supercab seat delete: need advice on sound proofing

[HenryMac]

Just leaving the factory seats and seat belts in place works well. The curved seat backs help to hold items in position. Plus when you aren't hauling anything your truck still looks nice.

Be careful covering up the rear vents... they need to be able to dissipate internal pressure and help the HVAC to work correctly.

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[charwest]

Haven't been here in awhile and I'm literally doing to same thing. About to head out for supplies. How are you attaching the plywood? I was thinking some sheet metal screws would be needed. For the gap I was going to find some thick foam to trim. Not the spray kind although you could use plastic wrap so it won't stick to the cab.

my project is paused bc work has been busy, but i am planning on attaching the top using the original seatback bolts (will make a pine wood piece that fills the gap at the top of the wall, secure that to plywood with decking screws, and use the OEM bolts to secure it). for the bottom my plywood backwall sits on the original metal rails the seat bottoms used to be attached to, and my plan is to use some wedges of wood in those openings at the side with a screw to hold them in place. no new holes in the truck. if i like this system, i may ditch the wood wedges and put a metal threaded rod into the clips that used to hold the bottom of the seatbacks, bend it so it comes out of holes in the plywood and hold it in place with bolts. that would look nicer, but is more work which may not be necessary.

sheet metal screws would obviously work, but i envision taking this on and off a few times as i work out the sound dampening that works for me, and i like the idea of a system that is removeable and doesnt make any holes that arent there already.

to fill the gap i have a moving blanket, which is a felted synthetic blanket like the stuff they had in there already, and ill cut it to size and layer as much as fits. if it doesnt work well will upgrade to some of the pricier options mentioned above which sound tempting.

 

[charwest]

Just leaving the factory seats and seat belts in place works well. The curved seat backs help to hold items in position. Plus when you aren't hauling anything your truck still looks nice.

Be careful covering up the rear vents... they need to be able to dissipate internal pressure and help the HVAC to work correctly.

yeah, but you lose a couple inches at least leaving the seats in place, and i want a board i can secure things to. ill be putting t nuts in the back of the new rear wall board and straps and whatnot.

it wont be an airtight seal around the vents. i doubt it will seal any more than the seats did.

 

[T-Wrecks]

I plan to carpet the back wall so it looks nice and I'll figure out the top gap when I get to it. It may involve trimming some trim to do it right. As far as sound I don't think it's all that much as is, even with the seats removed. If it is I'll use carpet on the backside, or maybe a blanket or some foam.

As a first step I'm carpeting the storage box covers with auto/marine carpet I found at Menards and 3M spray adhesive. I hated putting things on it as they slide off or get scuffed. The seat bottoms still attach just fine.

 

[charwest]

I plan to carpet the back wall so it looks nice and I'll figure out the top gap when I get to it. It may involve trimming some trim to do it right. As far as sound I don't think it's all that much as is, even with the seats removed. If it is I'll use carpet on the backside, or maybe a blanket or some foam.

As a first step I'm carpeting the storage box covers with auto/marine carpet I found at Menards and 3M spray adhesive. I hated putting things on it as they slide off or get scuffed. The seat bottoms still attach just fine.

carpeting the under seat plastic is a good idea. ill have to think about that.

you don’t find it noisy? my wife and i can’t stand the road noise with the seats off. plus most of the time with any air running the vents open and you basically have an open window behind you. since i have had the seats out we have been stacking stuff over the vents just to make it quiet.

this is what my board looks like. fits well. waiting for the liquid nails to dry before i drill the holes to accept new bolts

 

[UncleBob]

The only wires I can think of that would be somewhere in the area would be the feed to the third brake light and the feed to the rear window defroster.

 

[T-Wrecks]

carpeting the under seat plastic is a good idea. ill have to think about that.

you don’t find it noisy? my wife and i can’t stand the road noise with the seats off. plus most of the time with any air running the vents open and you basically have an open window behind you. since i have had the seats out we have been stacking stuff over the vents just to make it quiet.

this is what my board looks like. fits well. waiting for the liquid nails to dry before i drill the holes to accept new bolts

J

carpeting the under seat plastic is a good idea. ill have to think about that.

you don’t find it noisy? my wife and i can’t stand the road noise with the seats off. plus most of the time with any air running the vents open and you basically have an open window behind you. since i have had the seats out we have been stacking stuff over the vents just to make it quiet.

this is what my board looks like. fits well. waiting for the liquid nails to dry before i drill the holes to accept new bolts

That looks nice, can't wait to see what is looks like installed. For the bottom are you going to slot where the seat u-bolts protrude and use a wedge? I was thinking of slotting the plywood so there are fingers to slide into those. Not sure what's best, that can wait though. I just picked up some 1/2" plywood so I can start tracing the sides.

I have a topper so maybe that helps with the noise. I can hear wind but not over the radio.

 

[charwest]

That looks nice, can't wait to see what is looks like installed. For the bottom are you going to slot where the seat u-bolts protrude and use a wedge?

i decided to just perch the board on top of the u-bolts, not make a slot. slot would probably look nicer, but i was happy with this simplistic version and i dont envision seeing that bottom edge much as it is going to have gear there the whole time.

my plan for now is secure it with a wedge. but when i stop taking it on and off after any final adjustments i may make a lower profile fix at the bottom, probably incorporating the lower clips that used to hold the seat back.

tracing was a pain in the butt. its a complex shape. i could send you my trace, although only would work if you wanted the board inset to cover all metal, and not overlapping the plastic. for a more finished look you could have it overlap the plastic at the top sides and rout out the back side so it mates nicely.

 

[T-Wrecks]

Tracing looks like a PITA. Looks like you may have cut around the ears for the top trim, I was going to cut them off so the plywood would sit flush against the trim. Double sided tape would keep the trim from vibrating. And it's covered by the rear seat back so you wouldn't be able to see it if the seats were installed.

One option to make the project a lot easier is to use the top trim piece from the rear seat delete, it's only $47 (FYI dealer cost is $41). Then use plywood instead of the more expensive rear seat delete panel. More $ but I think it would look a lot nicer. This may require sheet metal screws into the bracket to hold it on though.

https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-part...yYW5nZXImeT0yMDE5JnQ9eGwmZT0yLTNsLWw0LWdhcw==

 

[Sandman Ranger]

Sound proof sheets. Best for less bulk

 

[Ranger_Rocks]

Are the off-white pieces factory sound deadening ?

 

[Sandman Ranger]

Are the off-white pieces factory sound deadening ?

On a VW GTI, yes.
under rear seat above gas tank.
Used for example of adding sound deadening sheets.

 

[charwest]

That looks nice, can't wait to see what is looks like installed.

i put it together this weekend.

it’s 1/2” plywood plus a piece of pine at the top. the latter was a pain in the butt with its odd angles. the board is painted matt black and drilled with M6 t-nuts in all the holes. same bolt and thread as my roof rack and topper inside hardware so i can mix and match in the future.

the sound deadening is what i had lying around: some felted synthetic blanket and a little leftover memory open cell foam over the vents. all that is held in place with a few staples.

the board is held in place at the top using two countersunk heavy bolts in the original seat back securing bolt holes. at the bottom it is perched on the u bolts that are attached to the back wall. for now the bottom is held in place with a piece of ugly 1/2” plywood as a wedge in the u-bolt but in time either it won’t need anything because i will use straps to the u bolts to secure my cooler and toolbox which will pin the bottom tight against the rear wall, or if i don’t like that i can build something to include the rear seat clips that will look nice and be hidden. i doubt ill go the latter route- it is a nice secure fit without anything securing the bottom. i only need the bottom secured while driving, and while driving i will have the cooler and other boxes strapped against the rear wall.

to attach stuff to it i have M6 ring bolts, and various other hardware so i can attach whatever i want. i can bolt a milk crate on, or put shelves in, put ratchet or cam straps on, or screw right into the board, whatever.

so far so good. we’ll see how quiet it is when i finally get it on the road.

 

[T-Wrecks]

Here's my version. You are a better carpenter than I am so this cost $47 more for the top trim piece which snapped right in. This required 3 countersunk sheet metal screws into the seat back bracket to attach the plywood There's no wires or anything behind it and there's no harm to the truck. If you do this don't drill below this bracket or you will have a hole to the outside! Learned the hard way not to use stainless screws as that's some tough steel sheet metal.

I also used 1/2 plywood but went all the way to the bottom and slotted for the u-bolts. It's just tight enough the bottom is wedged in, there's actually a little grove along the bottom it fits into so no further fasteners are needed and it can be removed in 30 seconds. Added the same carpet I used to cover the lids on the storage boxes using the same 3M adhesive and staples on the backside. Before I did this I installed the bare plywood and when for a sound check drive. Just the plywood kills about 85% of the road noise. I had an old carpet remnant that I used on the backside for sound insulation. I think it's quieter than before.

My wife said it looks professional so you can't get a better compliment than that! I plan to add some tie downs or webbing too. The cool part is someone can still sit back there in a pinch and they actually have more room.

 

[Ranger_Rocks]

Nice work ! How long would it take to remove and then reinstall the seats ?

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