Solution to "hollow tin" sounding door
#1
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Solution to "hollow tin" sounding door
Like a good number of people on this forum, I have been dealing with that annoying hollow tin-like sound whenever I slam the door to my FD. By researching the forum, I've found that many people have solved the problem by adding dynomat or similar sound-damping material. However, as I've recently found, the actual problem can easily be fixed without the use of costly (and heavy) sound matting. I've never seen this particular solution presented on the forum before, so I thought that I would go ahead and do so. Many kudos goes out to "turbojeff," who gave me the info on this (he gave me helpful advice, and is the only one that I know of who is aware of this particular issue).
The tin sound is coming from one of the crash bars that has separated from the door skin. On the inside of the drivers door, there is a horizontal crash bar. This obviously serves to make the door stronger in the unfortunate event of an impact. There is another vertical "crash bar" that extends from the bottom of the door, up to where it attaches with the horizontal bar. I have attached a picture of the inside of the drivers door (inner door panel removed, vapor barrier peeled back). The vertical crash bar can be seen circled in red. The factory dabbed a few spots of Automotive Seam Sealer on this bar to attach it to the door skin (One of these spots is circled in blue. There are approximately 4 of these along the bar). On my car, ALL of these seam sealer attachment points had broken, and the crash bar was no longer attached to the door skin. Therefore, every time I closed the door, the crash bar and door skin vibrated and made a hollow tin sound.
A quick test to see if this is your problem: Place your hand right in the middle of the door (below the big curve), and push the door closed firmly (be sure not to push so hard as to dent the door skin). If the sound is much quieter, then you've found your problem.
Solution: a $5 tube of Dynatron Seam Sealer (should be available at most auto stores). After removing the inner door panel and vapor barrier, redo the factory seam points that have broken loose. I tried to use a caulking gun with this stuff, but the gun is too large to get inside the door. Instead, you'll have to squeeze it out on some carboard and then use your finger (or something similar) to spread the sealer along the vertical crash bar. Be careful, as this stuff is extremely gooey and gets on EVERYTHING.
After I applied the sealer, I let it cure for 24 hours. After I came back out the next day, the door closed with a nice solid THUNK rather than the PING that is used to. Problem solved, and I couldn't be happier!
-Rob
The tin sound is coming from one of the crash bars that has separated from the door skin. On the inside of the drivers door, there is a horizontal crash bar. This obviously serves to make the door stronger in the unfortunate event of an impact. There is another vertical "crash bar" that extends from the bottom of the door, up to where it attaches with the horizontal bar. I have attached a picture of the inside of the drivers door (inner door panel removed, vapor barrier peeled back). The vertical crash bar can be seen circled in red. The factory dabbed a few spots of Automotive Seam Sealer on this bar to attach it to the door skin (One of these spots is circled in blue. There are approximately 4 of these along the bar). On my car, ALL of these seam sealer attachment points had broken, and the crash bar was no longer attached to the door skin. Therefore, every time I closed the door, the crash bar and door skin vibrated and made a hollow tin sound.
A quick test to see if this is your problem: Place your hand right in the middle of the door (below the big curve), and push the door closed firmly (be sure not to push so hard as to dent the door skin). If the sound is much quieter, then you've found your problem.
Solution: a $5 tube of Dynatron Seam Sealer (should be available at most auto stores). After removing the inner door panel and vapor barrier, redo the factory seam points that have broken loose. I tried to use a caulking gun with this stuff, but the gun is too large to get inside the door. Instead, you'll have to squeeze it out on some carboard and then use your finger (or something similar) to spread the sealer along the vertical crash bar. Be careful, as this stuff is extremely gooey and gets on EVERYTHING.
After I applied the sealer, I let it cure for 24 hours. After I came back out the next day, the door closed with a nice solid THUNK rather than the PING that is used to. Problem solved, and I couldn't be happier!
-Rob
#2
RX-7 Bad Ass
iTrader: (55)
Awesome writeup! I've been in MANY FD's with the hollow door sound, and it really makes the car sound cheap. Fortunately, mine is still OK - dunno if they changed something on the '94s or not. I figured it was something relatively simple like this.
I love fixes like this - a few bucks, a nice afternoon, and it makes a big difference.
Thanks for the writeup!
Dale
I love fixes like this - a few bucks, a nice afternoon, and it makes a big difference.
Thanks for the writeup!
Dale
#3
Originally Posted by dcfc3s
Awesome writeup! I've been in MANY FD's with the hollow door sound, and it really makes the car sound cheap. Fortunately, mine is still OK - dunno if they changed something on the '94s or not. I figured it was something relatively simple like this.
I love fixes like this - a few bucks, a nice afternoon, and it makes a big difference.
Thanks for the writeup!
Dale
I love fixes like this - a few bucks, a nice afternoon, and it makes a big difference.
Thanks for the writeup!
Dale
#4
Do it right, do it once
iTrader: (30)
Originally Posted by Rx7pimpin
You are correct in '94 the problem was corrected.
This fix can apply to all 93-95 FDs with the hollow door closing sound.
Great write-up BTW!
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#8
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Originally Posted by turbojeff
This fix can apply to all 93-95 FDs with the hollow door closing sound.
Great write-up BTW!
Great write-up BTW!
Originally Posted by dcfc3s
Thanks for the writeup!
Dale
Dale
#9
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Originally Posted by moconnor
Great write up.
Does the vapour barrier get destroyed/torn when it is removed? What sort of adhesive did you use to attach it again?
Does the vapour barrier get destroyed/torn when it is removed? What sort of adhesive did you use to attach it again?
#10
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Originally Posted by IOJINXOI
Thanks for saving me from the cash spent on dynomat. I was actually going to pick some up this week.
#11
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Hello-
You can get seam sealer in a pressurized form, too. I got a can that just squirts the stuff out without a gun - it made my doors nice and quiet.
Also, while you're at it, do it to the sunroof. It'll make the wind noise go down quite a bit. No joke...
Take care,
Shad
You can get seam sealer in a pressurized form, too. I got a can that just squirts the stuff out without a gun - it made my doors nice and quiet.
Also, while you're at it, do it to the sunroof. It'll make the wind noise go down quite a bit. No joke...
Take care,
Shad
#12
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Thanks for the write up. I always thought the hollow sound is due to a lack of sound insulation to save on weight (from the factory). Good winter project .
#13
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Originally Posted by Shad Laws
Hello-
You can get seam sealer in a pressurized form, too. I got a can that just squirts the stuff out without a gun - it made my doors nice and quiet.
Also, while you're at it, do it to the sunroof. It'll make the wind noise go down quite a bit. No joke...
Take care,
Shad
You can get seam sealer in a pressurized form, too. I got a can that just squirts the stuff out without a gun - it made my doors nice and quiet.
Also, while you're at it, do it to the sunroof. It'll make the wind noise go down quite a bit. No joke...
Take care,
Shad
So where do you put it on the sunroof? Do you mean around the rubber edge of the sunroof panel, or in the open cavity of the roof? Can you explain more? And doesn't it look kind of funky and uneven?
#15
Senior Member
Couldn't you remove all of that stuff within the door and save some weight. I guess you wouldn't be any less safe than before when they were not attached/broken.
#16
Call me gramps!
Originally Posted by JConn2299
So where do you put it on the sunroof? Do you mean around the rubber edge of the sunroof panel, or in the open cavity of the roof? Can you explain more? And doesn't it look kind of funky and uneven?
#17
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Originally Posted by jeremyb
So is this seam method a substitute for the heavy matting? Can you do both? It's kinda embarrasing closing my door lol.
Jeremy
Jeremy
#18
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Originally Posted by EKTwin93
Couldn't you remove all of that stuff within the door and save some weight. I guess you wouldn't be any less safe than before when they were not attached/broken.
#19
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Originally Posted by saxyman990
...My original plan was to install sound damping if I wasn't satisfied with the results of this (I was a little skeptical). But now I don't feel that's necessary.
Initially when I did this, I just used some silicone adhesive caulk on the brace. But I did go back in later and added some spray-on rubberized undercoating. I think that also helped alot too and it's also inexpensive ~$5. Nice solid "thunk" now. Just my .02.
#20
Having recently had some dings removed the inexpensive way, (where they basically massage the inner surface of the skin with a long probe)... if you were to coat the door insides with undercoating you'd pretty effectively frustrate all attempts by the "Dent Doctor" to remove future dings. Just something to consider...
#21
Originally Posted by saxyman990
Sure, definately couldn't hurt. My original plan was to install sound damping if I wasn't satisfied with the results of this (I was a little skeptical). But now I don't feel that's necessary.
Jeremy
#22
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Originally Posted by zullo
Having recently had some dings removed the inexpensive way, (where they basically massage the inner surface of the skin with a long probe)... if you were to coat the door insides with undercoating you'd pretty effectively frustrate all attempts by the "Dent Doctor" to remove future dings. Just something to consider...
Not so...unless your spreading it on a quarter inch thick. Shops are used to working around/through it. I agree it might not be as easy as if it were a clean surface. But the factory undercoating on some newer vehicles is thicker/heavier yet. An experienced PDR guy should be able to deal with that small amount of undercoating and IMO, it makes a big difference in sound, both when you close the door and the vibrations transmitted from the door speakers.
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Originally Posted by JConn2299
So where do you put it on the sunroof? Do you mean around the rubber edge of the sunroof panel, or in the open cavity of the roof? Can you explain more? And doesn't it look kind of funky and uneven?
If you remove the interior sunroof panel and look at the metal part itself, you'll see that it's just like the door: it has an outer skin and an inner support. And, the factory put a few dabs of seam sealer between them to minimize vibration. Surprise: like the doors, the stuff doesn't work after 10+ years. So, put some new stuff in there.
Once you put the interior sunroof panel back in place, you can't see your seam sealer work at all, just like putting the interior door panel back on.
Take care,
Shad
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Originally Posted by Shad Laws
No, not around the edge...
If you remove the interior sunroof panel and look at the metal part itself, you'll see that it's just like the door: it has an outer skin and an inner support. And, the factory put a few dabs of seam sealer between them to minimize vibration. Surprise: like the doors, the stuff doesn't work after 10+ years. So, put some new stuff in there.
Once you put the interior sunroof panel back in place, you can't see your seam sealer work at all, just like putting the interior door panel back on.
Take care,
Shad
If you remove the interior sunroof panel and look at the metal part itself, you'll see that it's just like the door: it has an outer skin and an inner support. And, the factory put a few dabs of seam sealer between them to minimize vibration. Surprise: like the doors, the stuff doesn't work after 10+ years. So, put some new stuff in there.
Once you put the interior sunroof panel back in place, you can't see your seam sealer work at all, just like putting the interior door panel back on.
Take care,
Shad
OK, thanks. I may give it a try. I've got a high speed (75 mph +) wind noise that is new. When I'm driving, it sounds like it's coming from somewhere at the rear end of the passenger side window, or maybe the front of the passenger side hatch, but I'm not sure. I'll have to ride as a passenger sometime to see if I can pinpoint it.
But it could be the sunroof. I can't see anything wrong with the door or the hatch, so maybe that it's something internally in the sunroof makes sense. Thanks for the tip and the explanation.
JC