Soundproofing An Older Tesla Model 3

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In my latest article about reaching 100,000 miles in my 2019 Tesla Model 3, I discussed how I received it acoustic dampened professionally. With so many used Mannequin 3s being obtainable in the marketplace in the present day, I believed it could be applicable to replace the article from February 2021 and run it yet one more time. Let me remind you that soundproofing generally is a very subjective factor. Your driving surroundings, tires, floor, velocity, and even listening to capability can tremendously affect the tip end result. Nonetheless, I felt the distinction immediately, and I’m joyful that I had it achieved comparatively early on, with a purpose to get pleasure from it for longer.

The precept of acoustic attenuation is a measure of the power lack of sound propagation in a given media. When sound propagates in a media, there’s all the time thermal consumption of power attributable to the particular viscosity of that media. When soundproofing a automotive, the power lack of vibrations originating from exterior affect is strictly what we would like with a purpose to enhance the acoustic consolation on the within. The next comprises lots of images to supply as a lot element as potential for anybody who plans to do that.

After I was to have my Tesla Mannequin 3 delivered, there were some challenges, and I ended up driving a loaner Mannequin S for 2 weeks earlier than I might choose up my very own automotive. I drove about 600 very snug miles within the Mannequin S, and once I picked up the Mannequin 3, I used to be not stunned that the extent of consolation decreased barely, principally by way of street and wind noise, and smoothness of the suspension (the Mannequin S had air suspension). In any case, my new automotive was about half the worth, so this was to be anticipated.

At first, I didn’t assume a lot of it, primarily as a result of the sound system within the Mannequin 3 was so significantly better than within the Mannequin S. I had opted for the premium model with the subwoofer, and I personally have by no means expertise increased constancy in a passenger automotive earlier than. So, for sure, I used to be joyful as might be and loved my Mannequin 3 to its full extent. The brand new Mannequin 3 is claimed to have a good higher sound system inbuilt, on high of a significantly better soundproofing general. My daughter has tried the brand new Mannequin 3, and her getting used to ours, she says it’s unreal how good it’s as compared!

On the time my son had simply purchased a used top-of-the-line 2004 Volvo S40 with a silky clean 5 cylinder engine, full leather-based inside, and premium sound system. Driving together with him, I observed that the acoustic consolation inside at regular freeway velocity appeared higher than my Mannequin 3! What? Not possible. However no, we strained our perceptions and even easy decibel measuring apps would counsel the noise ranges had been decrease within the Volvo. It does have narrower tires, although, so possibly that was the principle purpose. Possibly not.

It’s essential to notice right here that the gasoline-fed inline 5-cylinder inside combustion engine within the Volvo S40 will get an influence stroke each 144 levels with overlap versus the facility strokes of an inline 4-cylinder engine each 180 levels with no overlap. As a result of the facility strokes have much less downtime in a 5-cylinder engine, it runs extra easily than a 4-cylinder engine, however solely at restricted mid-range speeds. 2nd and Third-order vibrations improve as revs go up as a result of inherent whole imbalance of the 5-cylinder setup. For this reason the 5-cylinder can really feel so participating. It may be silky clean and quiet at mid-range revs and roar like a beast at excessive revs. Why have we not seen extra automotive fashions with one of these engine? Primarily as a result of they’re costly to construct and repair, and have low mileage. Nonetheless, they will have excessive sturdiness. The nice outdated Mercedes 5-cylinder diesel engines from the Seventies might final 1,000,000 miles or extra.

At this level, I had put 55,000 km (34,000 miles) down in my Mannequin 3, and I can simply think about placing down 10 instances that distance, so I wished to discover a approach to make the automotive quieter. Earlier on, I bought a simple sealing kit meant to remove some wind noise from the door gaps, and I used to be fairly pleased with the end result. Nonetheless, I also put some new tires on (Michelin CrossClimate+) that appear to have a considerably increased pitch noise than the unique, which I don’t like.

I did some looking out and located an organization referred to as CARSound in Odense, Denmark, that makes a speciality of acoustic attenuation with a deal with damping undesirable sounds from exterior the cabin and enhancing the audio system high quality contained in the cabin. CARSound has expertise with each the Tesla Mannequin 3 and Mannequin S and has put collectively a number of soundproofing bundles especially for the Tesla Models S, 3, and X.

So, I made the transfer and contacted the corporate, explaining why I used to be curious as to what might be achieved, mentioning the very quiet Volvo S40, and asking whether or not one thing like this is able to wreck the efficiency of the sound system. Lasse Rasmussen from CARSound replied:

“Sadly for you, that have with the Volvo makes good sense. Irrespective of how cool the Tesla Mannequin 3 is, Volvo actually has a great status for well-built and barely ‘over engineered vehicles. We’ll do our greatest to restrict the noise, however don’t anticipate that we are able to take away the whole lot. Nonetheless, my colleague Alexander talked about that he has skilled that the trunk ‘disappeared’ after the attenuation. We search to attenuate the trunk vibrations with a purpose to optimize the subwoofer copy, so quite the opposite, if we take away the resonance in hole compartments normally, the oscillations that may section out your subwoofer will disappear and thus you’ll obtain higher situations in your subwoofer.”

I used to be offered on the thought. I received a quote of DKK 9,000 ($1,461) all included (all supplies and a couple of individuals engaged on the automotive for 8 hours), and within the month or so main up the therapy, I actually tried to concentrate to all acoustic facets of driving the Mannequin 3: rumbling, whistling, rattling, music high quality, talking with passengers in back and front, and many others. In addition to doing a little unscientific decibel measurements.

Arriving on the CARSound store on a moist and chilly Monday morning, I used to be welcomed by Alexander Nørgaard, who defined to me what was going to occur. I had ordered the premium bundle consisting of damping the trunk, entrance wheel arches, and all 4 doorways. After eradicating the cladding of the trunk, Alexander defined additional: “There’s some authentic sound damping supplies in right here to ensure the metallic panels don’t vibrate an excessive amount of, however we shall be placing much more in right here.”

Alexander faucets on the panels from the within on the flooring and the rear wheel arches and the drumming sound is clearly resonating. I ask him in regards to the sound system and the way it will have an effect on it. Alexander continues:

“The Mannequin 3 has top-of-the-line sound methods in a mass produced automotive. I drive the Mannequin 3 Efficiency and I’m very impressed. The work we shall be doing in your automotive in the present day will assist deliver out the system’s high quality to its full extent. Nonetheless, when that is achieved, you’ll even be capable to improve this method’s high quality with different drivers in subwoofer and mid-tone audio system up entrance.”

Alexander exhibits me the subwoofer speaker driver and I can see the cone is manufactured from a paper fiber materials, which may be very regular, however that is the place issues might be optimized additional. Nonetheless, my listening to just isn’t good after driving a dozen bikes over 3 a long time, so I’ll save my cash for the day I should purchase a “tinnitus-canceling system.”

Earlier than the work started, I walked across the automotive tapping on all of the panels to ensure I knew how they sounded earlier than the therapy. After Alexander put damping materials on the within of the suitable rear-wheel fender, I tapped it once more, and certain sufficient, it went fully useless. A humorous factor is that this jogged my memory of the 2nd-gen Nissan Leaf I drove a number of years in the past, which had the identical useless sound to it. When you personal one, go forward and check out.

So, why has Tesla not achieved extra of these things from the start? Due to prioritizing different issues I suppose. Tesla is busy determining the right way to put as many electric vehicles on the road as possible, and I suppose each second of meeting work counts. Which is why I write these items for you — to prioritize your personal stage of consolation and discover out what’s potential. The end result? Let’s take a look at some footage first and I’ll inform you what I believe.

After a number of days experiencing my “new automotive,” the very first thing that’s essential to say is that this: Don’t anticipate miracles. That being stated, I don’t remorse spending the cash. Nonetheless, had I deliberate to exchange the automotive inside a shorter time frame, then I might not have achieved it. The automotive doesn’t go as quietly as an air suspension Mannequin S.

That is the type of expenditure that’s misplaced on the spot. The resale worth doesn’t improve once you do one thing like this. However I intend to spend so much of time inside this automotive, and the distinction I subjectively expertise may be very a lot well worth the expense.

The day I traveled to CARSound, the climate was constantly miserable, with steady rain and simply a few levels centigrade, so I picked out a few spots alongside the way in which and had my cellphone measure the decibel sound stage at these actual spots going out earlier than the therapy and coming again after. These are the outcomes:

100 km/h (62 mph): Earlier than = 67 dB. After = 66 dB

110 km/h (68 mph): Earlier than = 70 dB. After = 67 dB

130 km/h (81 mph): Earlier than = 73 dB. After = 70 dB

My cellphone was positioned within the holding place within the heart console, which was the truth is not ideally suited, due to vibrations inevitably propagating on to it. It ought to in fact have been positioned on a useless foam materials. I used a easy app for my cellphone referred to as Decibel X, and I ought to in fact have used the dearer Decibel X Professional, which is filled with analyzing options. Within the low cost model, I solely get easy readouts and a crude graphical frequency common readout, but it surely exhibits that one thing undoubtedly has modified within the increased frequencies:

Beneath 100 km/h (62 mph), I’m not capable of verify any distinction, but it surely feels totally different right here too, because it does in any respect speeds. On the whole, I believe the high-frequency band noises are considerably lowered. That type of noise tends to be tiresome, and although the low-key rumblings would possibly nonetheless be nearly the identical, my conclusion is that that is most likely probably the most you are able to do in your 1st-gen Mannequin 3.

The wind noise is in fact the identical, and I sense probably the most noise is now coming from the entrance wheels. Additionally, I’ve discovered that I can hardly hear the rear drivetrain anymore. Earlier than this soundproofing therapy, there was a transparent sound throughout onerous acceleration, and even at full regen deceleration, and these sounds are actually considerably decrease. I can’t declare that that is finally a great change, as a result of that noise was by no means annoying, however in a bizarre method it provides to the sense of luxurious.

On the slower drives within the countryside with the household, there’s additionally the sense of a quieter inside after the therapy. Speaking between again seat and entrance seat is much less of an issue now, and, once more, my listening to just isn’t so good to start with, so on this scenario it makes an enormous distinction to me, however won’t achieve this for somebody with good listening to. Listening to music continues to be a bliss, it appears now much more so at increased speeds, however actually, that is onerous to conclude objectively, as a result of this highly effective sound system can overcome any noise. (Attempt Dire Straits Six Blade Knife at full blast, my goodness!)

Sudden bonus: This being the Mannequin 3 with out the facility liftgate, a welcome change is that it’s now simply heavy sufficient to make sure it latches itself once you let it go half method down. It used to alway miss the latch and both I needed to push on high or slam it tougher to start with, making it sound like a large tin can. Now it simply thumps properly into place. Actually, general, the doorways have a greater really feel to them with much less rattling once you shut them.

Would I like to recommend this therapy? Sure, if you’re anticipating to drive your Mannequin 3 for a very long time. No, should you’re not. By the way in which, I requested Tesla beforehand if this is able to void guarantee, and I used to be instructed that so long as no bodily adjustments had been made to authentic buildings, I used to be good to go.

All images by CARSound. Disclaimer: I’ve not acquired any cost or additional rebate from CARSound for writing this text. On the day of arrival to have the work achieved on my automotive, I used to be granted permission to make use of their materials.

Initially printed on February 6, 2021. Up to date March 12, 2024.