Want better sound and midbass ? Just do this.

[UNBROKEN]

Expanding on another thread here...

If you have no dampener at all, consider buying at least a little bit for your doors. 25% coverage is great but I'm old school I guess and still do 100%.
Anyway...when you take your door panel off you'll see all the big access holes in there....those holes are death for midbass. If you take some thin sheetmetal cut and formed to the shape of the hole but just larger than the hole, dampen both sides of it for some mass, add some stick on foam weatherstrip then screw it to the door to cover the holes you'll enjoy drastically improved midbass response from whatever driver you're using, cheap to mega expensive it doesn't matter...ALL will benefit from this. This is a 2 hour job tops, and more than worth the effort. While you're in there consider a baffle for your driver...sealed MDF is my preference but cheap cutting boards from the dollar store and a jig saw will get the job done also for just a few bucks. Decoupling the driver from the door is always a wise move.
Anyway...not Super Duty doors but a good shot of what you're trying to accomplish.

The goal....a completely sealed door:

You obviously can't cover the holes for the panel clips...but you'll have some of that foam weatherstrip left over so add that to the door around those holes so it'll make a seal when the panel is on. Use deadener to cover up any small holes left over.

If you really wanna get crazy follow the seealed door with a layer of ensolite closed cell foam (CCF) and then mass loaded vinyl (MLV) over that for the ultimate in sound and vibration dampening.

If you have a couple of hours to kill though...try sealing off the access holes...I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the results.

 

[jdgleason]

I'm gonna do this...

 

[jdc753]

Yes!!

I still have a lot of work to do on mine, but just adding the deadener to the doors made a big difference, specially with how they feel when they close, just a solid thump and no more tin sound.

Rich, you used some aluminum panel to seal up the big holes right? then deadened the panels before installing?


I got my fiberglass panels done but have yet to put them in the truck :doh:

Also my mid is NOT installed properly in this pic, just another piece I need to finish.

[/IMG]

Panels all trimmed up and deadened both sides, combined they weigh about 5lbs

Thanks Rich, you got me off my ass and finally ordered the last case of deadener I need to finish the doors and some ensolite and MLV so I can check the doors off the list of projects to complete

 

[UNBROKEN]

I used .050 aluminum because I have tons of it at work. I did some bead rolling on it to stiffen it up before deadening too...only because I have the tools to do that...definitely overkill.

My new cab will be 100% dampener, CCF and MLV inside, using my old doors that are already done, spray on deadener under the cab plus a firewall blanket from Dynamat.

 

[dave186]

I used 1/4" lexan to seal mine, just what we had around the shop.

 

[powerSmokin]

Looks good dave, ill have to try this on my obs also. What speakers you running?

 

[dave186]

Massive Audio RK6. They are big, had to cut out the hole in the door. plenty of depth in the OBS door but I used a MDF ring to help add some mass and decouple the speaker from the door.

 

[powerSmokin]

Sweet, is that like a 8" or 10"? Im going to replace my fronts and just want to get some info on what ppl have.

 

[dave186]

LOL no its just a 6.5 but they are built like a little subwoofer and like lots of power. I am using an old school Kicker ZR360 with them.

 

[powerSmokin]

hmmm so you do need an amp for them, I think I will go with those speakers when I do the doors. Just have to find a decent amp.

 

[AKHILF]

You will be needing the amp to push them. Without it you most likely wont be impressed.

 

[dave186]

yes you want an amp for sure, my ZR360 is good but they could handle more. I had a ZR240 in there initially then went for the 360. I really like my kicker amps, especially the older ones.

 

[AKHILF]

I'm also a big kicker fan. Iv blown up a few JL and Memphis amps but never a kicker

 

[faster6.0]

Good write up richard.

 

[Agjake11]

very nice. nothing thing to add to the list...

 

[Donnief]

Unbroken
You dybamat'ed the outer door skin ...... does that help? Ive never seen anyone do that. Just replace the dust cover plastic with dynamat.

 

[genie144]

Rich - you get some true MLV? Go with 1lb? The foam is a good decoupler for the door panels as well...

Sam

 

[AKHILF]

I also did the outer door skin. It helped a lot.

 

[jdc753]

Unbroken
You dybamat'ed the outer door skin ...... does that help? Ive never seen anyone do that. Just replace the dust cover plastic with dynamat.

Yup outer helps quite a bit, makes the door feel 100% solid from the outside.

From an audio standpoint I think I would would much rather apply the deadener to the outer skin before the inner if I had to make the choice, simply because the inner skin has much more shapes and bends stamped into it that naturally add stiffness to the metal and smaller flat sections that will easily resonate.

Even the factory put some small 8"x18" pieces of "deadener" in the middle of the outer door skin, least that is what I have in my 05 truck.

 

[AKHILF]

also had that in the center of my doors. I layered over that too