Diving in Head First!
- Thread starter yabanja
- Start date
SkiFreak
Crazy Person
I would expect a better than 7db reduction in the noise levels with 80mm of insulation... A typo I am guessing.
80mil = 80 thousandths of an inch = 2.032mm
I did the Dynamat thing with my truck a long time ago. Definitely should be high on the list of "must do" items, in my opinion.
You made me laugh with that one.
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A bit late now, but I will leave this here for future reference, unless you would like it removed.
There is an art to sound damping. The "cover every inch of your floor with Dynamat" only serves to empty your wallet and add weight. Changing the resonant frequency of each panel is the goal, along with eliminating harmonics. A "piece" of sound damping (not dampening) material in the center of a panel may be all that is required. Several types of sound absorbing material may be required in order to achieve the desired result. I do not doubt that you have seen some improvements, but you likely cost yourself a bit of time and money unnecessarily.
On the CB antenna, a metal one is preferred over a fiberglass one. If you are in the woods, the antenna should be spring mounted, the fiberglass ones will break at the base if hit hard with tree branches. The antenna should also be "tuned" for your vehicle, especially cabovers, as they are a bit weird. This provides optimum range and performance and can really make a noticeable difference.
Looking forward to seeing the upcoming cross country adventure.
Cheers
There is an art to sound damping. The "cover every inch of your floor with Dynamat" only serves to empty your wallet and add weight. Changing the resonant frequency of each panel is the goal, along with eliminating harmonics. A "piece" of sound damping (not dampening) material in the center of a panel may be all that is required. Several types of sound absorbing material may be required in order to achieve the desired result. I do not doubt that you have seen some improvements, but you likely cost yourself a bit of time and money unnecessarily.
On the CB antenna, a metal one is preferred over a fiberglass one. If you are in the woods, the antenna should be spring mounted, the fiberglass ones will break at the base if hit hard with tree branches. The antenna should also be "tuned" for your vehicle, especially cabovers, as they are a bit weird. This provides optimum range and performance and can really make a noticeable difference.
Looking forward to seeing the upcoming cross country adventure.
Cheers
yabanja
Explorer
Well... since I'm no expert in harmonics I figured more couldn't hurt, and that has turned out to be the case. I have noticed a significant reduction in heat from both the engine and roof which would not have been the case had I used the material in a more targeted manner. The antenna in the photo is spring mounted and will be tuned as soon as I get my hands on one of the special tools required.
Allan
Allan
yabanja
Explorer
The front dinette/spare bed was made using 4" low density foam. Not only did you end up bottoming out, but you also didn't sit high enough to see out of the windows. It was also too soft for comfortable sleeping.
We purchased a six inch thick chunk of marine grade high density foam designed for berths. $250 worth of foam!!
Luckily, Sakshi had the brilliant idea to have new upholstery covers custom made in India on a recent trip. She also got enough extra fabric to re-do the bed in the future. We had priced fabric at home at $49 a yard. It ended up being 11 yards. Total cost in India for fabric and custom made zip on covers $100!!!! The results are outstanding!
We purchased a six inch thick chunk of marine grade high density foam designed for berths. $250 worth of foam!!
Luckily, Sakshi had the brilliant idea to have new upholstery covers custom made in India on a recent trip. She also got enough extra fabric to re-do the bed in the future. We had priced fabric at home at $49 a yard. It ended up being 11 yards. Total cost in India for fabric and custom made zip on covers $100!!!! The results are outstanding!
yabanja
Explorer
Indeed, an angle would be nice, we have throw pillows to serve that purpose. This doubles as a bed so we had to make some compromises.
Allan
yabanja
Explorer
In preparation for our 10000 mile road trip next month I just received $1500 worth of spares from Tom's Truck Center in California. After having repeated lackluster experiences with my local Rush Truck Center I decided to explore other opportunities. Couldn't be more pleased. Significantly discounted parts, outstanding customer service, and rapid shipping. Really happy overall! Ordered all new belts, hoses, front and rear driveshaft u-joints, grab handles for the cab, cv boots, front differential service gaskets and c clips, a ton of filters, new mirrors, replacement lens for a broken lamp, etc.....
yabanja
Explorer
One thing leads to another. Our water tank sprung a leak so I ordered a new one. I haven't been happy with the location of the water tank as it is directly over the fuel tank which magnifies weight change from empty to full. In talking with my wife we decided to remove the water heater as we have always found it wasteful to heat 4 gallons of water when we typically shower with one gallon. Of late we have just been heating water on the stove and taking a ladle shower Indian style. This opened up a ton of possibilities as the water heater was located on the opposite side of the vehicle. I decided to remove it and put the water tank where it had been located which would keep the weight even as the fluid levels drop. The water heater was original to the camper and maybe 40 year old gas appliances aren't the best. When I got it out I found it weighed 50 lbs empty!!
