Suggestions From SuperDuty Owners/Builders

[scooter99]

So I'm gearing up to do a build on my 2006 F250 Crew Cab. It's going to be a blow through with a 4th Order Enclosure housing 4 XL15's powered on 2 3500's at first, but eventually I'll have 3500 per sub when I'm able to pick up the other two.

It's obvious everything needs to be deadened and I'll most likely strip the cabin at some point and get down to that.

My question is for those of you who've built in these, seen big builds in these, or own one of these trucks with a big build. What can you suggest for support, deadening, or any other strengthening? The roof is a big sum beach, and I was thinking I'll probably pull the headliner, and foam in the supports, deaden the roof, and possibly reinforce it with metal or get some wood up there some how.

The doors I konw kind of shake even when I go over a good bump just driving. So I'm guessing those are going to flap like chickens when their heads get cut off. Any suggestions or tips on hwo to stregthen those up by the windows in the jabs? I was thinking of welding in some flat stock along the jamb side of the door. I'm not sure how much room there is there though.

On the back wall I was thinking of making a metal frame, so that I could strengthen the back, and then also add some trim panels etc.

What other suggestions does anyone have on support or strengthening the cabin? Am I on track with my ideas?

I appreciate anyone's experienced advise on this. Thanks.

[aculous]

I had a F250 that I deadened the hell out of. Never did a big spl build though.

I would research how to properly deaden a car really, and what you do to kill road noise and behind a speaker is totally different. (sound deadener showdown used to have it on his site. dunno if he still has the info up there. If not use the waybackmachine and type in is address and you can find it)

look up DB-3, its mass loaded vinly great stuff and really affordable. Ultratouch is really nice as a radiant/fiber layer (good for certain frequencies). Also there is ensolite which is closed cell foam which is nice and of course the butyl based deadener.

1. BUTYL: Second Skin/RAAMMAT/Dynamat all have sound deadener, get the butyl based, fuck asphalt based. You use that sparingly on big flat panels usually in sections across it. Apparently on large square or rectangle panels a H pattern is really effective.

2. Closed Cell Foam: pick a manufacturer theres a ton. peal n stick is easier to apply. This is for rattles and anywhere that metal and plastic touch each other.

3. Mass Loaded Vinyl: Sometimes expensive, look at DB-3. You use this all over, floor door roof, adds weight and lowers resonant frequency of the panel along with the Butyl tiles. Use this to seal the door cavities from the outside of course, so you make a sealed enclosure for your mids and highs.

4. Fiber/Denin/Jute: radiant barrier, use it on the floor and roof to help insulate the truck better and kill some of high frequencies. Also great at over absorption. Ultratouch is nice and also juke or jute padding is great. You just want to use a fibrous material for sound transmission loss.

5. Green glue: This stuff is nice too to make gasket seals its permanently tacky or at least it never hardens. great for door panels I am told (I have yet to use it yet)

6. And last but not least look up Owens Cornings 700 series sound absorption fiberglass. Seal it in a plastic bag and put it in your doors behind your mids and highs apparently its a great absorber.

Or

you can get the spectrum sludge stuff and spray the car. Get the aersol rubberized stuff from I think its CAE for hard to reach places and then put some MLV on top and apply CCF where you see fit.

[boom50cal]

I was gonna mention the doors rattling like a motherfucker stock...F150's are the same way.. curious how to fix it

[aculous]

I was gonna mention the doors rattling like a motherfucker stock...F150's are the same way.. curious how to fix it

is it the door latch? My 250 never rattled at all. Granted I had like 1200 watts in there and a 15 and a 10. But still. Try putting some weight in the door and see if it helps a bit.

MLV is awesome!

[lifted_silverado]

No big builds but my friends 05 super duty had roof flex from hell on 2 sa12s and 2500 watts. Id imagine yours would open up like a tuna can. His doors didn't rattle bad at all with a layer of deadening but again his wasnt nearly as big a setup. You're definitely going to have to brace that roof with something, I'd imagine wood and expanding foam would be the easiest to remove later if need be.

[scooter99]

I had a F250 that I deadened the hell out of. Never did a big spl build though.

I would research how to properly deaden a car really, and what you do to kill road noise and behind a speaker is totally different. (sound deadener showdown used to have it on his site. dunno if he still has the info up there. If not use the waybackmachine and type in is address and you can find it)

look up DB-3, its mass loaded vinly great stuff and really affordable. Ultratouch is really nice as a radiant/fiber layer (good for certain frequencies). Also there is ensolite which is closed cell foam which is nice and of course the butyl based deadener.

1. BUTYL: Second Skin/RAAMMAT/Dynamat all have sound deadener, get the butyl based, fuck asphalt based. You use that sparingly on big flat panels usually in sections across it. Apparently on large square or rectangle panels a H pattern is really effective.

2. Closed Cell Foam: pick a manufacturer theres a ton. peal n stick is easier to apply. This is for rattles and anywhere that metal and plastic touch each other.

3. Mass Loaded Vinyl: Sometimes expensive, look at DB-3. You use this all over, floor door roof, adds weight and lowers resonant frequency of the panel along with the Butyl tiles. Use this to seal the door cavities from the outside of course, so you make a sealed enclosure for your mids and highs.

4. Fiber/Denin/Jute: radiant barrier, use it on the floor and roof to help insulate the truck better and kill some of high frequencies. Also great at over absorption. Ultratouch is nice and also juke or jute padding is great. You just want to use a fibrous material for sound transmission loss.

5. Green glue: This stuff is nice too to make gasket seals its permanently tacky or at least it never hardens. great for door panels I am told (I have yet to use it yet)

6. And last but not least look up Owens Cornings 700 series sound absorption fiberglass. Seal it in a plastic bag and put it in your doors behind your mids and highs apparently its a great absorber.

Or

you can get the spectrum sludge stuff and spray the car. Get the aersol rubberized stuff from I think its CAE for hard to reach places and then put some MLV on top and apply CCF where you see fit.

Thank you for the information. I'm aware how to deaden and what to use, but this information may be helpful if anyone else who doesn't comes across this thread. SO thank you. My questions were based on Superduty (f250 and f350) owners who found this out when they had their builds done, or found that out. Every vehicle has it's "quarks". That's basically what I'm after.

I was gonna mention the doors rattling like a motherfucker stock...F150's are the same way.. curious how to fix it

Well, I've been thinking about my doors and what I'd described above about using metal flat stock on the door jams (on the doors themselves) and I really think that may work pretty well. I'm not sure how to do it and make it look nice yet however, or if there is enough space between the door and the strike jam to put something like that in. But if you think about it, the door is going to move out and in by the air movement. If you stick some 1/4" flat stock on the jam of the door, it should stiffen it up. it would be, essentially like taking a piece of plywood (like the sheet metal of the door) and putting a piece of ply wood on the end of it (making a T of sorts). The plywood acting as the sheet metal is now stiffened up because of the piece added on the end. At least in my mind, and my experience and knowledge working with wood and framing and building, that's what it tells me. But I'll experiment with it and let you know.

No big builds but my friends 05 super duty had roof flex from hell on 2 sa12s and 2500 watts. Id imagine yours would open up like a tuna can. His doors didn't rattle bad at all with a layer of deadening but again his wasnt nearly as big a setup. You're definitely going to have to brace that roof with something, I'd imagine wood and expanding foam would be the easiest to remove later if need be.

Yeah, it's a big effin roof and nothing in it to really give it any support. But we're on the same wave length as far as your idea. I was thinking that foaming inside the cross braces and then using some PL adhesive ( at least I think that's what everyone has been recommending) and adding some mdf or birch to the roof between those cross braces, should really help it out. I have a thought about doing a stripper pole, but I'm not sure if I'll need it yet. Thank you for the suggestions.

I also had a thought about some sort of metal skin and frame that I could attach, weld, screw, glue, or otherwise, to the existing cross braces would do well. Then foam inside all of the spaces. Deaden over top of the whole thing when it was done, and then make a new headliner. I've also seen alot of guys do a nice thick layer of bed liner on the roof. My truck is black so that wouldn't stand out too much. Not sure if there has been a lot of success with that or not, but just something I've seen.

Thanks guys. I appreciate all the info and suggestions and ideas.