[avernet]

I am about to install Pergo into the family room of our house. We have carpeting in there now. I was thinking of taking the old padding and cutting it to fit under the carpet in my 240 as well as behind the door panels both to absorb noise and to try to insulate the car.

Anybody done this? what are the pros and cons? Is this a good idea or am I just being to cheap and should get some automotive padding from JC Whitney

Thanks

 

[Guest]

I did the same thing with some new left over carpet pad from my sister's new home. It works great. Only consideration might be the weight. Don't know if the automotive stuff it lighter. Other than that I don't see why not and for what it is worth, I would. Good luck. John.

 

[charles 75 280]

On only draw back with using carpet pad is that it retains water like a sponge. I would NOT use it in doors. When you drive in the rain or even wash your car a little water usually seeps down into the door and, hopefully, out the drains at the door bottom. If it gets soaked up by the carpet pad then it will hold a nice wet saturated pad against your door skin. Not a good idea. It will hold water better on the horizontal surfaces of the floor and will be made worse if you have bad door seals or an already small hole in your floor that lets in a lot of water.

The same is true of the stuff MSA sells with the silver foil on back, makes a great sponge. During the restoration of my 76 I custom cut a piece for the underside of my hood and when I had the vents out wet sanding my hood before clerarcoating a little bit of water managed to get on the rough open edge of that material. Again, just like a sponge the way it soaks it up.

That is why products like dynamat are so popular. They are expensive, but don't retain the water. For a cheaper alternative check out the stuff JC Whitney sells. Comes in rolls and 12x12 squares and is a tar like base.

Charles

 

[avernet]

I was thinking about the fact that the padding will absorb water easily. My thought was to put it between the vapor barrier and the door panel. I wonder if water gets in that area very often???

 

[charles 75 280]

As far as water goes you would be safe is you put the insulation between the vapor barrier and the inner door skin but the insulation would be wasted there. It needs to be against the metal outer door skin to do any good. What you are trying to stop is the sound created by the thin door skin vibrating. I have a friend who lives in Dallas with a 75 that he installed Dynamat in and it totally changed his car. Closing the door now sounds like you are closing the door of a much heavier car. Difference between a nice thud when it closes and the sound of a couple marbles in a tin can.

Charles

 

[kelstar]

I installed stereo systems for a while and can assure you that dynamat is definetly the way to go as far as absorbing sound goes... it can get a bit pricey, but it's worth it.

Shayne

 

[avernet]

Ok, I see what your saying. Maybe the dynamat would be better on the doors and the carpet matting would work on the floor.

 

[escanlon]

Definitely be careful of the padding. If it is "Open Cell" foam padding, it is EXACTLY what a sponge is. "Closed Cell" foam will not absorb water, but I'm not aware of it ever being used as carpet padding. To test, get a small piece and hold it under water, squeeze, then release. Bring it out of the water, and after letting it drip for a bit, squeeze again. If you get water out of it, it's a sponge. What Charles said applies, all you will get is a rust causing weight problem.

The original stuff used on the floor of the 240 was Tar Paper. It was basically a thin piece of paper with sticky tar on the back side. This was applied in sheets to the floor metal to reduce the vibrations and hence noise. Over time, the tar loses it's solvents that keep it flexible and it turns rock hard. Many of us have discovered that it will crack and break off, and hence we have a noisier car. The Dynamat solution is the best. It is spendy because it doesn't absorb water and it DOES reduce that vibration factor and therefore reduces sound in the car. As posted, it is EEEEEK spensive.

A very low cost but somewhat effective sound deadener is to get a product called Body Shutz. I believe this was made by PPG, and it is still available in true blue automotive paint stores. This is literally liquified tar. You need a special "gun" to shoot this stuff on with, but it has a couple excellent features.

Body Shutz's main use is for undercoating of the carriage. First off, it will protect metal with a coating that is relatively flexible and impervious to rock chips. In coating the metal, it also reduces the vibration resonance that causes sound transmission through the metal, therefore it quiets the car. Since it is a "tar" it also reduces the incidence of rust.

You can also spray this on the interior side of the metal panels, but it does STINK! It remains very, and I mean VERY fragrant for several weeks, however, it will quiet down the metal, and help prevent rust from any water that may seep back there. Just be extremely careful of filling any drain holes, especially in the door.

Well that's my 2¢ worth.

 

[luggnut73]

There was a post awhile back from a person that had his car shot with the bed liner stuff for pickup trucks and he said that it did the trick and prevents any rust. I think it was called Rino Bed or somthing like that . Gary Ptln Or.