Making the cab a little more comfortable

[finmad]

I am just about done with the dynamat. What a world of difference already. The cab sounds solid with not rattles or tin can echo... Has anyone put a vintage ac system in a 39-47 truck that you know of? I am thinking about it, if it has been tried before, I would love to ask that guy/gal some questions.

 

 

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

Recommend the Hurricane 1000 unit...I would NOT opt for the vacuum controlled unit nor would I suggest the electronics motor driven..proprietary concerns weigh heavy with those models...get the basic analog unit (cables and switches) heat and AC in basic same size package as the stock heater alone..mount in same location...

Edited August 26, 2015 by Plymouthy Adams

[NiftyFifty]

Honestly I think the floor and firewall are the spots that need the most help from products like dynamat and other heat and sound deadner. I found my 50 very hot through the firewall, and the floor very noisy before I did my new interior this year. I have 3/4 the truck sprayed with rubber guard, then a layer of thick GTMat all over the truck, then on he floor and firewall and bottom 1/2 the rear cab two layers of a foil bubble wrap type sheeting, and 1 layer on the roof etc, then a really heavy underlay and new carpet....so amazed at the difference in the noise. I also replaced all my J Nuts, and new bolts and a foam rubber between all of the floor pans...I hate rattles LOL

Vintage Air is the best on the market IMO, are you running the stock flattie engine? You may want to upgrade your charging system and go with a 12 volt AC pump, a lot less parasitic draw on the engine.

[finmad]

I am finishing the cab today with mat on the floor and firewall also. I am running a 230 flat6, so I think the 12v system would work out best.

[HanksB3B]

My 230 runs fine on 6 volts. Its all about the gauge of the wire and how clean the connections are.

Hank

[finmad]

I was talking about doing a 12v AC pump instead of running it off the crank with a belt.

[ggdad1951]

I still don't understand the issues with the stock cab with the simpler installations of sound deadening.  In FEF I can carry on a convo no issue at 45mph with the windows down.  Acoustically, covering ever visible surface doesn't always help, or give you the best bang for the buck.  Acoustics is an very complicated science and generally really needs an anechoic sound chamber to really define what needs to be done to get to a final result.

[finmad]

The acoustics are very much improved now. The rest of the insulation is for heat. I live in southern FL and it is HOT!!!! Just this little bit of dynamat, made a huge difference in the temperature due to the sun, I am sure the engine and exhaust heat will also be greatly reduced.

[NiftyFifty]

Have you ridden in a truck with everything done to compare the difference? You may be able to have a conversation, but what's your idea of a acceptable level of noise. Using products like dynamat or similar are as much about heat as sound, and if you have ever used it on a panel, just stick a piece to the inside of your door skin...knock on a bare one, and one with mat....it's not even funny the difference. I had a bunch of sound material in my truck the first time I did it, and yes it was likely a noticeable improvement over stock, but when you go all the way, you now improve all aspects, and especially if you like to listen to music....I used to have to blare the radio to get the sound to compete with road and wind noise, now it's 1/2 the volume on the highway, and with the windows closed, just barely on for enough noise. As for the guys who like original, you can make it work with stock interiors and really change the truck, without losing any originality for showing at events

[Brent B3B]

Have you ridden in a truck with everything done to compare the difference? You may be able to have a conversation, but what's your idea of a acceptable level of noise. Using products like dynamat or similar are as much about heat as sound, and if you have ever used it on a panel, just stick a piece to the inside of your door skin...knock on a bare one, and one with mat....it's not even funny the difference. I had a bunch of sound material in my truck the first time I did it, and yes it was likely a noticeable improvement over stock, but when you go all the way, you now improve all aspects, and especially if you like to listen to music....I used to have to blare the radio to get the sound to compete with road and wind noise, now it's 1/2 the volume on the highway, and with the windows closed, just barely on for enough noise. As for the guys who like original, you can make it work with stock interiors and really change the truck, without losing any originality for showing at events

yeah, but when i am singing inside my bare cab the echo make me sound so much better!    just ask my wife and neighbors (they might have to remove their ear plugs first  ) 

[pflaming]

I've been told that the noise in a old cab is caused be the via bastions of the skin so that it is not necessary to cover the. Entire surface. Evidently a 12" square will deaden something like double it's own foot print.

[NiftyFifty]

Yes, your right, you don't actually have to cover every square inch with the dynamat style mat, it works quite well just placed in strategic locations, but like Sailor Jerry...if a little is good, a lot must be better LOL

[Plymouthy Adams]

I've been told that the noise in a old cab is caused be the via bastions of the skin so that it is not necessary to cover the. Entire surface. Evidently a 12" square will deaden something like double it's own foot print.

something like a 2 x 4 rectangle of duct tape over your mouth PP.....??

[Jeff Balazs]

Thank you for the good laugh Plymouthy.

 

Jeff

[Jeff Balazs]

I went the "full coverage" way on my cab. I am very happy with the results I got. It is extremely quiet and well insulated for an old truck. Everybody that has ridden in it comments of this. How much better is it this way than just doing a quietride kit ? I don't know.......but then I don't need imperical data to tell me what I can observe on my own. I know I spent a ton of time and money on this. And I feel it was worth it. But then this is my last and only vehicle and I plan on using it until I drop so my motives are probably different than most folks.

 

There are plenty of noisy, hot and smelly old trucks out there. I wanted something different and if you keep at it you actually can make one of these trucks into something real comfortable without changing the looks much.

 

Jeff

[pflaming]

Jeff, I agree with you, yet spot deadening is as effective. That is good to know when deadening the doors or the top of a suburban. The first is hard to access, the second is a lot of area. So it is nice to know the options.

That said, Home Depot has a gutter sealer tape that has the same type of sticky black underside of nearly the same thickness and an aluminum topside for a fraction of the price of Dynamat. It comes in a six inch roll. I will use the gutter sealer on my suburban.

[NiftyFifty]

The actual consistency and composition are likely different, and there is a reason dynamat is expensive...it's the best quality. I bought GTmat off eBay, and for the price, it's the thickest material and claims the best sound, but I ran out and used some 3M mat and a chunk of Dynamat...hands down better quality then GT off eBay. Gutter tape is likely just plain rubber and a foil back to protect from sun degradation, but it might work fine if your not picky.

I'd use the 3M product again myself, it's priced between the two I used and great adhesive quality

[Jeff Balazs]

Paul;

Spot deadening is certainly cost effective. And I started off by trying it that way. Yes it gets quite a bit of the rattle type noise. But the full coverage method gets it all.....especially wind noise. And as far as using it as heat insulation goes.....partial coverage just does not cut it. I used Hushmat Ultra and lots of it. I had already coated the inside and underside of the cab in brush on rubberized bed liner material. And I set strips of rubber sound deadener into all the panels of that. The Hushmat went over all of this. I also used doubled up foil bubble wrap insulation and heavy rubber matting under the seat and behind the upholstery etc.

When I say this truck is quiet and well insulated I am not joking around. I will happily put it up against any in this department.

Jeff

[ggdad1951]

I used "stock" felting behind my firewall cover...oddly effective!

[pflaming]

Just for the record. The sound deadening / sealing tape I used is: U.SEAL Band "Instant Waterproof tape" . 25' x 6" TTI Building Products LLC Hackensack, NJ.

[MBF]

I used the dynamat on my inside firewall, and a couple of sheets on the roof.   Weatherstripping took care of the door closure rattles.  For the rear of the cab I used the foil backed bubble insulation under my luan / leatherette panels.   Made a huge difference, and the rubber floor mats finished the projects on both trucks.  The headliner, rear cab panel surround and the door panels all contributed to the noise reduction.   I still had this tinny rattle under the seat after I was done on the 2.5 ton.  Found it was the cover panel for access to the fuel sending unit.  I laid a layer of the foil backed bubble insulation on the floor under the seat as I had some left over.  On to the next project whatever that turns out to be.   Mike