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Old 03-28-2008, 09:12 PM   #1
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Soundproofing - quieting the cabin

Anyone else have a 7.3l diesel motor in their skoolie?? well i do, and it is LOUD. the firewall is paper-thin and it just doesnt cut the engine noise like a skoolie should. i want to put speakers and a stereo in it, but until i cut down the road noise their is no point.

other than expensive dynamat, what can i do to soundproof the inside of the bus? i was thinking using old egg cartons. just kidding. but could i use some cheap foam spray? carpeting? any ever done this before?

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Old 04-02-2008, 02:56 PM   #2
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Re: soundproofing/quieting the cabin

I have been wondering the same thing. About half of the factory insulation on the inside of my engine cover(TC2000) is missing and I think I want to redo it better than the factory did. Would really like to see how they did the engine cover insulation on the FE Wanderlodges. I have a section of dynamat that is stapled to the inside of a closet door in the garage, I need to peel it off and look at it closer. I'm wondering if there is comparable flame retardant material available by the the yard at MacMaster Carr.

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Old 04-07-2008, 10:32 PM   #3
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Re: soundproofing/quieting the cabin

On mine I pushed carpet and padding up on the firewall. It seems to help but when I decide to open the right side window or jackknife door it does make it harder to hear the radio unless it is at full level. My speakers are in the front panel above my head.
I'd say the more you stuff at the firewall the better results you will get. I did get my padding for free and the throw away carpet on top. I think it was removed from a house cause someone didn't like the color. This stuff use to look new.

Don't the Wanderlodges also carpet most of the inside too to help deaden the sound. Carpet really does help kill the sound and gives a little insulating too.
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Old 04-08-2008, 08:05 PM   #4
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Re: soundproofing/quieting the cabin

I have the 7.3 , yes it is loud ,I found this stuff called Rattle Trap..Its better than dyna mat and a whole lot cheaper..
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Old 04-08-2008, 08:11 PM   #5
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Re: soundproofing/quieting the cabin

Some cover the down pipe with an exhaust wrap. Have never done mine, but some say it really helps on other boards.
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Old 04-27-2008, 02:30 PM   #6
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Re: soundproofing/quieting the cabin

i recently came across a large amount of free carpet padding. i will soon take apart the front of the bus and secure the padding everywhere i can. in places i will use dynamat but not everywhere because dynamat is not cheap. i think the carpet padding will work fine if i glue it down, and use it EVERYWHERE. i even bought a $5 can of spray foam to see how well that works. pics to come.....
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Old 07-08-2010, 10:55 PM   #7
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Re: soundproofing/quieting the cabin

I was looking at a similar product for use as a headliner for my bus. I wonder how expensive the Bondedlogic stuff is for a roll. I was quoted $155 for a 4x125 ft roll of similar stuff. I do like the backing on this better...I might have to contact the company as well. Thanks for the link!

Ben.
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Old 12-28-2014, 11:03 AM   #8
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has any one tried rock wool sound deading inslation it is about 2 inch thick and is fire proof
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Old 12-29-2014, 05:04 AM   #9
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closed cell foam is going to perform the best. That's what dynamat is made of.
Look for a cheaper/generic version of that.
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Old 12-29-2014, 09:35 AM   #10
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I used carpet to cover the firewall and floor under the drivers seat, I also covered my stair well with a cover and that makes a big difference in for noise, wife and i can talk to each other almost in a normal voice.
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Old 12-29-2014, 09:44 AM   #11
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The stairwell really is NOISY!
I'm going to undercoat mine then make a cover as mentioned above.
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Old 01-01-2015, 06:34 AM   #12
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I have put peel and seal from Lowes on parts of fire wall (kinda like dynamat)

I insulated stairwell that helped, I need to make an engine cover, right now my intake is so loud its not funny, the intake for filter is beside the plastic ducting for front heater, definitely loud!!!
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Old 01-28-2015, 06:47 AM   #13
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Hey everyone!
I hear (no pun intended) soundproofing is a bit of a stigma on several different model skoolie .

I read on this thread that closed cell insulation would be the best noise reducing material. After a quick googling, it looks like that is what "great stuff" is, just in single component, and not two components like the pro kit .
Is this the general consensus?

I'm all for it, as online you can find 24 packs of great stuff for $100 or little more...
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Old 01-28-2015, 07:22 AM   #14
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The problem with buying and applying that much great stuff is that it isn't very easy to work with in the cans. Great for cracks and crevices, not so much for spraying areas.
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Old 01-28-2015, 08:04 AM   #15
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I found that by reducing the cause of some sounds, things got quieter inside. I went thru the engine compartment and looked for anything that might squeak or rub metal to metal while on the road. The two rods that run to support the top of the fender splash guard are attached thru a bracket that allows them to rub, I sprayed 6in1 oil on places like the hood hinge pins. That and sealing any wire/hose access holes to the cab, really helped. Now, my plan is to use some of the seatback foam on the cab side of the firewall. It is already much quieter.
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Old 01-28-2015, 10:45 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skoolie_n00bie View Post
... closed cell insulation would be the best noise reducing material...
I think for the purposes you are interested in, the type of "closed cell" foam that might work for you would be the kind they make sleeping bag pads out of. They are amazing at keeping the cold at bay. I have one on the floor right now to cut the cold. When temps are staying at freezing or below, my floor is cold. It cuts the cold so much that one of my kids (who freezes even in summer) could sit on the floor and temps were dropping into single digits.

I bought some 28" x 72" sleeping bag pads from Wal-Mart. One was $8 (14 sf= about $0.57/sf) and one was $15 ($1.07/sf). The more expensive one is what my kid was sitting on. I have a piece of the cheaper one in front of the shower that I put my shower floor towel on (it soaks up the water when I step out of the shower). Breaks the cold as well as the more expensive pad. It's not as soft and cushy though. Works so well that I'm thinking of using it (the cheaper $8 one) in the stairwell and (the softer $15 one) on the exterior of the engine cover. The softer pad will also become liners for my rugs. At 6 ft, the soft pad runs the length of the salon and will do the same in the galley. I'm going to make a machine washable envelope style "rug" for each of the pads (I bought a new sewing machine). Soft pad with soft rugs.

I will glue the $8 pad to the metal sides and steps then cover the foam with a hard material (probably the same flooring material I put on the walls plus I need to use some PVC wood to attach the hard material to the metal... thermal break that won't rot). For the engine cover, I will use regular engine liner and put the softer, more flexible $15 pad on the exterior of the engine cover, using either spray glue or contact cement to stick it down, then glue a vinyl over the foam. That's my thoughts right now. I may find something better/affordable or not.

Upside to the sleeping bag foam is I can just buy a couple pads at a time at the local Wal-Mart. I don't have to worry about ordering too much or too little. If I come up a little short, Wal-Mart is just 7 miles away.

Flooring on the walls and sleeping bag pads on the engine. What a combination. Works for me and that's all that matters. This may or may not be the best solution. But since I no longer sleep much, I just lay awake thinking and thinking of things to do on the bus is less emotional and more productive.
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Old 01-28-2015, 02:32 PM   #17
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Lorna is right, in the wrong type of foam thing

the great stuff is not insulating foam, plus it is a mess to work with, it dries hard and sounds hollow when tapped

like I said before on my flat nose most of the noise comes from the intake and exhaust, the peel and seal helped with flat metal panel harmonics, foam padding and carpet are you friends, the ceiling can reflect alot of noise also
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Old 01-29-2015, 02:10 PM   #18
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My parents made do a lot of the time when we were younger. We used a camper that did not quite fit the Ford F250 long bed pickup they put it on. In order to do some plugging of holes created from the inside of the camper shell, they used Great stuff. The inside of that camper was permanently altered and looked like trails of snot and my mom cussed that stuff as it just kept growing. We just rode our bicycles around the yard and giggled at her tying not to let her know we were listening. We watched her trim that stuff back with a hacksaw after it was dry, and then laughed at her as adults when she tried to use it to patch some separation in a shed. She was still not amused when her results brought a new stream of cuss words.
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