-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Sound deadening work begins next week: will report before and after data
- Thread starter artsci
- Start date
Picked my car today from Don Sambrook and Bert Miller. Don took photos every step of the way and as soon as he sends them to me I'll post a link. Bert and Don disassembled the entire interior, the trunk, the frunk, the doors, the lift gate, and the front roof liner. All resonant body panels were dampened and the floor, trunk, doors, and parts of the frunk were dampened and lined with closed cell foam and mass loaded vinyl. The front roof section was padded with 3M Thinsulate, as well as the cross trim in the pano roof. The real lift gate was also treated as well as some of the HVAC system channels, which Don felt were too resonant. Don also said the the small storage space in the frunk was especially resonant so he dampened that as well. Photos of the car interior dissembled were amazing to see. All of this added only 100 pounds to the weight of the car.
Don said that the sound deadening installed by Tesla during assembly isn't bad but it's far from state of the art. There are strategically placed dampeners and use of blue felt material over the rear wheel wells and a few other places but a number of areas are left unprotected.
Now for the results. When I drove away there was a immediately notable difference. Tire noise and resonances generated by road bumps are much lower. The car just seems to even more smooth over the road. In general the background lower-end resonances seems to be the biggest reduction. The car is noticeably quieter in almost every circumstance. My first 30 miles were on unfamiliar roads, but when I got on roads I drive every day the difference seemed even more dramatic. Better yet the Reus sound system sounds even better, with even deeper bass and greater clarity in the mid tones (the mass loaded vinyl and CLD tiles in the doors helps a great deal here).
In short, I could not be more pleased.
However, wind noise around the front of the car is not substantially reduced and it seems to be generated around the two a-pillars and small triangular glass, which I know have been a problem for Tesla (going to have my SC look as those) Ironically, with the background road noise substantially reduced by the sound deadening, the wind noise becomes more noticeable.
I'm going to take readings with the sound meter tomorrow and see what kind of differences there are. I expect to see something in the range of a 3 - 5db average reduction or more.
All this cost $1,900 including labor. A phenomenal bargain!
Don said that the sound deadening installed by Tesla during assembly isn't bad but it's far from state of the art. There are strategically placed dampeners and use of blue felt material over the rear wheel wells and a few other places but a number of areas are left unprotected.
Now for the results. When I drove away there was a immediately notable difference. Tire noise and resonances generated by road bumps are much lower. The car just seems to even more smooth over the road. In general the background lower-end resonances seems to be the biggest reduction. The car is noticeably quieter in almost every circumstance. My first 30 miles were on unfamiliar roads, but when I got on roads I drive every day the difference seemed even more dramatic. Better yet the Reus sound system sounds even better, with even deeper bass and greater clarity in the mid tones (the mass loaded vinyl and CLD tiles in the doors helps a great deal here).
In short, I could not be more pleased.
However, wind noise around the front of the car is not substantially reduced and it seems to be generated around the two a-pillars and small triangular glass, which I know have been a problem for Tesla (going to have my SC look as those) Ironically, with the background road noise substantially reduced by the sound deadening, the wind noise becomes more noticeable.
I'm going to take readings with the sound meter tomorrow and see what kind of differences there are. I expect to see something in the range of a 3 - 5db average reduction or more.
All this cost $1,900 including labor. A phenomenal bargain!
Last edited:
Forgive my ignorance CatB, but what's on the 20th?
- - - Updated - - -
Whoops
9/20 is the Reus install. Yes, I will be there. Cliff is upgrading my system with the latest Reus enhancements.
InTheShadows
Active Member
I think the Model S could use some sound deadening. I dint think it has very much. The car is so quiet that they were able to get away without using much material. However, I spend a lot of tine on the highways and big rigs are way louder in the MS than in our former Bimmers or our Golf.
It's also noticeable when parked and the audio system is on how easy it is to hear the music outside of the car. It's also easy to hear phone conversations outside the car while parked.
Don't even get me started on the HVAC system in our car that is louder than our Golf TDI. I call it embarrassingly loud.
Our kids also said the jump seats are pretty loud too.
I would like to do some sound work on our car. Very interested in seeing how your project turns out.
Thanks for sharing.
Wonder how long it would take them to do their 3rd or 4th MS. Could they do it in a day?
It's also noticeable when parked and the audio system is on how easy it is to hear the music outside of the car. It's also easy to hear phone conversations outside the car while parked.
Don't even get me started on the HVAC system in our car that is louder than our Golf TDI. I call it embarrassingly loud.
Our kids also said the jump seats are pretty loud too.
I would like to do some sound work on our car. Very interested in seeing how your project turns out.
Thanks for sharing.
Wonder how long it would take them to do their 3rd or 4th MS. Could they do it in a day?
Last edited:
This was four days of work. Given the extent of the job there's no way it could be done in a day. The pictures will show the extent or lack of the Tesla sound deadening.
Raffy.Roma
Rome (Italy)
SUPRKAR
Member
Rick..I am happy you are pleased with the results. When I finished soundproofing my car I was amazed with the fedility of the sound system and the quiet ride. I too noticed the wind noise. Tesla Queens replaced all four door weather strips and fussed with the triangle windows. It made a marked improveent however there is still some wind noise, quite annoying but we just can't isolate the cause. Now on to the next project, whatever that might be..............
Hi! Great thread, hope to see those pics.
Curious, did they mention 2-3 main areas of the car that they felt needed the sound reduction the most? I'd be up for some DIY work in a few areas, but definitely won't be taking the car apart to that extent.
You mentioned the frunk hole, that should be fairly easy to get at.
Thanks for any info!
-m
Curious, did they mention 2-3 main areas of the car that they felt needed the sound reduction the most? I'd be up for some DIY work in a few areas, but definitely won't be taking the car apart to that extent.
You mentioned the frunk hole, that should be fairly easy to get at.
Thanks for any info!
-m
green1
Active Member
Interesting thought... Would it make more sense to sound deaden the frunk, or put sound deadening between the cabin and the frunk? (I don't care how loud it is in the frunk, as long as it doesn't get in to the passenger compartment)
The frunk received the least amount of work but they did line the interior foot panels right up to the dash. Don thought more work could be done to the frunk and what surrounds it and I'm going to take him up on the offer. Good sound deadening addresses both the source (e.g. frunk resonances) and blocks them from entering the passenger compartment.
- - - Updated - - -
The trunk was a major source of noise and that's a good place to start. The doors were also a problem, as Tesla didn't do enough there.
I have the first before and after results. I'm not an expert and I'm not sure what all of this actually means but there are some sizable reductions in the readings.
I took a number of readings on other routes before the sound deadening work was done so I'll do some additional testing to see what I get. To be fair the readings can change based on weather and a variety of other unmanageable variables, but the readings confirm what I'm hearing -- a much quieter car.
I took a number of readings on other routes before the sound deadening work was done so I'll do some additional testing to see what I get. To be fair the readings can change based on weather and a variety of other unmanageable variables, but the readings confirm what I'm hearing -- a much quieter car.
| Before | After | |
| Date | 14-Aug | 9-Sep |
| Time | 6:23PM | 6:21 PM |
| Route | Office to home | Office to home |
| SOUND LEVEL METER | ||
| Average level dBA | 67 | 46.5 |
| Instant level aBA | 47.4 | 46.3 |
| Max Level dBA | 97.7 | 95.4 |
| Min level dBA | 34.1 | 6.1 |
| NOISE DOSIMETER | ||
| Projected DOSE | 6.99% | 1.33% |
| Projected TWA Level dBA | 70.8 | 58.9 |
| DOSE | 0.3979% | 0.0797% |
| TWA Level dBA | 50.1 | 38.5 |
| Elapsed Time | 0:27:19 | 0:28:39 |
Rick, I don't think the measurements are accurate. You indicate a min level dBA of 6.1. That reading is far, far, far lower than the best movie theaters, for example. The airflow from the HVAC in the car would likely result in a dBA reading in the 30's to 40's. Was the HVAC on in the before measurement and off in the after measurement?
That reading probably resulted when I stopped the car and turned everything off right before I emailed the results to myself. I'll take and post some others over the next few days.
Rick: The most dramatic difference is your 'minimum' numbers: Were these on the smoothest of roads that you travel? Your assessment is that the most notable difference is 25-50mph? over 55mph?
Thanks Al
Thanks Al
Similar threads
