Sound proofing, is it worth the money and time?

[86M10086.2L]

Plain and simple as the title implies. For those who have done it or know someone who has. Was the expense/effort required in sound insulating a M1009 worth it in the end? I know how I can do it. Carpeting, dynomat or the like, bed liner etc... But did it do enough? I'm not looking to reinvent the wheel here. I knew what this truck was when I got it. And what it will never be. That's the main reason I got it. If I wanted a modern, soft SUV I would have bought one. I just want to take the edge off, have a conversation and have the recipient hear me without yelling. Maybe even listen to music or the radio without the volume all the way up.

 

[cucvrus]

NO

 

[86M10086.2L]

Honest and straight forward, I like it.

 

[cucvrus]

I have my M1009 sprayed in Line X. I have cloth seats and it is no more then a tin box. It has horrible acoustics and it is really just noise. Led Zeppelin /Pearl Jam/Pink Floyd sound good but i really like them. They sound much better in my modern softer 2014 Silverado. I do get better sound with a BOSE portable XM unit. But it is still just not ear pleasing. The vehicle was just not made for that.

 

[Hasdrubal]

Although I lined the floor with a thick rock-guard. I also used a marine type carpeting, comes in a roll, cut to fit, has an adhesive backing on one side and carpet on top, its 1/4 " neoprene like material, does a good job of sound deadening and doesn't get moldy or stink if it gets wet. Also, the civvy intake muffler cuts down on the drone. Hood sound deadener would be another thing to do.

 

[cucvrus]

My point is these trucks are not made or designed for a decent sound system. Any carpeting or floor covering is a rust haven in these old trucks. I like the Line X because it works. i have had it for 11 years in one of my trucks and it is easy to wash and clean. It also seals rust and prevents the need to fuss over scratches under rubber mats and it holds no moisture below its surface. The surface is 100 % impregnable by water /gasoline from the top side. Granted i could gouge in there and put a tear in it. But that could be done with just about anything. And any tears or adhesion issues are warranted. I had steel gouge the surface of a truck bed and they repaired it no questions asked.

 

[nyoffroad]

For once I disagree with cucvus! I say yes, I did mine starting with a spray on bed liner, followed that with carpet and a rubber mat. That made a BIG difference, I also installed a OEM hood blanket. You wouldn't believe how much just the blanket helped. I've yet to install anything in the doors, I'm thinking about cleaning them real well and using Q-mat type stick on or just bed liner to take out the 'tinnyness'. If you could find one of the OEM firewall sound liners that came on the civvie 6.2 trucks you'd be golden! I had one on my civvie truck and with the rest of the Silverado package it kept the truck just as quiet as a gas job.
Almost forgot, good weather strips help cut the road noise too.

 

[cucvrus]

That is OK you can disagree. I am not offended. I just would not spend $600.+ on Line X and then put carpeting and noise deadener on top of the Line Xed floor. That will be pushing the limits of these leaky old trucks. If it is going to rust you are giving it every opportunity to begin and go un-noticed. That could stay wet under there forever without being noticeable. Do you carpet the steel cab ceiling and fiberglass roof area also? Sure they have a radio and i have a decent Sony in mine but it just is that a loud place to talk and the sound quality is poor from a good radio while driving at highway speed. I often said this as a sales pitch. These CUCV's are just what they were built for 30 + years ago. Tough, rugged , general purpose vehicles. They were not intended to be pimped , plush and posh. That is why I like them. I have a Cadillac and a nice pick-up if i want comfort. For reliability in the bad bush the CUCV is the best vehicle i have ever owned. Comfort and fit. Not even close.

 

[kenet3621]

I did the cab of my M1079 with GTMAT and I am very pleased. Did not take long, was simple to install and a huge difference since the engine is underneath the seats!

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?147122-LMTV-Upgrades/page5

 

[deuceman51]

After fixing any rust issues and then painting the tub, I used a first layer of butyl rubber sound deadening material, and then a secondary 1/4" layer of sound deadener, followed by a floor mat material "carpet kit" from LMC. The sound deadening material was from a company called second skin audio. Amazing stuff and my CUCV is quiet enough to have a regular conversation in. The difference was amazing! I also cut out MDF plywood to fit over the wheel wheels and box out the rear and wrapped that in marine carpet. I was able to mount my speakers, amp, and sub woofer in that. The sound quality is very good and my M1009 is very pleasant to drive now. I still have to undercoat the bottom of the vehicle to further dampen the sound and protect against rocks. I honestly am extremely happy with the sound level reduction. I spent probably close to $1K in the deadening material and interior kit, but it was well worth it. I also put the deadening material in the doors. It really does make a difference.

 

[Hasdrubal]

These trucks are not made or designed for a decent sound system" and "the sound quality is poor from a good radio while driving at highway speed."

I disagree. My system sounds great regardless of speed. If I wanted to, I could turn it up so loud you could hear it coming a block away, the occupants would go deaf withought hearing protection, wouldn't even notice the engine sound. I don't listen to the radio, have a USB Kenwood, can't stand commercials and listening to the same songs 10 times a day. As for being designed for it, what? Its a box for carrying people and stuff, like any car or SUV, albeit without the full interior lining. With an amp and the woofers in a decent sized speaker box, its a full on Led Zeppelin concert in there.

 

[cucvrus]

That's OK I have a basic CUCV M1009. It has very little in the way of creature comfort. I don't expect to hear a symphony sound in it. I don't expect to ride in complete comfort. The engine is noisy and the body is dented and rusty at places. Everything works as intended. It breaks down on occasion due to age and design. I fix it and move on. It stinks in the morning when you start it and smokes like a chimney on cold mornings. Everything works and I like it that way. But I would not change anything about it because it is a survivor. At 32 years old it has surpassed the general life expectancy of other vehicle 2 fold. I never did and never will try to make it anything else then what it is. Basic utility truck. It just don't make financial sense or increase its value in any way. You can spend a million dollars on one and it will never be worth more then a few thousand dollars. It will still be rusting everyday and need occasional repairs. That is why I keep mine simple and bare bones as possible. It is the nostalgia of the vehicle. Each dent scratch and patch adds to the patina and nostalgia. Still going and going. You gotta love it for what it is. Simplicity.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

My point is these trucks are not made or designed for a decent sound system.

It's exactly the same as the civvy version, minus the sound deadening and stereo system. Add those and you've got the same thing.

Any carpeting or floor covering is a rust haven in these old trucks.

Can't argue with that!

 

[cpf240]

After reading many posts on this site on this topic, my plan is to get the under-hood insulation, then when I can afford it, to spray the interior of the cab with some form of bedliner. The bedliner may help with noise, but i'm doing it more to seal the floor. If I really get into it, then I might use the sticky roofing mat from the big box hardware stores that I read about on here, and put it inside the doors. I don't expect it to match the 2011 Ram out on the driveway, but it would be nice to be able to have a conversation in the truck, when it is running, without having to raise my voice so much.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Start with the underhood sound blanket. it won't break the bank and gives you a fair comparison to nothing so you can evaluate if you want to move fwd.

 

[AECS]

I plumbed my intake to the knock out in the front grill, made a huge difference.

 

[sschaefer3]

I did carpet and a pad, a headliner and finally a hood insulation pad. The hood pad did the most. This is an M1008 cab. it is still loud, but not super loud anymore.

 

[ODFever]

I have acutely sensitive hearing. Loud noise causes excruciating headaches. I installed the insulation blanket on my hood. I installed a cold air intake, and ran it next to the radiator. I used a piece of 4" aluminum flex dryer vent line, and secured it to the air intake with 4 zip ties. I put a piece of Harbor Freight anti-fatigue mat on each of the front floorboards, and covered the front floor with residential carpeting. I cut a piece of carpet to fit the rear floor and cargo area. I spent about $50 total. All of these inexpensive enhancements made a major improvement in the comfort of my CUCV. The carpet was excess from having my house carpeted. The anti-fatigue mats were about to find their way into a trash can. The dryer vent line was leftover from another CUCV project. If it rains, I take the rear carpet out. The mats elevate the carpet so it doesn't soak up the puddles.

 

[Rvitko]

I have been soundproofing mine even though the extent of my sound system will be a cb radio with weatherband. I sprayed in a bedliner after thoroughly de rusting and repairing my floor pans. I have replaced all seals including on the fiberglass top and I am almost leak free, I have a leak from somewhere under the cowl that lets in about a tablespoon in a major down pour and I get a few tablespoons in from a back glass seal. I am putting rubber flooring over the bed liner and between the two I am going to try a 1/32" lead sheet, it was cheap and should provide a dead mass and won't hold water. I am also doing the hood pad. I painted the fiberglass top inside with aluminum paint and top coat of Gillespie coating mixed with high tech coating glas beads (diy lizard skin and radiant barrier). I put the asphalt patch sheets in the door and in the rear wells I am installing a 3/8" ply panel that has a radiant barrier and r-8 insulation. I did everything so it can be easily undone and doesn't horribly alter the form or function, the bedliner would be a PITA to remove of course. I am adding ac so most of this is also done for thermal insulation but I also wanted to be able to comfortably converse.

 

[JoshHefnerX]

You can sound deaden any vehicle, with enough time money and energy. But you need to do it right. Bedliner is not a sound deadener. It may help /w some rattles and lower the resonant frequency of the panel, but that's not going to remove the sound. You have to convert that sound energy (kenetic) into heat.

You can use a good sound tile - butyl based w/ a foil backer. That foil creates tension to allow the butyl to change the moving panel into a small amount of heat. You don't need a lot of this. 25% coverage in the middle will do about 80% of the sound reduction vs doing the entire panel. And the large flat panels will make the biggest effect. Metal that's bent is stronger/stiffer by it's nature.

Then you can lay a closed cell foam over that w/ a mass loaded vinyl on top to create a floating floor type effect. The remaining energy that makes it past the butyl will attempt to move the heavy mlv (or lead) much less making it much quieter.