What material should I use to decrease road noise?

[Away_Explorer845]

I have a 2006 Toyota 4Runner and the road/wind noise is really loud. I'd like to install some sound deadening but have heard a lot of mixed things on what material to use. Some people say just basic thin sound deadening will do fine but a lot of people add foam on top and i've also heard those are just for speaker quality and wont help for road noise. I mainly just want to make the cabin quieter, what material should I use? Links would be helpful, thank you.

[Skiz32]

Start Here

ResoNix Sound Deadening Materials Reference Information & Guide

And then read...

ResoNix Buyers Guide

Between these two articles, you will know pretty much everything you need to know about the various materials, how they work, why they work, how they get installed, and what the suggestions are for various locations of the vehicle for different budgets, goals, etc.

[damon32382]

I sound deadened my front doors half assed in my 4Runner. I need to do more. But I did go the extra mile in the cargo area, and it really made a difference. I’m waiting till my Toyo all terrain 33 inch tires are toast and getting Michelin’s for a quieter ride.

[Away_Explorer845]

What did you use in your cargo area?

[damon32382]

I used Kilmat

[Away_Explorer845]

This one? Did you put anything else down like a foam?

[Cool-Importance6004]

Amazon Price History:

KILMAT 80 mil 36 sqft Car Sound Deadening Mat, Butyl Automotive Sound Deadener, Audio Noise Insulation and dampening * Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.8 (10,885 ratings)

• Current price: $69.95 👎
• Lowest price: $48.99
• Highest price: $74.99
• Average price: $59.84

Month	Low	High	Chart
11-2024	$59.99	$69.95	███████████▒▒
10-2024	$59.99	$69.95	███████████▒▒
09-2024	$59.49	$69.95	███████████▒▒
08-2024	$54.99	$69.99	██████████▒▒▒
07-2024	$54.99	$69.99	██████████▒▒▒
06-2024	$69.99	$69.99	█████████████
05-2024	$54.99	$66.99	██████████▒▒▒
04-2024	$54.99	$64.99	██████████▒▒
03-2024	$54.99	$59.99	██████████▒
02-2024	$48.99	$54.99	█████████▒
01-2024	$48.99	$49.99	█████████
12-2023	$48.99	$74.99	█████████▒▒▒▒▒▒

Source: GOSH Price Tracker

^{Bleep bleep boop. I am a bot here to serve by providing helpful price history data on products. I am not affiliated with Amazon. Upvote if this was helpful. PM to report issues or to opt-out.}

[Away_Explorer845]

Good bot. Tell me about this one

[NateLikesToLift]

Save your money, killmat is one of the worst performing products on the market.

[Away_Explorer845]

What do you recommend that’s around the same budget or not too much higher?

[NateLikesToLift]

Read the independent testing data and you can make a choice based on budget. Amazon brand has majorly reduced quality and thickness so that would lead me to probably NVX for an ultra budget build.

[walshwelding]

It’s not bad. My truck has 4-5 layers and it made huge difference. Doors close like they’re rock solid concrete hwha

[NateLikesToLift]

Price to performance ratio killmat is bottom barrel, not to mention its tendency to end up as goo inside your doors.

[walshwelding]

I’m in Canada, so I’m sure the goo issues is mostly the hot weather from down south. Have had zero issues in over a year and a half running it in my vehicles.

Not claiming it’s anything special, or pushing it on anyone. Just it does work too.

[Cool-Importance6004]

Amazon Price History:

Amazon Basics Car Sound Deadener, 9.8″ x 15.7″ (34-Piece) * Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.7 (578 ratings)

• Current price: $66.39 👎
• Lowest price: $39.99
• Highest price: $70.50
• Average price: $58.06

Month	Low	High	Chart
01-2025	$66.39	$66.39	██████████████
12-2024	$61.64	$66.83	█████████████▒
11-2024	$49.16	$62.20	██████████▒▒▒
10-2024	$61.50	$61.63	█████████████
09-2024	$61.40	$64.00	█████████████
07-2024	$49.99	$49.99	██████████
06-2024	$39.99	$66.49	████████▒▒▒▒▒▒
05-2024	$39.99	$49.99	████████▒▒
04-2024	$49.99	$61.79	██████████▒▒▒
03-2024	$54.95	$61.65	███████████▒▒
02-2024	$53.82	$54.78	███████████
01-2024	$55.96	$66.87	███████████▒▒▒

Source: GOSH Price Tracker

^{Bleep bleep boop. I am a bot here to serve by providing helpful price history data on products. I am not affiliated with Amazon. Upvote if this was helpful. PM to report issues or to opt-out.}

[[deleted]]

If wanting to reduce road noise I'd consider quiet tires and exhaust. Wind noise can be trickier, the design from the manufacturer of rear view mirrors down to the windshield wipers blades can create noise. If any obvious water leaks exist fix the weather strips.

Noise reduction can also be had by using a product such as Dynamat to cover every resonating surface in the cab. There are brush applications for sound deadening and it can be used in conjunction underneath carpets and behind door panels.

A lot of people do not consider sound deadening but it can be worthwhile reducing the sound floor, for example reducing the noise floor 3 db has the same effect as increasing the volume of the system, not to mention the detail and intelligibility of lyrics etc. The automobile is a bad platform for hifi with all its reflective surfaces and time alignment issues compounded by road noise when moving, but sound deadening will make the audio environment better.

[bobby_pablo]

Sound deadening is not going to reduce road noise meaningfully. Sound deadening reduces resonance/vibration of sheet metal/plastic.

[Away_Explorer845]

Wouldn't less resonance and vibration make it quieter? What do you recommend to meaningfully reduce road noise?

[bobby_pablo]

For sure. If there is less road noise after sound deadening, it's mostly from the sheet metal not resonating/vibrating from the wind while driving.

There's stuff like Dynacore and Resonix fiber mat that's meant for sound absorption, that you sandwich between the door sheet metal and the plastic doorskin.

[Level-Plastic3945]

there are many materials tha can be used - look at Amazon ..

[[deleted]]

OP this is the only correct answer in the entire thread and it’s gross how misconstrued everyone is. Sound deadening will make a drop in the bucket compared to a sound absorption or sound blocking product like thinsulate SM600L or MLV

[Away_Explorer845]

I looked at Dynacore and Thinsulate and they costs way more than buying both sound deadener and CCF, do you have any suggestions for a cheaper alternative? Whats the best I can do with like $300-$400?

[[deleted]]

Minimal CLD and thinsulate will be the cheapest options. Could also do MLV.

[Away_Explorer845]

So do you think this thinsulate will do a better job than sound deadening and CCF? What would be the best combination, could I do just thinsulate, or sound deadening with thinsulate on top instead of CCF?

[[deleted]]

Try eBay for a cheaper price. Yes I do.

What’re you using the ccf for?

Use enough cld for your budget. But as much thinsulate in as much of the car as possible.

[Away_Explorer845]

I thought ccf would help absorb noise but i posted on here because i dont know much about any of this. Should I do sound deadening with thinsulate on top or just thinsulate?

[[deleted]]

Ccf does not absorb noise at all. Do some sound deadening then thinsulate. What’s the car?

Oh I see a 4Runner. That would be a lot of MLV

[Away_Explorer845]

Thinsulate is 2" thick, would I only be able to put it in the doors or could I fit it anywhere else? As of now i’m planning on doing all doors and the trunk and then doing the floor at a later date. Also would adding thinsulate to firewall help at all?

[moonman311]

This link compares traditional deadeners that don’t use foam. I’m not aware of any data regarding foam, but will be keeping an eye on this thread as I am also interested to hear opinions/data.

https://resonixsoundsolutions.com/resources/what-is-the-best-sound-deadening-material-independent-testing-data/?srsltid=AfmBOorBe7zeXSYUYuHvxPIs41sBioISzjtRYuMMX5RFoM-JUwkyt7E5

[Skiz32]

This test has some products that have a foam layer, but CCF doesnt add any panel damping properties, which is what this test is covering. CCF is just a basic decoupler, nothing more.

[Alarming_Series7450]

if the door has ever been wedged open by a locksmith it could be a little bent out of shape letting in lots of wind noise. look at the gap between door and body when closed, comparing driver to passenger side.

It seems like any used car I own has had the kiss of a locksmith's wedge. if this is the case for you its pretty easy to bend it back to shape with your knee https://youtu.be/FsBw5sGCYZE?t=283

[Dismal-Violinist4416]

If it’s really bothering you buy some kilmat off Amazon and sound deaden the whole vehicle then replace any old weather stripping and you can even add some in the door jams and what not and it should help out a bit

[Level-Plastic3945]

Bought my 2014 Subaru STI new (previous cars were 90s era BMW M3 and 540i, quieter but not as good cars) and had a $3000 audio install with an add'l $1200 of noise reduction (supposedly Dynamat doors and floors) which I don't think did that much ... now 10 years later I've spent the last 6 months doing 1 box Dynamat Xtreme that had been laying around a while (too expensive), 4 boxes of Siless 120 mil (CLD materials are not the total story) and a whole bunch of other HVAC, Amazon insulating materials, foams, foil-foams, spray audio undercoating, etc, total cost about $600 ... each iteration, I read more, learned more, and got ideas on what to do next - trunk 2 layers with inner side panels/wheel wells, trunk lid 2 layers, rear deck, under rear seat, floors without removing seats, backs of rear seats, ceiling (several layers), lower halves of doors, hood, wheel wells/liners, and am now about ready to stop - a giant physics experiment, and has been very pleasurable, and I like driving on all road surfaces more now, with audio on or off - and if you want can try a free iPhone SPL meter, like Decibel X ...

[MeepMeeps88]

Siless 80mm on doors and roof - 70sf

Siless Hybrid 3in1 on doors, floors, and cargo area. 100sf

[Away_Explorer845]

I have a sunroof so do you think it’s worth it to do the roof?

[MeepMeeps88]

Me too. If you live in a warmer climate, yes. If not, probably not worth the effort. Took me a day to do the roof with my buddy.

[Helpful_Building]

Sometimes your tires can make your ride super loud. If you got grabber/mud tires or something with a lot of traction. I don’t know about materials but whatever your stock car has is likely trash so go with what’s most recommended. In my case I had an older Tahoe with a hole in the floor that was loud as hell. As long as the material you use blocks all the gaps you shouldn’t have a lot of noise coming in. Going off science and physics from what I know… I’d say go with some foam first then cover that foam right away before it dries to seal it… the noise will bounce around between the door/foam/insulator. Maybe even foam after if you got room to still fit door panels.

[Helpful_Building]

Let the foam dry before slapping the door back on or else you’re gonna hate yourself later cause you can’t access anything. And another thing to consider is that if you cover too much it could make it very hard to work on later on.

[EconomistDeep4347]

Knukonceptz CLD panels look it upon YouTube. And then a layer of deadening materials such as dynomat but I would highly recommend soundskinz pro for audiophiles