DIY solution to deadening tire noise

[Sogorman]

@artsci, it's getting near the end of my 21"s tread life. I would like to replace my Conti silent 21"s with Conti extreme contact (about 40% more tread life and 30% cheaper).

How is the DIY foam holding up? Any updates?

 

[artsci]

@artsci, it's getting near the end of my 21"s tread life. I would like to replace my Conti silent 21"s with Conti extreme contact (about 40% more tread life and 30% cheaper).

How is the DIY foam holding up? Any updates?

It's holding up well -- no issues whatsoever. However, I've been less than diligent in taking sound readings. I've got about half a dozen and need another week's of recordings before I can reach any conclusions about the effectiveness of the foam in sound deadening. So the jury is still out.

 

[ORB]

Regarding other sound deadening foam options, I was saddened to learn from Continental customer service today that although the ContiSilent tire is available in the 21" size, it is not available in the 19" size (the 21" ContiSilent is actually labeled as the ContiSport Contact 5, and this is what Tesla Service installs as an option). I will likely go with the Michelin Pilot Sport AS/3's in 19" (replacing my Primacies, hope the AS/3's will be a bit quieter), haven't decided about the risks of the DIY foam application for the AS/3's.

Much appreciate all your research efforts Rick.

Oliver

 

[Camera-Cruiser]

@artsci, I have followed way too many of your epic mods. But, by far your noise treatments have been most fascinating. When I got my Model S, I had the irritating sound buffeting caused by the rear hatch not being properly adjusted. I went crazy in a million ways thinking that I just bought the loudest car I have ever owned (in a bad way), while being the most expensive.

This is the long way of asking, but do you think all of your efforts in terms of interior noise reduction have been worth it? Do other Tesla owners get in your car and notice? Can you elaborate some regarding the interior treatment vs foaming the tires. I have really been thinking of ordering all of the sound deadening from the link you provided and tackling the project as possible.

I guess I am wondering if your S is quieter than a 7 series BMW at 80MPH, which is an amazingly quite car at any speed.

 

[bradhs]

I own a 2015 7 series and it is absolutely quite. I wish our Model S was that quite. Though, it's a P85D with 21" and PS2 tires so that definitely doesn't help.

 

[DavidB]

I have made numerous modifications & adjustments to make my Tesla quieter. Were my efforts in terms of interior noise reduction worth it? Absolutely. Unfortunately, I took the shotgun approach, without making before and after analysis with expensive equipment, so I can't tell you which steps were most cost effective, and which steps were the least worthwhile.

Do other Tesla owners get in my car and notice? I don't think I have ever had other Tesla owners ride in my car (at least, not after all my mods).

Is my S quieter than a 7 series BMW at 80MPH? Good question--I've never ridden in a 7 series BMW.

Mods done to make my car quieter:
- Sound deadening foam in my tires
- Removed the carpet, seats, door panels, pillar trim, and dropped the headliner to install sound deadening foam, CLD tiles, and mass-loaded vinyl
- CLD tiles added to several places outside of the passenger area -- on the inside of the bumper, the firewall behind the frunk, the outside walls of the frunk, and the inside of the nose cone, for instance (of these places, I think sound deadening the frunk was the most effective)
- Sound deadening foam above the Panoramic Roof Sunshades.
- Covered some of the exposed plastic surfaces with leather
- Replaced the center console with a console of my own design (added functionality as well as quieter)

In addition to the mods, I also ride with pillows & stuffed dolls in my car--partially so I can sleep comfortably in the car and because I smile when I look at the stuffed dolls--but mainly to absorb more noise.

 

[Andyw2100]

In addition to the mods, I also ride with pillows & stuffed dolls in my car--partially so I can sleep comfortably in the car and because I smile when I look at the stuffed dolls--but mainly to absorb more noise.

You can't possibly have written that sentence without knowing there would be an almost immediate clamor for pictures of this! So...let's see some, please!

 

[trils0n]

...

- CLD tiles added to several places outside of the passenger area -- on the inside of the bumper, the firewall behind the frunk, the outside walls of the frunk, and the inside of the nose cone, for instance (of these places, I think sound deadening the frunk was the most effective)

...

In addition to the mods, I also ride with pillows & stuffed dolls in my car--partially so I can sleep comfortably in the car and because I smile when I look at the stuffed dolls--but mainly to absorb more noise.

About a year ago I purchased perhaps a dozen pillows, and stuffed them into the frunk to bring home. Long story short, got distracted and left them in there for 2 days. After removing the pillows and going for a drive, I was shocked how much louder the car was, didn't notice the quiet when I put them in, but their absence was immediately noticed.

 

[Camera-Cruiser]

I have made numerous modifications & adjustments to make my Tesla quieter. Were my efforts in terms of interior noise reduction worth it? Absolutely. Unfortunately, I took the shotgun approach, without making before and after analysis with expensive equipment, so I can't tell you which steps were most cost effective, and which steps were the least worthwhile.

Do other Tesla owners get in my car and notice? I don't think I have ever had other Tesla owners ride in my car (at least, not after all my mods).

Is my S quieter than a 7 series BMW at 80MPH? Good question--I've never ridden in a 7 series BMW.

Mods done to make my car quieter:
- Sound deadening foam in my tires
- Removed the carpet, seats, door panels, pillar trim, and dropped the headliner to install sound deadening foam, CLD tiles, and mass-loaded vinyl
- CLD tiles added to several places outside of the passenger area -- on the inside of the bumper, the firewall behind the frunk, the outside walls of the frunk, and the inside of the nose cone, for instance (of these places, I think sound deadening the frunk was the most effective)
- Sound deadening foam above the Panoramic Roof Sunshades.
- Covered some of the exposed plastic surfaces with leather
- Replaced the center console with a console of my own design (added functionality as well as quieter)

In addition to the mods, I also ride with pillows & stuffed dolls in my car--partially so I can sleep comfortably in the car and because I smile when I look at the stuffed dolls--but mainly to absorb more noise.

Thanks David, and apologies. I may have confused your work with Artsci's or the other way around. I remember following a multi-page thread about using mass loaded vinyl, etc and the there was some expert up in the north east who helped pull this off. So it was either you or Artsci.

All I know is that I really want it to be quieter. 7 series BMWs are a tomb. I can't say a friend owns one, but rather an associate. We went to a meeting and all I remember was classical music underneath the most normal conversation I ever had a church, while going down the 405 freeway at 80+MPH.

i want that again, just in my Tesla. I might start with pillows. I can always add dolls later.

- - - Updated - - -

- - - Updated - - -

About a year ago I purchased perhaps a dozen pillows, and stuffed them into the frunk to bring home. Long story short, got distracted and left them in there for 2 days. After removing the pillows and going for a drive, I was shocked how much louder the car was, didn't notice the quiet when I put them in, but their absence was immediately noticed.

Thanks.

Pillows, who knew? But for this forum you know you have tell everyone the brand, filling, thread count, were they laid staggered, or in a serial fashion, and if you pre-fluffed or warmed them in any way. You know, for completeness sake.:smile:

 

[DavidB]

Thanks David, and apologies. I may have confused your work with Artsci's or the other way around.
...
Pillows, who knew? But for this forum you know you have tell everyone the brand, filling, thread count, were they laid staggered, or in a serial fashion, and if you pre-fluffed or warmed them in any way. You know, for completeness sake.:smile:

That work you followed was artsci's. His efforts inspired me to me to do more sound mitigation efforts than I had already done.

Pillows: Staggered, varying brands & firmness levels (intentionally), with black pillowcases.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

I will likely go with the Michelin Pilot Sport AS/3's in 19" (replacing my Primacies, hope the AS/3's will be a bit quieter), haven't decided about the risks of the DIY foam application for the AS/3's.

I don't know if added noise is because I've been driving on my Primacies with 4/32 remaining tread, but my car is so much quieter after replacing my tires last week with the Pilot Sport A/S 3. Love those tires after driving on them for only a few days, Tesla should make them standard for 19" configurations. They are less expensive than the Primacies, handle better, and seem much quieter. I don't believe they are LRR (low rolling resistance), so Wh/mi may be higher with the Pilot Sports.

 

[artsci]

I regret to report that my latest DYI attempt was a bust. On my drive to Phildelphia on Sunday to install the new GEN II Test Production appliqués on my, SUPRKAR's, and WATTS-UP's cars, the foam came loose in two tires and I had to deal with out-of-balance wheels and intense vibration for about 200 miles. Not a pleasant experience but no damage was done.

So the glue, which had held for about 6 months, eventually failed. The foam was stripped out of all 4 tires this morning. It was bunched up in two and coming loose in the other two. So this DIY experiment is over and I probably won't make another attempt. Not sure it was even worth it in terms of the sound deadening.

Maybe I should invest in carbon fiber wheels

 

[MassModel3]

Could you tell if it was a function of the glue getting hot an loosening (foam completely intact but separated), or of the foam actually ripping away fro the glue (thin layer of foam attached to the glue)? Kind of a non-issue at this point, but I'm just curious which piece ultimately failed.

And by-the-way, I'm very sorry to hear the way this turned out. As are, I'm sure, numerous other forum members who where rooting for you and your solution.

 

[artsci]

Could you tell if it was a function of the glue getting hot an loosening (foam completely intact but separated), or of the foam actually ripping away fro the glue (thin layer of foam attached to the glue)? Kind of a non-issue at this point, but I'm just curious which piece ultimately failed.

And by-the-way, I'm very sorry to hear the way this turned out. As are, I'm sure, numerous other forum members who where rooting for you and your solution.

Don't know if it was heat but it's been cold here since the beginning of the year. On two tires the foam was separated from the tire in a number of places but still adhering overall. In the other two it had come completely off and it happened all at once. So it's hard to determine whether it was heat or just loss of adhesion over time. I'm sure the adhesive was subject to stresses that it never has to deal with in static applications.

I always thought that given the centrifugal forces on the foam and inside of the tire tread if the foam came loose it would stay in place at speed. Was I ever wrong about that!

 

[jerry33]

Sorry to hear that. I guess it's back to pillows in the trunk.

 

[DavidB]

On the other hand, the foam in my tires (installed in Europe) is still intact & helping keep my car quieter. I've traveled over 16k miles with these tires.

 

[MassModel3]

So earlier in this thread artsci posed the hope that they (the people who did the tires in Europe) might eventually sell a DIY kit for Tesla owners. Is that still a possibility, or is all hope lost? It sounds like the proprietary blend of glue and foam is ultimately what we need.

 

[artsci]

So earlier in this thread artsci posed the hope that they (the people who did the tires in Europe) might eventually sell a DIY kit for Tesla owners. Is that still a possibility, or is all hope lost? It sounds like the proprietary blend of glue and foam is ultimately what we need.

In spite of several attempts they've never responded to my requests about such a kit. So I've given up.

 

[Pollux]

Thank you for doing the experiment (clearly a significant effort) and reporting the results. Negative results do have value.

Thanks,
Alan

In spite of several attempts they've never responded to my requests about such a kit. So I've given up.

 

[artsci]

Thank you for doing the experiment (clearly a significant effort) and reporting the results. Negative results do have value.

Thanks,
Alan

Thanks. It was a ton of work and some $ and I regret that it didn't work out.