Interior cabin noise/drone

[drj001]

Hello all. Will be putting hard top on soon and just wondering if any of you have come up with any ideas for quieting the road noise that seems to be present coming from the well that the soft top sits in or road noise possibly from the trunk cavity. Notice this noise also when soft top is up as well. This noise is like a drone or tire on wet road noise comming into the interior. (Difficult noise to explain and I know some of you will have difficulty, cause your car never sees the rain. He he.(just kidding)). I have put open cell tape on when applying the hard top, but made no difference in noise. Tried laying layers of towels on top of soft top when down, between it and shelf (flap) of hard top that covers the well, but no change in noise. This is not a mechanical ie. bearing or rear end whine and am running stock exhaust system.
Been reading lots on this forum, which has helped with some unrelated issues (thanks for input from many), but have not seen this query before.
Thanks for ideas.
Please, from some of you kidders, don't suggest turning the radio volume up to block out noise, or drive around with ear plugs or ear muffs up here in the Great White North..
I have had numerous convertibles in the past and am accustomed to a certain amount of road noise with the top up (lots more noise with it down), but figure it should be much quieter inside than it is with the hard top on. Windows get recalibrated for hard/soft top switch over as well, so that's not an issue. Also, this is not wind noise.
Again, thanks for any sugestions.

John........... Aurora, Ontario, Canada.... about 20 miles North of Toronto.

[Ol'Dave]

Re: Interior cabin noise/drone

You Need Borla's!!

[joe166]

Re: Interior cabin noise/drone

Mine is backwards. I have the Borla's and when I have the hardtop on (summertime) there is a drone from the exhaust system. With the convertible top on it is barely audible.

[luvbirdz]

Re: Interior cabin noise/drone

Hi John, I'm in Barrie, just north of you.

I too was suprised how much road noise there was, not much difference soft or hard top. Don't know what other convertibles you have had , but in the Bird the tires are barely 2 ft. from you, no back seat or anything else between you and the road. I think it is the nature of the beast that we have to live with unless we take the cover off the top well and see what sound proofing there is around the wheel wells and drive train, I doubt that there is much but maybe it is possible to add some more sound proofing material around these areas where the noise is coming from. The trunk is lined but that is behind the noise source. My old 82 LeBaron has so much wind noise around the roof that road noise is a minor factor.
Open question to the forum. Has anyone had the need to take the top well or anything out from behind the seats to see what is (or isn't) there for sound proofing?

Martin

[Lonestar]

Re: Interior cabin noise/drone

I love my Thunderbird but for the $$$ it is certainly not a quite ride. Virtually no insulation except under the carpet and the firewall. I installed some of that sound deadening stuff on the vertical part of the shelf behind the seats when I replace my speakers but that really did not do anything. I think if the rear wheel wells were removed and that sound deadening stuff was placed on the back side of them, then the stuff was placed on all the metal behind the cabin, and place the stuff inside the trunk there might be an improvement. Adding the sound deadening sheets inside the doors might help as well but it would take a lot of time, money, and work to find out.

Replacing the factory tires indeed did help reduce road noise but it still has pleanty of sound that reverberates inside the cabin.

I am a man divided… when I want to play around I want to hear the Borlas and the intake but when on a long cruise I would prefer the quite of a Buick.

[MATBird]

Re: Interior cabin noise/drone

drj001 I did a search on tire noise and came up with:
http://www.thunderbirdnest.com/forum...ght=tire+noise

http://www.thunderbirdnest.com/forum...ght=tire+noise

and there are many other threads there on that search. If these don't help try your own explanation for a search above

[Ediron]

Re: Interior cabin noise/drone

When ever the gal and I are making a trip (200+mi.) she always ask if we can use the Caddy.She told me the noise doesn't bother me because I'm deaf and I play the radio so loud

[taflocks]

Re: Interior cabin noise/drone

could it be a rear bearing?

[luvbirdz]

Re: Interior cabin noise/drone

Just had a look under the fabric in the roof well ( not an easy thing to get into) and there is absolutely no sound proofing to be found. The metal wheel well is there and it is all open. No wonder we have all the road and tire noise. (Only advantage could be easy and early detection of bad bearings or other parts back there, if that is an advantage).
So that answers the noise question, now to work on a solution.

Martin

[EmpTNest]

Re: Interior cabin noise/drone

Is the fabric covering the roof well easily removed?

I think mine needs to be vacummed to remove some dust,

[Welker]

Re: Interior cabin noise/drone

I'd bet it is a rear wheel bearing....covered under the original warranty as well as the extended Ford warranty. The sound from a bad bearing is something like "rum, rum, rum, rum". That's not the Shining "Redrum" but if you have the problem and it isn't under warranty it will be murder to pay for.

[312]

Re: Interior cabin noise/drone

I have the same "drone" type noise in my 2002 bird and i think its a wheel bearing.I noticed a slight change in the drone when i make a right hand turn at 40 or more mph. It is difficult to say exactly where (what side it's coming from) the point of origion is. I have read that these bearings are a problem and these are sealed bearings. The bearings are not expensive ,but the labor is horrendous.People tell me that they don't replace the bearing ,they replace the entire knuckle assembly with the bearing and hub. I have the factory manual and usually have no problem replacing wheel bearings on anything, but these are another story. You need a number of special tools (Rotunda) in order to remove the spline and then remove the knuckle to then press out the hub and press out the bearing. I can get the bearing and hub pressed in and out for $50 a side , but i still need to get the tool to press out the spline.I may have to make one the way it looks now. Timken bearings are less than $40 a side. Hope this helps.Randy

[Icebluebird]

Re: Interior cabin noise/drone

I know mine is road noise, because when the road surface changes the noise changes. On smooth asphalt it is very quiet!

I guess we will have to get and install some sound canceling material. Way to go Ford???

[drj001]

Re: Interior cabin noise/drone

Thanks for input and ideas. It is not a bearing noise and sounds like the only way to deaden the noise is with some type of insulation/sound deadening material or spray. Any ideas about spray foam?

[leisha]

Re: Interior cabin noise/drone

Don't use foam, will squeek, when there is any movement. Also will hold water and keep area wet.

Turn up the radio!!

Regards