How to Significantly Reduce Road Noise with Dynamat Noise Dampening Solutions - Case Study: Ford F-150
If you aren't driving a Lexus LS 600h - the world's quietest passenger car - you will be happy to know that there is actually something you can do, which has the potential of drastically reducing the cabin noise in your car.
It's called soundproofing. By applying sound dampening/deadening materials throughout your vehicle, you can end up with a seemingly different ride. It does require a fair bit of manual work though, but the end result will likely be worth it.
Understandably, you may be skeptical as to what can actually be achieved using noise-reducing materials by brands such as Dynamat or HushMat. I have also been hesitantly optimistic based on anecdotal evidence - some of the claims have just seemed too good to be true.
But as I encountered yet another case study - this time by Crutchfield Labs - I am getting increasingly optimistic as to the benefits of soundproofing.
Crutchfield, an American consumer electronics retailing company, had a team set out to answer the question how much of a difference installing Dynamat in a Ford F-150 Pickup Truck could make in terms of reducing the road noise.
Crutchfield Labs drove the Ford Pickup in three real-world scenario driving conditions:
- Dirt gravel road
- Normal speeds at 25-30 miles per hour around town
- Highway speeds at around 65 miles per hour
They used professional sound measurement equipment and recorded the cabin noise level before and after installing Dynamat.
Lots of Dynamat was installed - in the doors, under the hood, on the headliner, the rear doors etc. All in all, the materials weighed around 160 lbs.
They expected to see some noticeable results, but instead the noise reduction far exceeded their expectations, leading to a much quieter ride, making it feel as if it wasn't even the same truck anymore.
I was blown away by the results. Check this out...
- At standard driving, the noise level was killed by around 9 decibels (dBA)
- When driving on a bumpy dirt road, they achieved a staggering 16 decibel (dBA) noise reduction
The great noise reduction, coupled with minimization of rattles, in turn made the in-car music sound more detailed and present.
Watch the video below for further details of the test.
Elevating Sound would be very interested in hearing about further successful cases of soundproofing. Please, share your experience in the comments below or send us an email.
