Parcel shelf questions

[tdskip]

Hi guys - hope everyone had a good weekend.

I am trying to quiet the car down slightly by putting Dynamat or similar on the rear shelf and have two quick questions for you;

1) I am assuming I should try to save the tan factory padding even if I'm putting sound deadening on the metal

2) Any suggestions on how to remove the factory glue without removing the paint with it?

3) I am assuming I should be pretty happy to see that factory paint under there in that nice condition, right?

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by tdskip

Hi guys - hope everyone had a good weekend.

I am trying to quiet the car down slightly by putting Dynamat or similar on the rear shelf and have two quick questions for you;

1) I am assuming I should try to save the tan factory padding even if I'm putting sound deadening on the metal

2) Any suggestions on how to remove the factory glue without removing the paint with it?

3) I am assuming I should be pretty happy to see that factory paint under there in that nice condition, right?

There are two aspects to quieting the inside of a car--sound dampening and sound deadening--and you should employ both to get it as quiet as possible.

Dynamat and the like are sound dampening products, designed to change the vibration frequencies of the sheet metal to which they are applied. These products will change a "tinny" sound into a solid "thunk", like you hear when you close the door of your Porsche. You don't need to cover the entire area to maximize the dampening effect, only about 2/3rds of the surface or less.

Sound dampening has a small effect on interior noise because it reduces the noise generated by metal vibration but it does not significantly stop noise/vibration transmitted through the metal. That's where sound deadening comes in. These products--like the fiber mat under your parcel tray-- provide a barrier of air and material that muffles sound. Foam and fiberglass batting is also used though in cars, closed cell foam is preferred in areas where water may pass so as to avoid absorbing the moisture like a sponge and causing rust.

To maximize your effort to quiet the rear parcel area, you should try to employ both methods. Clean off the old padding and lay down a sound dampener like Dynamat or some similar product--remember, you don't have to cover every square inch of the metal. Then, lay down a layer of closed cell foam, trying to have no open spaces/seams over the sheet metal. Ideally, the foam would be covered by a layer of mass loaded vinyl and there are products that you can buy that are already made up of mass loaded vinyl bonded to a layer of closed cell foam. Finally, put back your parcel tray.

With regard to your old padding. If it were me, I'd completely remove it and, if nothing else, replace it with a modern non-moisture absorbing material product designed to deaden sound. Sooner or later, you may get water intrusion from an old window seal and you want any material under your parcel cover to not retain the moisture.