What kind of foam for sound deadening

[woodlandfarms]

I am going to try and soundproof my tractor a bit... Place some foam in the ROPS cover (which is 1/4" Steel) and maybe in the engine compartment.

Anyone have suggestions on a foam (pad) that will survive outdoor exposure (not direct sunlight, but lots of dirt and abuse) as well as something to put in the engine compartment. In the engine compartment It is going to have to be light and thing... The lid I plan to attach to I have to lift and it is darn heavy.

Thanks...

Carl

[Danno1]

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Felt is (was) used in the auto industry for years. Or, try this stuff:


Isolation Materials

E-A-R Specialty Composites


Or try McMaster-Carr. They prob have something too.

.

[ampsucker]

the automotive industry uses adhesive backed material for putting inside doors and under carpet, etc. it's available aftermarket and can make an old pinto ride like a lexus on the inside (sound wise, anyway).

i can't remember the name, but a quick search on google should do it. it comes in sheets and works very well and is thin and light.

or buy earplugs!



amp

[kennyd]

DynaMat is what a lot off professional high-end stereo installers use, as well as custom car builders.

[RWolf]

Keep in mind that the manufactures in there design stage for any internal combustion engine compartment is ventilation. Not only for the engine but things like the hydraulic pump etc. IMO earplugs or a good over ear headphone (gota have tunes ) Would be more cost effective.

Good luck on your project.

[larso1]

I concur with Danno1 above on McMAster-Carr Supply. Go to McMaster-Carr and type in acoustical insulation and go to page 3425. It explains the NRC and STL numbers that rate the sound deadening capability of their insulation materials. We just bought a lead and foam combination insulation roll from them to control the sound from an on-board 40KW diesel generator on a large cargo truck. It will be installed on the personnel side of the generator enclosure, which is already lined on its interior with a 2-in. thick foil-faced thermal fiberglass insulation board, also purchased from McMaster. They've got EVERYTHING!

[PAB_OH]

LMAO!!

Wow is this timely. I just passed off responsibility to another engineer where I work for improving sound on the machine we're designing. (See pics below)


I learned A LOT about sound insulation. More than I'd ever care to know, if I wasn't being paid for it.

If you're serious about deadening the sound in the engine compartment use an insualtion with a decent barrier and at least 1/2"-7/8" of absorbing material. We used the PSA backed stuff but it just peels off beacuse of the curves and the material (ABS, slicker 'n snot). Ours came from Italy (Sonflex) but there are many domestic sources as mentioned above.

We ended up using mechanical fasteners in the engine compartment to hold the stuff in (see http://www.apidistribution.com/produ...angers.phpp://). If a piece falls onto your engine there is a chance things could get dicey. Most of the stuff out there is highly flame/heat resistant but it's still not a good thing. In addition to acting as a sound barrier it makes a fairly decent thermal insulator which is really, really bad for engines!

Mentioned above someone also said to be careful of impeding air flow. Thats very, very true also and another reason to go with mechanical fasteners in the engine compartment. If the PSA fails and a piece ends up partially or completely restricting air intake (engine compartment, not the engine itself) or the exhaust (again, the compartment not the engine itself) you will likely push the cooling system to the brink. A lot of this depends on location of the cooling package and where the insulation would be installed. You want to risk a $3K engine though? I don't!

Meeting the CE requirements for sound is tricky. It's a lot harder than you think. Everything is a trade off. More sound insulation means more heat retained in the compartment which in turn means more openings to let more air flow in, which means more unprotected space for noise to escape. A big 'ol catch 22.

Anyway, it can be done (I'm getting ready to do it to my CK30), just be careful and think about everything you're affecting when you add something to the machine. If you know anyone who works in Reliability Engineering for an OEM ask them about getting approvals signed off from suppliers. It's a pain and they have very stringent tests you MUST pass before they'll approve your application of their widget. Without it an OEM would be responsible for all the warranty coverage for failed components.

Good luck and keep us posted on how you make out.

[Treemonkey1000]

I would think that your exhaust system is the biggest source of noise. Muffling that in some fashion would seem to be a good start.

[PAB_OH]

Originally Posted by Treemonkey1000

I would think that your exhaust system is the biggest source of noise. Muffling that in some fashion would seem to be a good start.

Absolutley true. Good mufflers are BIG though! Depending on location and clearances it might not be feasible to change the muffler without re-doing the entire exhaust pipe. Gotta watch back pressure as well.

[Soundguy]

sonex acuustic foam

soundguy