Soundproofing Guide for a Land Rover Defender

How to soundproof a Land Rover (Defender)
One of the most, if not the most, questions about soundproofing for cars comes from Land Rover owners. The Land Rover Defender is probably one of the most iconic vehicles ever made, and very popular in the classic cars community.  When this highly versatile off-road vehicle rolled off the assembly line in 1948, the acoustic materials that are available to us nowadays, did not exist yet. The noise produced by the Land Rover Defender was simply considered as part of the deal, and even as an added value to the experience as a whole.

Nowadays, a lot of people own the Defender as a second car, in which case the noise does stand out in a negative way. This gave rise to the desire to make the vehicle quieter and more comfortable by means of simple adjustments. A quieter car makes it possible to have conversations with the passengers and drive longer distances without being disturbed by the noise. The Acousticshop offers a variety of solutions and matching products to satisfy this desire. The best results will be achieved by insulating the whole vehicle at once, the end result will stand out more.

Soundproofing the Land Rovers engine noise
Reducing the noise produced by the engine starts with insulating the bonnet. Clean the bonnet thoroughly on the inside and make sure it is 100% free of grease and dirt. Then, cover all the flat parts with Vibraflex Normal, only if the temperature does not exceed 70°C! This method of soundproofing is called anti-drumming: extra mass is added to the bonnet, causing it to radiate less sound. Subsequently, you apply an sound insulation on top of these anti-drumming sheets in order to absorb engine noise.

You can use Acousticcell PU with a thickness of 13 or 25 mm, depending on the available amount of free space. Is the space between the insulation and the engine very limited or is there a lot of heat? We recommend using Acousticell Alu or Merfocell FC, an absorption material with a higher heat-resistance. These products are only applicable on a flat surface because of the top layers. Make sure that the absorption materials do not touch the engine!

Soundproofing the cars bulkhead and firewall
Engine noise also enters the car via the bulkhead, or firewall, the floor and the boxes underneath the chairs. A bulkhead separates the cabin from the engine compartment. These parts also need to be insulated by means of anti-drumming. Soundproof the these parts in the cab by applying Vibraflex Extreme. A nice finishing touch is Isomat FM, this also adds extra soundproofing.

To insulate and soundproof the firewall in the engine bay you can use Aluglass. This material reduces and insulate the radiation of engine heat in to the cab. Aluglass absorbs sound, but is primarily used as a heat shield. In case you don’t have that much space, it doesn’t make sense to mount a bunch of small pieces of Aluglass. This method allows for too much sound and heat leakage.

Soundproofing driving noise in the car
Rolling tyres and wind can cause a lot of noise nuisance, especially when your Land Rover has off road tyres. This noise enters mainly via the wheel arches, floor and boot. In this case we advise you to use Vibraflex Extreme or Vibraflex UF, the most heaviest type. Cover as much surface as possible with these anti-drumming sheets for the optimal result.

Isomat FM (floor mat) functions as an ideal finishing layer in this case as well, offering even more insulation. Don’t attach the mat if you frequently drive off-road or if there is a chance for the mat to get wet. If you do want to attach the mat you can simply use a few drops of mounting kit.

Miscellaneous car soundproofing
What’s left are vehicle parts like the roof, doors and side panels. These parts vibrate while driving, thus causing noise, provide them with some anti-drumming too. Vibraflex Normal is ideal to soundproof these parts. For a roof liner you can use the sound insulation product Acousticcell VSP with a vinyl leather look top layer. This product is somewhat rigid and can only be used on flat surfaces.

Questions?
Please feel free to contact us, we will be happy to answer your question as soon as possible.