Micro Balloons as sound deadening?
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 14,479
Likes: 805
From: Blunt, South Dakota
Year: 97
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.6 stroker
I have a different outlook on this whole issue. I don't want it quieter. I don't want to dampen vibrations. I have a 15 year old vehicle that is moderately modified and soon to be highly modified. I want to be able to hear and feel everything it's doing, so that I know when something isn't right.
A Cherokee is a driver's vehicle. Unlike a lot of other vehicles, it talks to you if you listen. I really don't want to mute that feedback.
Am I the only one who feels this way?
A Cherokee is a driver's vehicle. Unlike a lot of other vehicles, it talks to you if you listen. I really don't want to mute that feedback.
Am I the only one who feels this way?
LOL
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 773
Likes: 1
From: Lapeer, Murder Mitten
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
Ran acroos this site through a pop-up on here: http://www.daubertchemical.com/products/sound_vibration
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,353
Likes: 1
From: Missoula, MT
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: Golen 4.6 Stroker, AFE Headers, 62mm TB, 24 LB Injectors, Brown Dog kit, HF Cat, 3" Exhaust
Alright guys... got it all together and ran some more readings.
First off, my jeep is very loud. I have the spectre cowl intake and a 3" exhaust with a high flow cat and a flowmaster super 44. I actually have wanted to replace the muffler or add a resonator for along time. It is way too loud for my tastes. Its louder then on a previous XJ, I had the entire exhaust ripped off/smashed by a rock from downpipe back.
Anyways... I am using a little hand held decibel meter- has multiple settings and stores the highest decibel reached in a certain period. (that is the decibel reading sitting in my works parking lot)
Before Readings= Just Bed liner, seats and floormats.
After= Same as above but with several coats of microballoon mixed into Bedliner and a few additional coats of Bedliner.
Idle :
Before- 90-93
After- 84-86
60mph OD (2000rpm)
Before- 96-101
After- 86-91
60mph non OD (3400 rpm)
Before 99-105
After- 88-92
Highest reading- (romping on it)
Before- 107
After- 96
So in conclusion, Its still loud BUT I did have a measurably quieter ride. (I think stock is around 75ish?) Also (and the biggest thing for me) the vibrations have been cut down substantially... I dont know how to measure that but It is only slightly more than stock now instead of rattling everything apart. Had I used something cheaper than Bedliner and done another 6 coats, it probably would have been even more successful.
I would highly recommend the use of microballoons if you are going to gut your interior. What I would do (if I could do it over) I'd go to Lowes/homedepot and buy a gallon of their "oops" paint (5-8$)... color doesn't matter.. and buy a gallon of microballons(mine was 10$ on eBay and i used less than half of it), mix the two together and do a half a dozen coats. Then bedline over the top of it. I would probably do a coat of bedliner on the bottom just so it all adheres very well.
I wish I had done it with my carpet still in to give even a more inclusive result. Oh well.
First off, my jeep is very loud. I have the spectre cowl intake and a 3" exhaust with a high flow cat and a flowmaster super 44. I actually have wanted to replace the muffler or add a resonator for along time. It is way too loud for my tastes. Its louder then on a previous XJ, I had the entire exhaust ripped off/smashed by a rock from downpipe back.
Anyways... I am using a little hand held decibel meter- has multiple settings and stores the highest decibel reached in a certain period. (that is the decibel reading sitting in my works parking lot)
Before Readings= Just Bed liner, seats and floormats.
After= Same as above but with several coats of microballoon mixed into Bedliner and a few additional coats of Bedliner.
Idle :
Before- 90-93
After- 84-86
60mph OD (2000rpm)
Before- 96-101
After- 86-91
60mph non OD (3400 rpm)
Before 99-105
After- 88-92
Highest reading- (romping on it)
Before- 107
After- 96
So in conclusion, Its still loud BUT I did have a measurably quieter ride. (I think stock is around 75ish?) Also (and the biggest thing for me) the vibrations have been cut down substantially... I dont know how to measure that but It is only slightly more than stock now instead of rattling everything apart. Had I used something cheaper than Bedliner and done another 6 coats, it probably would have been even more successful.
I would highly recommend the use of microballoons if you are going to gut your interior. What I would do (if I could do it over) I'd go to Lowes/homedepot and buy a gallon of their "oops" paint (5-8$)... color doesn't matter.. and buy a gallon of microballons(mine was 10$ on eBay and i used less than half of it), mix the two together and do a half a dozen coats. Then bedline over the top of it. I would probably do a coat of bedliner on the bottom just so it all adheres very well.
I wish I had done it with my carpet still in to give even a more inclusive result. Oh well.
Last edited by Ianf406; Mar 16, 2015 at 12:16 PM.
Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
From: Albuquerque, NM
Year: 1987
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
I can't believe I missed this post, I could have actually felt smart on this forum for once haha! Great job though, it is fantastic that it worked and you got positive numbers to share!
We use glass microballoons religiously at work. We use them a lot for vibration dampening/weight reduction as they are cheap and VERY effective. I am not sure how much you added to the herculiner but you can add an incredibly high weight percentage of GMB to almost any polymer.
For people that may try this in the future, I would recommend using 20 lbs of GMB to every 100 lbs of polymer (scale accordingly) and this may vary on what polymer coating you are using.
Downsides: The more GMB you add, the thicker the polymer will get and harder it will be to apply. So depending on how thick the polymer coating you are using will affect how much GMB you can add without making it impossible to work with.
Also, for a spray on liner like Rapter liner, adding GMB will make it almost impossible to spray. It will most likely spit out globs rather than an even coating.
Upsides: For the same thickness of coating, the coating with the GMB will be lighter, absorb more vibrations (hence sound dampening) and use less polymer than a coating without any GMB which makes complete sense since you are basically adding "air bubbles".
I think that with any liner that you would roll on like herculiner, adding GMB would only make things better.
Great post and report Ianf! I think that the "oops paint" idea is awesome and I may try it and then respray the raptor liner.
We use glass microballoons religiously at work. We use them a lot for vibration dampening/weight reduction as they are cheap and VERY effective. I am not sure how much you added to the herculiner but you can add an incredibly high weight percentage of GMB to almost any polymer.
For people that may try this in the future, I would recommend using 20 lbs of GMB to every 100 lbs of polymer (scale accordingly) and this may vary on what polymer coating you are using.
Downsides: The more GMB you add, the thicker the polymer will get and harder it will be to apply. So depending on how thick the polymer coating you are using will affect how much GMB you can add without making it impossible to work with.
Also, for a spray on liner like Rapter liner, adding GMB will make it almost impossible to spray. It will most likely spit out globs rather than an even coating.
Upsides: For the same thickness of coating, the coating with the GMB will be lighter, absorb more vibrations (hence sound dampening) and use less polymer than a coating without any GMB which makes complete sense since you are basically adding "air bubbles".
I think that with any liner that you would roll on like herculiner, adding GMB would only make things better.
Great post and report Ianf! I think that the "oops paint" idea is awesome and I may try it and then respray the raptor liner.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,353
Likes: 1
From: Missoula, MT
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: Golen 4.6 Stroker, AFE Headers, 62mm TB, 24 LB Injectors, Brown Dog kit, HF Cat, 3" Exhaust
I can't believe I missed this post, I could have actually felt smart on this forum for once haha! Great job though, it is fantastic that it worked and you got positive numbers to share!
We use glass microballoons religiously at work. We use them a lot for vibration dampening/weight reduction as they are cheap and VERY effective. I am not sure how much you added to the herculiner but you can add an incredibly high weight percentage of GMB to almost any polymer.
For people that may try this in the future, I would recommend using 20 lbs of GMB to every 100 lbs of polymer (scale accordingly) and this may vary on what polymer coating you are using.
Downsides: The more GMB you add, the thicker the polymer will get and harder it will be to apply. So depending on how thick the polymer coating you are using will affect how much GMB you can add without making it impossible to work with.
Also, for a spray on liner like Rapter liner, adding GMB will make it almost impossible to spray. It will most likely spit out globs rather than an even coating.
Upsides: For the same thickness of coating, the coating with the GMB will be lighter, absorb more vibrations (hence sound dampening) and use less polymer than a coating without any GMB which makes complete sense since you are basically adding "air bubbles".
I think that with any liner that you would roll on like herculiner, adding GMB would only make things better.
Great post and report Ianf! I think that the "oops paint" idea is awesome and I may try it and then respray the raptor liner.
We use glass microballoons religiously at work. We use them a lot for vibration dampening/weight reduction as they are cheap and VERY effective. I am not sure how much you added to the herculiner but you can add an incredibly high weight percentage of GMB to almost any polymer.
For people that may try this in the future, I would recommend using 20 lbs of GMB to every 100 lbs of polymer (scale accordingly) and this may vary on what polymer coating you are using.
Downsides: The more GMB you add, the thicker the polymer will get and harder it will be to apply. So depending on how thick the polymer coating you are using will affect how much GMB you can add without making it impossible to work with.
Also, for a spray on liner like Rapter liner, adding GMB will make it almost impossible to spray. It will most likely spit out globs rather than an even coating.
Upsides: For the same thickness of coating, the coating with the GMB will be lighter, absorb more vibrations (hence sound dampening) and use less polymer than a coating without any GMB which makes complete sense since you are basically adding "air bubbles".
I think that with any liner that you would roll on like herculiner, adding GMB would only make things better.
Great post and report Ianf! I think that the "oops paint" idea is awesome and I may try it and then respray the raptor liner.
And thanks!
Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 136
Likes: 2
From: Olympia, WA
Year: 1991, 1997 & 2000 (yeah, I got 3)
Model: Cherokee
I think this is probably a good idea. Ceramic microballoons could also be used with the added advantage of thermal insulation
http://www.shop3m.com/3m-ceramic-mic...og_98021235936
http://www.shop3m.com/3m-ceramic-mic...og_98021235936
Last edited by goatherder; Mar 17, 2015 at 11:11 PM.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,353
Likes: 1
From: Missoula, MT
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: Golen 4.6 Stroker, AFE Headers, 62mm TB, 24 LB Injectors, Brown Dog kit, HF Cat, 3" Exhaust
I think this is probably a good idea. Ceramic microballoons could also be used with the added advantage of thermal insulation
http://www.shop3m.com/3m-ceramic-mic...og_98021235936
http://www.shop3m.com/3m-ceramic-mic...og_98021235936