just forgot something somewhere along the way.
Go light if you add anything to the hatch. I tried butyl and foam. Not only did that area not really show any noise improvements, just a few sheets of butyl prevented the hatch from auto opening. Mine couldn't take much weight before it wouldn't open.
Data point,
Multiple layers of butyl (Noico 80 mil) like 4 layers and it dampened the boom but is still there when the sound is off. I put mass loaded vinyl on top of the wheel arch butyl followed by thick stall mat foam.
I found removing the pvc mount that I made similar to a few posts above made it less boomy and my unscientific guess is that the rubber helps absorb some of the vibration instead of the solid mount? Had the 5/16 vinyl tubing.
What I found that signficantly reduced it was when I had 4 bags of garden soil weighing the trunk down.
As for buffeting while there maybe some value to it, I don't think it's as big of a cause as it is made out to be. I mean, I'm driving slow over imperfections, not enough force to lift the tailgate up and down. I think it's definitely the poor design of the car where it echo through the quarter panels and glass roof.
Multiple layers of butyl (Noico 80 mil) like 4 layers and it dampened the boom but is still there when the sound is off. I put mass loaded vinyl on top of the wheel arch butyl followed by thick stall mat foam.
I found removing the pvc mount that I made similar to a few posts above made it less boomy and my unscientific guess is that the rubber helps absorb some of the vibration instead of the solid mount? Had the 5/16 vinyl tubing.
What I found that signficantly reduced it was when I had 4 bags of garden soil weighing the trunk down.
As for buffeting while there maybe some value to it, I don't think it's as big of a cause as it is made out to be. I mean, I'm driving slow over imperfections, not enough force to lift the tailgate up and down. I think it's definitely the poor design of the car where it echo through the quarter panels and glass roof.
Hint from Mercedes on how they reduced booming in the EQS SUV.
"Two acoustic dividers in the very large tailgate reduce booming noises. (**same as hatchback sedan) These could be caused by roadway excitations and are favoured by the large volume of the cabin including the luggage compartment. As in all Mercedes-Benz estate cars and SUVs, the tailgate's catch is decoupled."
I've heard/felt the pressure in heavier gas SUVs too (Macan, Jeep), but not so much in lighter ones (Forester, CX-5). Seems like weight is a factor. Also somewhat curious to try the vinyl tubing trick in a different hatchback that I own, though LF booming is 98% imperceptible. Is there any precedent for thicker weather stripping in other vehicles? Does the tubing noticeably eliminate flex on the hatchback, say if you lean your weight onto it from outside?
"Two acoustic dividers in the very large tailgate reduce booming noises. (**same as hatchback sedan) These could be caused by roadway excitations and are favoured by the large volume of the cabin including the luggage compartment. As in all Mercedes-Benz estate cars and SUVs, the tailgate's catch is decoupled."
I've heard/felt the pressure in heavier gas SUVs too (Macan, Jeep), but not so much in lighter ones (Forester, CX-5). Seems like weight is a factor. Also somewhat curious to try the vinyl tubing trick in a different hatchback that I own, though LF booming is 98% imperceptible. Is there any precedent for thicker weather stripping in other vehicles? Does the tubing noticeably eliminate flex on the hatchback, say if you lean your weight onto it from outside?
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I don't have ear pain or headaches, but I do feel that my 9/21 build Y AWD was pretty loud on rough roads. It's a definite boominess, like a drum being hit, and seemed like a lot of it came from the rear. Yesterday, I opened up the back to put 4 layers of 80 mil Kilmat over the rear wheel arches. I was surprised to see there was already a few small spots of sprayed on sound deadener there, along with a thick and heavy formed rubber mat laying over the wheels. It made me skeptical that this would help, but I did it anyway. I did not cover a huge area as it's a bit hard to reach way into the arches, but managed to press and roll about 10"x14" roughly per side, 4 layers thick. I applied the Kilmat directly to the metal arch and put the mats back in place over it. I did not have any foam cubes to be found like in the Munro videos.
After a quick test drive on some choppy roads with lots of frost heaves, I must say it helped a lot more than I thought. I'd say 75-80% of the bumps had much more of a "thud" sound than a more resonating boom or drum hit. I was pleased to hear that! Today, my second project was to slide in 5/16" vinyl tubing around the hatch seal. I lubed things up with spray silicone lube, and managed to go all the way around in 3 parts. I readjusted all the hatch stops to make solid contact and took it for another drive. There is a slight bit of extra body panel gap, and the latch makes a louder pop when opening, but it's hard to notice unless you're looking for that. I'd say that the firmer seal on the hatch tightened things up a bit more. On some bumps yesterday I thought it sounded like the hatch may have been rattling, making the sound over those bumps louder and more "booming". Today, it seemed like almost all of that is gone, and the sound is just more of a solid dull thump over bumps instead of sounding like a drum. Overall I'm pretty happy with the improvements!
After a quick test drive on some choppy roads with lots of frost heaves, I must say it helped a lot more than I thought. I'd say 75-80% of the bumps had much more of a "thud" sound than a more resonating boom or drum hit. I was pleased to hear that! Today, my second project was to slide in 5/16" vinyl tubing around the hatch seal. I lubed things up with spray silicone lube, and managed to go all the way around in 3 parts. I readjusted all the hatch stops to make solid contact and took it for another drive. There is a slight bit of extra body panel gap, and the latch makes a louder pop when opening, but it's hard to notice unless you're looking for that. I'd say that the firmer seal on the hatch tightened things up a bit more. On some bumps yesterday I thought it sounded like the hatch may have been rattling, making the sound over those bumps louder and more "booming". Today, it seemed like almost all of that is gone, and the sound is just more of a solid dull thump over bumps instead of sounding like a drum. Overall I'm pretty happy with the improvements!
ilovecoffee
Member
That's how I test my various mods, by pushing my weight into the door to see if I can move it. That being said I think I've done that on someone's Y I helped with only vinyl tubing (not rigid hatch stops) and it did seem much less movable.
