Bronco Nation

Advice on effective sound deadening on the Bronco

pcbc
Mar 02, 2023

Rank 0

Mar 02, 2023

Hey All,

I have a very new Bronco owner (2023 Black Diamond 4 door). I realize that it gets quite loud inside this car when I go on the freeway or when I pass around 70 mph. My bronco doesn't have a topliner and thought maybe getting a topliner can help with some of this noise.

One one hand, with my Ford Pass points, I can get the topliner installed at my Ford dealership:
https://accessories.ford.com/products/roof-liner-topliner-roof-kit-for-4-door-models

On the other hand, I can get sound deadening done at a car shop through the whole car like doors, flooring, etc. but obviously, much more expensive.

My question is, would a topliner be good enough for noise levels inside the car? or do I need to sound deaden the entire car?
Laura, BroncOitis
Last edited by a moderator: Mar 02, 2023

🇨🇦 Never 51 🇨🇦

Mar 02, 2023

#20
TechnicalDisaster
I just purchased the naughty dog headliner for my soft top and have been running it for a few days. While it really helps the wind noise above 60 miles per hour, the ground noise is still substantial.

Before the headliner, the volume of noise was coming in from all directions. With the headliner, I can tell the sound direction much better than before. It’s really coming from the doors and tires.

My next step is to use Kill Mat on the doors, and then eventually the floor.

improved sound insulation for the top is just one piece of a sound mitigation system the Bronco needs.
I just looked up the naughty dog. Looks pretty much the same as Ford OEM, I'm guessing it's thinner though since you can see the roof lines and accents. Pretty much looks factory so that's a plus.

Rank 0

Mar 03, 2023

#21
Sulley
Noise is an aggregate problem that takes a number of different improvements usually. The real effort is best spent on the biggest bang for the buck.

If your Bronco didn’t come with the headliner, you can order one - but first, you might think about installing some Dynamat or SoundSkin tiles on the hard top underneath where the headliner will go.

Think you’ll find that most of the Bronco’s noise problem is road noise. There are door and cargo kits that are easy to install and will probably help. But the biggest way to reduce road noise is to change the awful tires the Bronco comes with. If you’re running the Territory MT’s, they howl way louder than most comparable tires. You can find good quality AT or even MT tires that aren’t nearly as noisy. Look at Falken, they’ve gotten great reviews in both capability and road manners. To add insult to injury, the Territory MT isn’t even a mud terrain tire. Goodyear calls it an AT.

Before you go spending a ton of money though, you might want to dig up my wind noise thread and make sure none of those issues are a major problem.

It will never be sedan quiet, but you can get within about 20-30% of a quiet vehicle. I just recently started measuring sound with the NIOSH app, and noticed my Bronco is only 3db louder than my wife’s 23 Grand Cherokee L SR, which is super quiet. Thats one order of magnitude from what I read, or 23% louder (amplitude). Not bad. Most of that difference is still road noise. But I also spent a week tightening things down, replaced one door seal, and have different tires.
Click to expand...
Sulley --- Good info. Thanks. Are the BFG ATs on the Badlands also noisy? If I was going to change out my Goodyear MTs, would that be a decent option vis-a-vis road noise? The BFGs are very highly rated tires.

Rank IV

Mar 03, 2023

#22
I have a 22 OBX non SAS 2.3 with the OEM “sound deadening ” . The road noise is not bad but the wind noise over the roof is bad. Have not ridden in a hardtop without the sound deadening. Would definitely consider an alternative for roof sound deadening.

Love my Bronco!

Mar 03, 2023

#23
OrangecrushBronco
I just looked up the naughty dog. Looks pretty much the same as Ford OEM, I'm guessing it's thinner though since you can see the roof lines and accents. Pretty much looks factory so that's a plus.
*Dirty Dog. Yes, the interior looks much more finished and the quality of the liner is very good. It also insulates very well. My bronco is toasty! Its worth it in a cold climate for sure.

I ordered Siless sound proofing tiles that I'll be installing soon to the doors and floors.

Friendly Neighborhood Sasquatch

Mar 03, 2023

#24
TechnicalDisaster
*Dirty Dog. Yes, the interior looks much more finished and the quality of the liner is very good. It also insulates very well. My bronco is toasty! Its worth it in a cold climate for sure.

I ordered Siless sound proofing tiles that I'll be installing soon to the doors and floors.
I kinda wish they made this for hard tops.

Love my Bronco!

Mar 03, 2023

#25
Sulley
I kinda wish they made this for hard tops.
It would be tricky. You have to have the soft top open to install this. You wouldn’t be able to latch the hard top after the liner was installed. You would also lose more head room in the hard top. But maybe they can come up with something.

What I don’t see on the market is any way to mitigate the noise from the rear vinyl window. I’m still noodling on a solution for that.

Friendly Neighborhood Sasquatch

Mar 03, 2023

#26
TechnicalDisaster
It would be tricky. You have to have the soft top open to install this. You wouldn’t be able to latch the hard top after the liner was installed. You would also lose more head room in the hard top. But maybe they can come up with something.

What I don’t see on the market is any way to mitigate the noise from the rear vinyl window. I’m still noodling on a solution for that.
I would pay handomely for some aftermarket panels using automotive glass. Don't care that I'd lose being able to lift the back.

Rank V

Mar 03, 2023

#27
2DR Badlands is availbable w/High Pack, Black Diamond is not. I made sure I didnt get the roof FUR. I dont see how it could help much so I agree you might be better off using your Fordpass points for the factory engine hood noise dampener. I would ask the dealer if they have any other (firewall, etc) available.

🇨🇦 Never 51 🇨🇦

Mar 03, 2023

#28
TechnicalDisaster
It would be tricky. You have to have the soft top open to install this. You wouldn’t be able to latch the hard top after the liner was installed. You would also lose more head room in the hard top. But maybe they can come up with something.

What I don’t see on the market is any way to mitigate the noise from the rear vinyl window. I’m still noodling on a solution for that.
It would be nice if some aftermarket company made thicker more durable soft tops that have a glass window in the very back. Drop top materials and quality have improved by leaps and bounds over the years. The Bronco design seems to have missed the memo.

Bronco Bill

Mar 05, 2023

#29
remember its a bronco not a tesla 😂
lapazleo

Rank V

Mar 05, 2023

#30
b laird
remember its a bronco not a tesla 😂

It's also not a car I wish people would quit referring to the Bronco as a car. It is a truck based off road vehicle.

Love my Bronco!

Mar 05, 2023

#31
b laird
remember its a bronco not a tesla 😂
I live in a plains state and the nearest place to off-road is 4 hours away, then 6 hours away, then 8+ hours. I’m choosing to balance off-road capability to make those long drives a little more comfortable. 35” A/T tires, sound deadening mats, and the headliner should be enough to take the sting out of the noise at 75mph. And the Badlands will still be able to easily take me on any trail I want to go.

Friendly Neighborhood Sasquatch

Mar 05, 2023

#32
TechnicalDisaster
I live in a plains state and the nearest place to off-road is 4 hours away, then 6 hours away, then 8+ hours. I’m choosing to balance off-road capability to make those long drives a little more comfortable. 35” A/T tires, sound deadening mats, and the headliner should be enough to take the sting out of the noise at 75mph. And the Badlands will still be able to easily take me on any trail I want to go.
That is one reason I prefer the Bronco over Jeep. Jeep might be great at tackling Moab, but getting there is absolute misery in a Jeep. Bronco is a nice balance of both worlds.
CalvinT, timhood

Rank II

Mar 06, 2023

#33
Sulley
That is one reason I prefer the Bronco over Jeep. Jeep might be great at tackling Moab, but getting there is absolute misery in a Jeep. Bronco is a nice balance of both worlds.

I saw a video this weekend of a stock Badlands Bronco handling Rubicon Trail along with heavily modified Rubicons and doing quite well.

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