As enthusiasts, we prefer our hot rods and trucks to be heard—for race vehicles, show cars, and street
rods, the rumble of the exhaust is part of the driving thrill!

However, the highway drone of a loud aftermarket exhaust system on a daily driver can be annoying.

Many exhaust drone issues can be resolved by installing a quality exhaust resonator, but let’s go further and explore the benefits of using sound-deadening products to address excessive exhaust and road noise.

Fighting Unwanted Vehicle Noise Inside Your Car

More than just an annoyance, increased cabin noise on longer drives can adversely affect concentration, ride comfort, and reaction times, while contributing to stress and fatigue.

Other factors that can increase cabin noise include aggressive tire tread, road and weather conditions, drivetrain noise, and more.

Many manufacturers make sound-deadening materials and heat barriers to help improve the comfort of your drive, including:

spraying lizardskin coating into a vehicle floor
Our pal Tom Tharpe sprayed LizardSkin sound insulation in his LS-swapped Miata project. Get more details on the job here. (Image/Tom’s Turbo Garage)

The simple addition of some under-carpet sound deadening material can greatly enhance your experience on the road, providing a comfortable environment to enjoy music or just talk to passengers (even with a performance exhaust system).

Don’t be overwhelmed by the thought of removing your seats, carpet, headliner, trim, and panels—the process is easier than it sounds and is the perfect opportunity to address any other rattles and squeaks. In fact, we have a pair of articles that can help:

  1. Interior Decorator: How to Install Automotive Carpet
  2. Tips & Tricks For Installing Seats & Carpet in a Vintage Car

Most interior pieces can be removed and reinstalled with basic hand tools in about the time it takes
to detail a car’s exterior. Once removed, seats, carpets, and other trim pieces are easier to clean or restore.

The result will be improved acoustics, feel, and a fresh appearance that will take your driving experience to a new level.

truck cab wrapped in sound deadening material
(Image/Summit Racing)
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Author: Dave Matthews

Dave Matthews was a mechanic for the U.S. Army, a Ford dealership, and served for many years as a fleet mechanic for construction companies. Now a technical content producer at Summit Racing, Dave has spent decades working on everything from military vehicles to high performance race machines.