How to Make Your Car Sound Better
It's no secret that making a car system sound better is a challenging task. Sheet metal and hard plastic surfaces are not generally conducive to superior sound quality. One of the key differences, for example, between a "premium" factory car system and a basic one, is the type of sound deadening. Home speaker designers understand that without a superior enclosure, expensive drivers mean little. Since the vehicle's doors are the enclosures in a car system, addressing this is of prime importance. No matter if the system is factory or aftermarket, proper sound deadening techniques behind the main speakers will make a marked improvement.
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Things You'll Need
- Sound deadening materials
- Rolling tool
- Scissors
- Heat gun/hair dryer
- Screwdrivers (Phillips, Allen, flat head)
- Vehicle schematic
Instructions
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1
Consult the vehicle's schematic to determine the placement, number and type of screws used to hold the door panels in place. Use the proper screwdriver to remove the door panels, and set the screws aside in a safe place. Note their re-installation locations.
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2
Remove the speakers from the doors, again using the proper screwdriver. Unclip the harness or connectors from the speakers and lay them aside.
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3
Pull out the plastic vapor barrier on the inner surface of the door panel. Modern sound deadening materials are made from waterproof synthetic materials; the barrier is not needed.
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4
Cut sheets of sound deadening materials to fit the inner door skin, normally located under the door panel. Take into consideration moving such things as door lock actuators and do not cover any mechanisms
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5
Remove the backing on the backside of the sheets. Mildly heat the adhesive on the back to help the material adhere better to the door. Use a heat gun or hair dryer or low-to-medium heat, until the material is visibly more pliable.
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6
Lay the pre-cut sheets into place, pressing firmly to avoid gaps and air bubbles. Roll over the materials using the roller to make sure every nook and cranny is covered. Make sure there is at least 1/4 inch overlap where one sheet stops and another begins.
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7
Cut additional strips the width of the speaker's opening. Heat the material and insert the sheets through the holes. Press the material firmly in place on the inside of the outer door skin, right behind the speaker's installation location. Press the material firmly in place with the roller. Cover as much of the inside of the outer door skin as you can reach, using multiple smaller strips if necessary. Remember to overlap any gaps.
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8
Replace the speakers and door panels.
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Tips & Warnings
Add additional sound deadening materials to the inside of the door panel if excess resonance is discovered there, following the same steps as observed on the metal door skin.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit sound image by Svetlana Kashkina from Fotolia.com
