Sound Damping

ocfoilist

I laid down Hushmat in the rear cargo area, under the bracing and under the seats right up to the firewall. The whole thing cost me about $400 in material and added about 37.5 lbs. The cost was not high and certainly did not add any noticeable weight to the car.

I posted my results on the audio forum, but the long and short was that it made moderate improvements overall. I still hear my Stillen exhaust loud and clear (which I wanted) and the engine noise is largely still there (but a little more subdued). However, road noise is definitely down. At low speeds, it's virtually gone. At high speeds, the main variable is the tires. Depending on the road surface, I can have a very quiet ride at highway speeds or a very loud one. On asphalt, the car is quiet even at 60-80mph. But unfortunately, in Los Angeles we have a number of grooved freeways and - given the stock tires - they generate a lot of road noise. I am getting close to having to replace my stocks and will be looking for a quieter tire. Once I get those put on I will be very curious to hear the final impact of the tire change/Hushmat combination.

I don't usually care too much about cabin noise (I do realize that it's a sports car), but my Z is also my daily driver. Because I work slightly odd hours, I also have to use the bluetooth a lot with my fiancee. At freeway speeds without any sound dampening, it is virtually impossible to carry on a conversation. Even with the dampening, the tires still make it very difficult on most LA freeways.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a differently grooved tire that might reduce road noise? Did anyone swap out their stock tires for something else and get noticeable improvements to road noise?

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Proud owner of a new 167.2 inch, 3278 lb baby Z!
Stillen CBE & G3 Intake // Stillen Lightweight pulley // Stillen Oil Cooler // Goodridge Braided Stainless Steel Brake Lines // ACT HDSS Clutch& Alum Flywheel