If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Another hypothetical situation
In looking over some of the evaluations of late model automobiles, very few
were given a smiley face where road noise was concerned. I have ridden in some cars where the rumble from the front suspension, road noise, wind noise were nearly unbearable. Now, maybe in the higher end cars of similar chassis series, the problems may be less. The question is, is it possible to make a silk purse from a sow's ear? Is insulation enough, or does the problem get into subframe reinforcement, welding, and techniques yet undefined? |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
|
#3
|
|||
|
|||
=AB=BB wrote: > wrote: > > > It would be interesting to see if the actual dB level has increased > over the years. Perhaps people expect the perfect car whereas in the > past they were happy if it just went forward at a reasonable speed. I suspect that road noise for passenger cars that are not entry level models has actually decreased over the years. For an eye (and ear) opener take a ride in a fully restored stock passenger car from a few decades ago. Not only is the ride and drivability at high speed noticably poorer, but the noise level is up there as well. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
I suspect the higher end models, at least some of them, are much better now
than low end and also better than cars of a few decades ago. Insulation is part of it, I am sure. Isolation of rolling stock from the body by rubber bushings, etc, may also be better than it used to be. I have felt for a long time that most GM cars had less jitter, jiggle, noise than most Fords, but that may be grossly oversimplifying the 'feel' of the cars. I do know, for example, that some of the Mustangs had such flexible unibodies that ride stability was not optimum. The Fox body Mustangs are notorious for this, but my first (a new 66 Mustang) had jitter problems as well. Some local mechanics in Houston tried welding all the subframe panels, etc, solid to try to offset the spot weld frame's flexibility. They say it worked. In the report I read, some BMW's and some Mercedes Benz rated very highly for road noise. Most other cars were somewhat noisy to downright uncomfortable. I guess I am viewing this with an eye to another project car. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
No such thin gin my 2004 Nissan Sentra, sometimes I wish I could hear it;
also since 1900 miles I switched to AMSOIl synthetic oil and all other liquids also AMSOIL, the top in oil (Mobil1 contrary to publi cbeoiefs is only #2 despite their lying commercials) |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Your article is wrong, I dont know what "models" you've been researching, no
noise in my new workhorse Nissa nSentra, no noise in ANY I reneted which were Oldsmobile and Ford. After removings nonessential weights, spare tire/wheel and replacing steel wheels with light Aluminum alloys I am making 40+mph, even mor ethan stock/advertised valu eof 35 highway, ok, and quiet like a dead horse. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
I was unexpectedly pleased with 2003 Mustang Convertible, automatic, 3.8L
(???) or 4.8 (?), dont know much about cars, anyway I rented it in Florida ( I am from Russia-->New York) and HATED the day I returned it to go back to my own Sentra, that Mustang was like a bed, soft, uhh,.... I fear every sizable pothole with my Nossan Sentra, though otherwise and fuel-economy wise my Sentra is nonreplaceable, i only but them |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
"Mark Levitski" > wrote in message ... > Your article is wrong, I dont know what "models" you've been researching, no > noise in my new workhorse Nissa nSentra, no noise in ANY I reneted which > were Oldsmobile and Ford. I wouldn't venture a guess on whether the review is wrong or not, and don't really have a good way to find objective data. I have ridden in a number of new cars in which rumble from the rolling parts is pronounced. Some cars seem relatively quiet until you hit a pothole, and then they sound like two skeletons making love. If one believed the figures in this review, the Lexus 430 would probably be the best car in every category. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
On Sun, 07 Aug 2005 16:10:52 GMT, > wrote:
>In looking over some of the evaluations of late model automobiles, very few >were given a smiley face >where road noise was concerned. > >I have ridden in some cars where the rumble from the front suspension, road >noise, wind noise were >nearly unbearable. Now, maybe in the higher end cars of similar chassis >series, the problems >may be less. > >The question is, is it possible to make a silk purse from a sow's ear? Is >insulation enough, or does the >problem get into subframe reinforcement, welding, and techniques yet >undefined? > The primary reason, IMHO, is because of the shift away from body on frame to unibody combined with the use of thinner body panels and stiffer suspension bushings. But as with anything, it's highly variable, some old cars were noisy and some new cars are quiet. All the truly quiet cars I've had were body on frame, Full sized Chevy's, Dodge's and Fords from the 70's and 80's. You might recall how Ford used to advertise how quiet their cars were and one of the reasons was that the glass was thicker they said. You'll notice they don't talk about them being quiet anymore because like most makes, their bread and butter cars have gotten very noisy compared to years ago. Just as a specific comparison, I had a 69 Firebird, which was unibody, that was a VERY quiet car, one of the quietest I have ever owned even though it was a 400 high performance model. I bought a 76 vette to replace it with an the vette was so noisy (and hard riding) I sold it and kept the Firebird another 5 years. I now have a 99 GT and it is an incredibly noisy car, you almost need to wear earplugs on a long trip. Part of that is the wide tires but most of it is thinner panels and hard suspension bushings that transmit road noise. And that's after I went thru it with foam and dynamat to try and quiet it down. I have a 89 S-10 that's actually pretty quiet, much quieter then the Mustang, mostly because it's body on frame (like all cars used to be), most of the noise in it comes from wind noise. I also have a 2005 Crown Vic, which is pretty quiet but not as quiet as the older full sized cars were, again it goes back to the thinner panels (to save weight and money), thinner carpets, thinner glass, wider tires, and general cost cutting. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
"Ashton Crusher" > wrote in message ... > On Sun, 07 Aug 2005 16:10:52 GMT, > wrote: > > >In looking over some of the evaluations of late model automobiles, very few > >were given a smiley face > >where road noise was concerned. > > > >I have ridden in some cars where the rumble from the front suspension, road > >noise, wind noise were > >nearly unbearable. Now, maybe in the higher end cars of similar chassis > >series, the problems > >may be less. > > > >The question is, is it possible to make a silk purse from a sow's ear? Is > >insulation enough, or does the > >problem get into subframe reinforcement, welding, and techniques yet > >undefined? > > > > The primary reason, IMHO, is because of the shift away from body on > frame to unibody combined with the use of thinner body panels and > stiffer suspension bushings. But as with anything, it's highly > variable, some old cars were noisy and some new cars are quiet. All > the truly quiet cars I've had were body on frame, Full sized Chevy's, > Dodge's and Fords from the 70's and 80's. > > You might recall how Ford used to advertise how quiet their cars were > and one of the reasons was that the glass was thicker they said. > You'll notice they don't talk about them being quiet anymore because > like most makes, their bread and butter cars have gotten very noisy > compared to years ago. > > Just as a specific comparison, I had a 69 Firebird, which was unibody, > that was a VERY quiet car, one of the quietest I have ever owned even > though it was a 400 high performance model. I bought a 76 vette to > replace it with an the vette was so noisy (and hard riding) I sold it > and kept the Firebird another 5 years. I now have a 99 GT and it is > an incredibly noisy car, you almost need to wear earplugs on a long > trip. Part of that is the wide tires but most of it is thinner panels > and hard suspension bushings that transmit road noise. And that's > after I went thru it with foam and dynamat to try and quiet it down. > I have a 89 S-10 that's actually pretty quiet, much quieter then the > Mustang, mostly because it's body on frame (like all cars used to be), > most of the noise in it comes from wind noise. I also have a 2005 > Crown Vic, which is pretty quiet but not as quiet as the older full > sized cars were, again it goes back to the thinner panels (to save > weight and money), thinner carpets, thinner glass, wider tires, and > general cost cutting. Makes sense to me. I feel that, in a project car, one might be able to add insulation, spray on acoustic foam, etc to help with noise. 'Jitter', for lack of a better word, is another phenomenon that makes cars unpleasant to drive. I don't mean a correctable shimmy or wobble. In 1990, I drove a number (5-6) Ford Thunderbirds from various dealerships because I thought it was a nice looking car at a reasonable price. All of them had this 'jitter', some extremely unpleasant, some almost liveable, but not one of them had the smooth 'eel in an oil barrel' feel that I had hoped for. Salesmen had all sorts of lame explanations, none of which washed. Perhaps unibody reinforcements, shock tower stabilizers, etc would help this too. And then maybe the sow's ear will never be a silk purse |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Hypothetical question in the UK | pete | BMW | 7 | April 21st 05 03:05 AM |
Auto Accident Liability in stupid situation?? | \- Prof. Jonez©\ | Driving | 56 | April 11th 05 01:37 AM |
ELECTRICAL situation in '75 BUS -- | Terry | VW air cooled | 8 | April 10th 05 06:05 PM |
Help! I need input on a situation with Thesamba! | Anthony | VW air cooled | 18 | March 29th 05 06:45 PM |
"hypothetical" question | Shag | VW air cooled | 35 | March 4th 05 04:42 PM |