The kit consists of precut...
The kit consists of precut Acoustishield pieces for the entire cab (only a few of which are shown here), Dynamat strips in various sizes, spray glue, and foil tape for the seams. Everything was carefully labeled and came in separate packages for each part of the truck: floor, headliner, back wall, etc.
Our Project F-1 is a clean driver as well as a show-worthy truck. As a result we tried to take into account the creature comforts that would make it fun and comfortable to drive on a regular basis. The tilt column from ididit, the air conditioning/heating unit from Classic Auto Air, and the practical interior from RodDoors all make for one hospitable place to spend some windshield time. To help keep the road noise to a minimum and ease the job of the A/C unit, we decided to insulate the cab with a kit from Quiet Ride Solutions.
After discussing the project with Quiet Ride's owner, Tim Cox, a complete kit arrived tailor-made for our Ford F-1. The kit was impressive and included all the materials and informative instructions to make the job easy for an at-home installation.
There are two types of noises that we're trying to control. Airborne sounds are things like engine and wind noise that permeate the cab of any truck through holes in the firewall, seams in the floor, and window openings. Structure-borne noises come from the vibrations and harmonics of the engine, road noise, suspension movement, etc. that cause the annoying rattles, squeaks, and humming that the sheetmetal itself will make. The Quiet Ride kit has different components to control each of these types of noises along with superior heat control. With a camera in hand, we headed over to Altered Engineering to watch Peter and Don install the kit in an easy afternoon.
After sticking the Dynamat...
After sticking the Dynamat strips to the cab, Peter used a small wallpaper roller to make sure that the strips contoured to the panel and were truly stuck to the metal.
Three basic components make up the kit: Dynamat strips for structure-borne noise control, the Acoustishield for airborne noise and heat control, and the ABS plastic molded firewall insulator. The Dynamat strips are precut into various sizes for installation throughout the cab and doors. These are Styrene-Butyadine-rubber-based, and are pressure-sensitive, adhesive-backed, heat-bondable, and sheetmetal-vibration damper materials that deaden the vibrations and harmonics that the sheetmetal creates.
Careful thought has gone into the placement of these strips, and they are the first step of the installation. Tapping on the sheetmetal with our knuckles after we had installed these strips created a dead thud instead of the usual tinny metal sound. These little strips do an amazing job. Since they are damping the sound of the sheetmetal vibration, you don't have to cover the entire panel; mere well-thought-out placement of the strips does the job.
The Dynamat strips are self-adhesive,...
The Dynamat strips are self-adhesive, and the instructions had good drawings where to place them. We cleaned the surface of the cab with acetone to promote adhesion.
After we installed all the Dynamat strips, it was time for the Acoustishield. This material is 3/8-inch-thick fiber padding similar to a carpet pad with two layers of aluminum covering. These pieces come precut to fit the entire interior of the F-1. After checking for a perfect fit (they did), we sprayed the supplied glue to the backside of the material and the sheetmetal. After allowing the glue a few minutes to get tacky, we installed the pieces one at a time. Once we had installed all the pieces, our truck looked like it had been covered in tin foil. You can imagine how much this is going to change the interior environment. Quiet Ride also supplies a foil tape to cover the seams to complete the installation.
The firewall cover is made from molded ABS plastic with a pebble-grain pattern that matches most original materials. The ABS is very durable and can be formed further with a little applied heat. The ABS can also be dyed to match an interior color with a vinyl plastic spray paint if you wish. It's backed with a fiberglass insulation material to keep down the heat from the engine compartment and the roar of our Smeding Performance 347ci stroker motor.
Quiet Ride has firewall insulators for some 600-plus vehicles. One for your application should be readily available. Tim told us the kits are offered with holes predrilled for restoration-type installations or smooth for custom vehicles like ours. We ordered it without holes and then trimmed it a little to clear the air-conditioning unit, as would be expected in a custom installation like ours. After drilling a couple of holes for the accelerator pedal and cable, the insulator snapped into place.
It only took the Altered Engineering guys a couple of hours to install the entire kit, and we can't wait to get this truck on the road and enjoy the quiet and comfortable environment that the cab has now become.
It's not necessary to cover...
It's not necessary to cover the entire sheetmetal for the desired noise control; 30- to 50-percent coverage will do the job. Here you can see all the strips in place in our F-1.
There were strategically placed...
There were strategically placed strips on the roof panel as well since that can be a huge source of unwanted noise.
After every Acoustishield...
After every Acoustishield panel was glued in place, the seams were taped with this foil tape for a seamless installation. This tape prevents heat from entering the cab and helps hold the edges in place for a smooth one-piece look.
With the entire cab covered...
With the entire cab covered and taped, our F-1 project looks like a giant TV dinner. This truck will be warm/cool, cozy, and quiet when we hit the road. Not bad for a couple hours of work.
The ABS molded firewall insulator...
The ABS molded firewall insulator looks like a factory installation. You can see where we trimmed it for the Classic Auto Air bulkhead fitting and the Painless Performance fuse box on the driver-side. We're ready for our interior panels and seats, and it's almost a shame to cover up the great product from Quiet Ride Solutions.
The Acoustishield panels were...
The Acoustishield panels were precut and were glued directly to the sheetmetal using the supplied spray glue. Peter then simply pressed them into place.
There was also a piece of...
There was also a piece of Acoustishield to go behind the kick panels, and here the glue was being sprayed in this location before the panel was slipped in place.
You can see, the seam in the...
You can see, the seam in the roof was disappearing as Peter taped across it.