Full BRZ interior disassembly for sound deadening - lots of pics, every panel off

[johan]

Originally Posted by Ratez

Thanks for the help. I have stuck the styrofoam back on and replaced the missing clip.

On the other hand found out the metal part holding the rear seat down with the visible bolt snapped. Going to order the part, other than the metal bit is there anything to hold the rear seat? I see a latch at the very back but don't seem to be able to slide back on.

Yeah you need to get it hooked back on that latch. You have to push on the back of the seat bottom while rotating the seat upward against that rear area. It should catch and slide into place. You'll know you got it when the seat won't lift upward from the rear. You definitely need to get that connected for safety reasons.

[Ratez]

Originally Posted by johan

Yeah you need to get it hooked back on that latch. You have to push on the back of the seat bottom while rotating the seat upward against that rear area. It should catch and slide into place. You'll know you got it when the seat won't lift upward from the rear. You definitely need to get that connected for safety reasons.

Thanks I got it locked in.

Is there anything with the rear interior panel I need to take note of?

I have ensured all the studs went in properly and the rubber liners sitting properly. Just not sure if there is anything else I need to be mindful of to ensure the panel is properly fitted in.

[johan]

Originally Posted by Ratez

Thanks I got it locked in.

Is there anything with the rear interior panel I need to take note of?

I have ensured all the studs went in properly and the rubber liners sitting properly. Just not sure if there is anything else I need to be mindful of to ensure the panel is properly fitted in.

As long as all the white clips are in, and you have put the 3 black push clips back in place (2 hold into the trunk side liners, 1 down low under the back seat), you should be good to go. They are pretty basic on this car.

[Ratez]

Originally Posted by johan

As long as all the white clips are in, and you have put the 3 black push clips back in place (2 hold into the trunk side liners, 1 down low under the back seat), you should be good to go. They are pretty basic on this car.

Appreciate all your help. I had to order the black mount for the rear seat since mine snapped in half. Although just by clipping the back of the rear seat in I don't notice any movement.

[WryGuy]

First, a HUGE thanks to Nalc for this how-to guide.

I had Xmas to NY week off work and finally dove into this sound dampening project.

Total time start to finish was around 40 hours - doors, trunk, cabin.

Gonna post a few pictures. Mainly because non of it's visible now so want some record of my blood sweat and tears. Lol.

Used a sound meter before and after. (before/after)

In cabin engine off (50dB/35dB)

Idling (90dB/65dB)

Stopped, accelerate to 65mph (peak 110dB/85dB)

Highway cruise (~100dB/70dB)

Prior to mod, basically needed to shout to hear passenger. Now can talk normally.

Radio was turned up to 50 just to hear anything. Now can set at 25-30 when cruising along. It's like I added a whole new sound system!

Road noise is no longer a factor. Just the low bass humm of the exhaust.

It's not super quiet. But that's totally understandable and acceptable due to the catback. However, even that is substantially muted.

I had my doubts going in. But very glad I did the mod.

Okay...next posting some pix.

[WryGuy]

I went with Sound Deadener Showdown and used their recommended materials list. (https://www.sounddeadenershowdown.co...r-s-coupe-2012)

The MLV came in two big rolls. Used most of one roll for cabin. Had maybe 15% left over in scraps. Pretty much the SDS list was spot on.

The thin neoprene CCF I used about 75%.

Used nearly all of the CLD tiles. (had 5 tiles left over)

I used two of the big squares of Melamine foam in the cabin flooring. The other two squares were split between the two doors to pack the trim panel voids. Duct taped them in place.

Basically, after the first door (passenger), I did an assembly line of gluing the neoprene to the mlv in big batches. Unrolled the mlv and glued on a whole sheet of the neoprene.

For doors I used trim panel as outline. (trim MLV to fit inside the lip ledge of the trim panel) Afterwards I tape measured what I needed and cut a big rectangle from the roll, laid it in place for trunk, backseat, and cabin floors, and then trimmed the excess in place (watching for wires!).

Overall went smoothly. I did cabin last since needed car drivable.

Cabin day 1, I removed everything except for driver seat and carpet (carpet one unit for driver and passenger). Removed all the interior and back seats.

Tips on rear seats.

1. Push down on the back of the rear seat to unhook the seat from a metal bracket. Then hooking it back up afterwards with layered material takes a few grunts too. Bush it as far back, kneel on seat, push down mightily until bracket catches.

2. Rear seat side panels pull inward. Helps to lower the backseat back rest about halfway. Then start at lower corner at door and work up and back to release the plastic tabs.

~~

Label / separate screws and plastic push tabs and such as remove dash, interior, carpet, etc. End up with dozens of these by the time comes to reassemble.

[WryGuy]

Pix!

Doors.

The gap was sorta big so doubled up rope to fill out the space. Covered with aluminum foil to protect against dust and moisture.




Foam packing in door trim. Duct tape doesn't really stick to foam. So taped from plastic to plastic over the foam to hold it in place where needed.



MLV and neoprene layer on top.

[WryGuy]

Trunk and cabin.

Layers of materials:

- CLD tiles on flat areas and anything that vibrates. Trunk floor and cabin floor some like huge bass drums. There was already big slabs of dampening from the manufacturer. So I added more.





Not pictured. But for the trunk I used the neoprene/MLV on the bed under the tire. I walked a tape measure along the curves to get rough dimensions. Cut a slab of the MLV and wrestled it into place.

Starting with spare tire mount cut a circle around it and pressed MLV down into lower well. Where we'll began to curve up, I cut a diagonal NE to front right corner. And cut another diagonal SW to rear left corner. And, suddenly, the MLV laid down nicely into the rest of the trunk area. I just pressed into curves and pretty much tried excess around edges leaving the overlap.

The jack and tools foam pads I velcroed to the MLV. (didn't bother trying to reattach with plastic pieces. Nor did I velcro the mlv to car body. Just let it lay there. It's heavy. Spare tire fits. The trunk card and carpet I have sits on top anyway.

Otherwise, some CLD on outer skin from trunk and called it done.

[WryGuy]

Here is a shot of my prepped MLV with glued neoprene ready to cut as needed to fit.



Backseat checking fit. MLV in other seat. I used the neo/MLV over center armrest too. Thick but armrest fit back on without any trouble.



Cabin floor is same thing. Placed melamine foam underneath as well. Kept factory floor padding too. Probably added 1.5 inches. But it sure cut out the road noise.

Finally, big thanks again to Nalc.

[WryGuy]

Two separate measurements.

First (b/w image) shows peak less than 80dB while accelerating up to cruising speed.



Second (yellow) shows frequency graph while highway cruising. Steady around 70dB which is way better from the 100+dB was previously. Loudest frequencies are in the low range. Somewhat like having a built-in sub-woofer from the catback Humm.



And, finally, sitting in busy shopping center parking lot with engine off. Top bar graph shows historical level and can see where turned car on (55-60dB) then off again. Quiet as a library.

[LudwigMiles]

The entire point of a sports car is to be loud, harsh, and unrefined.
And be light and nimble. Most track rats remove sound deadening!

Sounds like this DIY is for people who bought the wrong car,
and try trying to make it a BMW or Merc.

[new2subaru]

Originally Posted by LudwigMiles

The entire point of a sports car is to be loud, harsh, and unrefined.
And be light and nimble. Most track rats remove sound deadening!

Sounds like this DIY is for people who bought the wrong car,
and try trying to make it a BMW or Merc.

Feel better now?

I'm beginning to become intolerant of people who are intolerant of others.

Slammed, Rally, 1000HP, Bone stock AND/OR sound proofed, it's their F'n car.

[ThisGuyIKnow]

Originally Posted by nalc

Hanging the MLV

First of all, thank you VERY much for this post Nalc! I've been referring to it again and again. I put CLD on my roof last Saturday morning and today after work I had a roll of MLV that USPS delivered (hope the delivery person's back is okay), so I cut a piece to fit my trunk floor like you did. Starting out easy.

The MLV is heavy schtuff! Is that adhesive backed velcro you used to hang it in the doors?

This weekend I'm going to put some CLD, MLV and some Rockford Fosgate woofers in my doors.

[johan]

Originally Posted by ThisGuyIKnow

First of all, thank you VERY much for this post Nalc! I've been referring to it again and again. I put CLD on my roof last Saturday morning and today after work I had a roll of MLV that USPS delivered (hope the delivery person's back is okay), so I cut a piece to fit my trunk floor like you did. Starting out easy.

The MLV is heavy schtuff! Is that adhesive backed velcro you used to hang it in the doors?

This weekend I'm going to put some CLD, MLV and some Rockford Fosgate woofers in my doors.

Get the velcro made for attaching to vinyl. It's actually made for automotive: https://www.amazon.com/VELCRO-Brand-...utomotive&th=1

Be sure to buy the 2' tape one, it's a MUCH better value than the 3 1/2" strips (it's a freaking rip off!). Then you just cut the pieces you need with scissors.

One box should be all you need - and you should be able to Prime it in time for the weekend.