I have a 2006 Ford E-450 that was used as a school bus. My goal is to make it more of a summer road trip cruiser for the family. I'm not worried about plumbing or heating, it will have a bed and then just chairs.
My current concern is regarding how loud it is back there. I'm open to adding insulation, but am wondering how effective it will be at reducing sound. I'm looking specifically at the floor and walls.
Right now it is just a big open space and very loud. Once the chairs and bed are added it will help. We also have some windows that are rattling and we'll fix that.
Please let me know your thoughts on how effective the insulation will be at sound deadening on the floor and walls and what type of insulation.
the more you do the better it'll be.
i used some dyno-mat like products available at the local bigbox. i wish i had done more, earlier in my build.
i'd cover all the wheelwells, firewall, and dog house. small bits of the stuff helps quiet big panels from any rattles.
i think the stuff at the store was peel and stick roof flashing material, like an asphalt/rubber tape.
So, I get on this interweb thing and I see a guy wanting to drive around in a school bus and wanting to sound deaden it....
Quit picking up screamers!
It puts the lotion in the basket or it gets the hose...
__________________
I once complained I had no shoes....
Until I met a man with no feet
I have a 2006 Ford E-450 that was used as a school bus. My goal is to make it more of a summer road trip cruiser for the family. I'm not worried about plumbing or heating, it will have a bed and then just chairs.
My current concern is regarding how loud it is back there. I'm open to adding insulation, but am wondering how effective it will be at reducing sound. I'm looking specifically at the floor and walls.
Right now it is just a big open space and very loud. Once the chairs and bed are added it will help. We also have some windows that are rattling and we'll fix that.
Please let me know your thoughts on how effective the insulation will be at sound deadening on the floor and walls and what type of insulation.
If that's got the 6.0 diesel, I'd spend all my money "bulletproofing" the engine before spending money on the bus.
Empty stripped out buses are echo chambers for sure. As you build in your furniture it will naturally become quieter. In general, use "soft" surfaces like carpeting instead of "hard" reflective surfaces like plywood and steel to cut down on the interior noise. Several of us here have glued thin exterior carpeting to ceilings and walls to absorb some of the racket (and it looks nice too).
You can add Peel-and-Seal or Dynamat to the steel body near the engine compartment to dampen down the diesel rattle. Peel and Seal works best on floors. In hot weather it tends to peel off walls and ceilings.
I considered the Ice and Water Shield meant for use under flat and low pitch roofs on the floor of my bus, but read that it puts off a heavy asphalt smell. I thought it would be good at deadening the sound as well as sealing the seat holes to keep out water. Has anyone used this?