Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

[cantvalve16]

Almost finished putting in the new floors in my Ranchero. Going to be coating them next and wanting some kind of insulation coating to put on the top and bottom of the floors. Going to be a while before this thing sees carpet so I can't use any padding type insulation. I don't the padding type to get all torn up when I am in and out it. So, I am looking for a coating. Lizard skin, truck bed liner, what?

This was not really an issue for me when I had the 351 w/ manifolds and holes in the floor. With new floors and headers (aluminum coated) will there be any difference?

[milner351]

Re: Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

Those floors will get HOT especially idling in traffic.

I would stay away from any soft rubberized coating on the bottom of the floors close to the headers, could be a fire hazard at worst, stinky at best.

If you can fab up a metal heat shield out of some scrap metal you have around near the headers, that will probably make the biggest difference... I can remember a coffe can worked pretty good as a heat shield around starters on cars with headers that were close.

I would think truck bedliner would be a good thing to try on the inside -- but -- the stuff Seth and I used on the underside of his floors is already peeling off. I'm not sure how it would wear with foot traffic - I think it was $20 a quart at the parts store - sold as roll on bedliner - stinky stuff - looked great when we first put it on, and we brakecleaned the bujeezes out of those floors before we put that stuff on - so, unless there was some special primer step we unkowingly missed - I wouldn't recomend it.

Unfortunately the foil backed sound deadener I've found has all been pretty pricey and I don't think it would hold up well to foot traffic.

Maybe just cut some HD rubber truck mudflaps, conveyor belt, rubber truck bed matt, etc, into a full width floor matt?

[Matt Cramer]

Re: Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

Back when I was a mod on a board that had a good car audio community, the deadener everyone really liked was a brush on product called Second Skin. I wouldn't put that on the outside, but it's great on the inside of the floor.

If you're looking for cheap sound deadener, most of the cheap stick on stuff is virtually identical to Lowe's Peal & Seal, sold in the roofing section.

[cantvalve16]

Re: Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

You know, I wrote sound deadener, but what I am really looking for is more of a heat barrier. Thanks for the replies and experiences, guys. This help me wade through the ideas.

[CTX-SLPR]

Re: Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

I like my FatMat stuff. Its a butyl rubber and asphault combo with an aluminum backing. I am extremely happy with it as a sound deadener on the backseat, doors, and quarters of my Riviera. It's hydrophobic so it won't suck up water and let it sit on the floor pans. Think Dynamat Xtreme but cheaper and maybe a bit thinner.

[milner351]

Re: Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

I ordered some self adhesive foil backed asphalt based stuff off ebay that I used inside the fiberglass engine cover on the ski boat and inside the cowling on the old 25hp evinrude 2 stroke on the pontoon.

It works well on the ski boat - didn't seem to help much on the 2 stroke. The stuff was about 3/16 - 1/4" thick, and was pretty heavy.

[ponchoman]

Re: Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

There's a bunch of info on this on other sites. Here's a brief synopsis. Remember - it's not gospel.

Second skin Damplifier Pro. No asphalt (asphalt is really not the best). It's the heaviest and thickest. Dynamat Extreme is almost as good. Damplifier Pro has an advantage for some that it has no logos on the foil backing. FatMat is inexpensive and often works very well. However there is a marked difference between either Second Skin and Dynamat Extreme and Fatmat.

You can learn a good bit about this stuff over on the ProTouring forum. Lots of discussion around different builds with it. I've got both some Damplifier Pro and some Dynamat Extreme. I've had some FatMat but never installed it. Have a couple friends who did - they needed extra adhesive as the FatMat would sometimes come off after a while - especially after being heated.

You should also take a look at the Second Skin site. There's good info whether you use their product or not. Discusses what each type of product does.

[CTX-SLPR]

Re: Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

I had problems with my fatmat sticking till I cleaned the crap out of the surface it was getting stuck too and used heavy roller pressure and even a little heel of hand or light rubber mallet loading to make sure it really sticks. I liked the way I could get it to conform to the insides of my doors as the Riviera has 1 piece stamped steel units with the door skins bolted on the outside.

[BOWTIE6872]

Re: Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

if just looking for heat barrior..
why not a big rig stack shield.. use half above the headers . it'll mount to the header.. and keep the heat off the floor,

[Matt Cramer]

Re: Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

You know, I wrote sound deadener, but what I am really looking for is more of a heat barrier. Thanks for the replies and experiences, guys. This help me wade through the ideas.

I wouldn't use Peel & Seal for a heat barrier - it's asphalt based and I'm not sure it would hold up well for that.

[cantvalve16]

Re: Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

Here's the thing: this car will probably not get carpet for a long time. I need to come up with a durable coating that will stand up to foot traffic and be a heat barrier. The peel and stick type will get all torn up.

Guess I could put some peel and stick down and make a cheap carpet for the front half of the floor.

[BOWTIE6872]

Re: Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

the 04-06 sport trac used a rubber floor mat..
why not grab that from a j/y and add the fatmat or other under it..

[ponchoman]

Re: Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

You know, I wrote sound deadener, but what I am really looking for is more of a heat barrier. Thanks for the replies and experiences, guys. This help me wade through the ideas.

I wouldn't use Peel & Seal for a heat barrier - it's asphalt based and I'm not sure it would hold up well for that.

If by "peel & seal" you mean the stuff like Damplifier Pro and Dynamat Extreme - that is totally incorrect. Those products may "look" the same, but are not asphalt based. http://www.secondskinaudio.com/vibra...r-pro.php#tab4

I initially thought all those silver backed products were the same as well.

[ponchoman]

Re: Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

BTW, peel n'seal (different spelling) is a different "brand" and has been compared directly to FatMat. Many think it's the exact same product. Those are asphalt based (at least to some extent). FatMat calls it a "rubberized compound" but to my knowledge there is no evidence that it's changed from being asphalt based. Damplifier Pro and Dynamat Extreme (there are obviously different models of each from Second Skin and Dynamat) have no asphalt content and are truly butyl based.

Like I said, any of the products have a use depending on what you want. But there are some very big differences between them - as well as cost differences!

If you really want a complete job to cover vibration, heat and sound you need more than one product. I'm using Damplifier Pro and Luxury Liner as a combination. Can't say for sure how it will end up.

[BOWTIE6872]

Re: Sound deadener/ undercoating opinions wanted

could always use that spray on bondo..
getting it off later might not be fun..