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tips to reduce NVH on long trips ?

NB 
7K views 27 replies 21 participants last post by  Joseph1986 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Im sure that this will get flamed for asking this but here goes.
I want to make the car more driveable for long distance, as in cross country, but it doesnt lose its fun so i can go through those glorious mountain roads.
What can i do for say suspension, wheels, transmission.

sorry for the lack of knowledge btw

I have a 2001 silver NB

mod edit: changed title. post a better one next time.
 
#5 ·
Re: question from a noob

1. Stock suspension with a nice front sway bar to make it fun (You have bilstein HD right?)
2. A good alignment
3. Tires make a huge difference in how well a car handles, so get some nice expensive all weather tires since it might be raining cross country.
4. Leave the tranny alone, getting a different tranny/diff wont make that big of a difference in regards to MPG. Just drive at 3k rpm.
 
#8 ·
Re: question from a noob

lack of knowledge can be corrected using the search and "google" function of your computer.
 
#9 ·
Re: question from a noob

lack of knowledge can be corrected using the search and "google" function of your computer.
Has been done good sir. I know what Pro Touring is and everything, but i havent found very many places that talk about touring miatas, obviously the nc's have touring models but I want to know how to make the miata more comfortable ride for an entire day. Ive done enough cross country driving that I know what i want with the comfort. I just dont know how to do it efficiently.
 
#11 ·
Re: question from a noob

You want to make your miata comfortable in an efficient way?

Sell it and buy a car made to be driven like that. What did you expect out of a two seat sports car? Really though...it's a true sports car that's small and lightweight. A sparrow flapping its wings can make the car move at speed.
 
#15 ·
Re: question from a noob

You want to make your miata comfortable in an efficient way?

Sell it and buy a car made to be driven like that. What did you expect out of a two seat sports car? Really though...it's a true sports car that's small and lightweight. A sparrow flapping its wings can make the car move at speed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXCJm0mM9ng

its not a sports car, its a roadster.
 
#16 ·
Re: question from a noob

Or you guys could stop being dicks and actually answer the question. Believe it or not, there are people out there who aren't out to make their cars as uncomfortable as possible. I could have definitely used a bit of this on my road trip last summer, and I'll be looking to find easy ways to make my trip this summer less painful.

Best way to cut down on noise is making sure tire roar is at a minimum, some sound dampening and a hard top. The OEM suspension is pretty soft but you'll hit the bumpstops pretty often because it's not stiffly sprung, you could try and get shorter bumpstops. Fatigue from noise can be dealt with by driving with earbuds or earplugs. Supposedly putting some fiberglass or other stuffing in the little trunk pockets around the gas tank helps cut down on resonance from the trunk as well.
 
#18 ·
What brontosaurus said.
Then get some soft-sidewalled tires, too. Toyo has hit this mark for me without sucking.
What shocks are on your car now? Changing those can soften/improve the ride depending on what's in there, age, brand, etc.
I've heard that a good upper front shock brace will cut down on nvh. Never tried it personally.
 
#21 ·
You are going to need to be a lot more specific in what you want improved. Reducing NVH and making a car more comfortable are two very different things. It is all subjective as well, so please tell us specifically what trouble areas there are, and what things specifically bother you the most. Every issue has a different solution. Reducing NVH, rattles, and increasing comfort are very complicated issues.

Please list:
-What suspension you have, and how many miles on it? Be specific as possible down to the bumpstops and tophats.
-What seats you are using?
-What motor mounts, bushings, and diff mounts you have installed and how many miles on them?
-What tires and wheels you have? Were the tires roadforce balanced?
-Your current ride height?
-What alignment specs you have?
-Still have carpet and insulation?
-Do you use a hardtop or softtop?
-Any chassis braces, cages, or rollbars?

Then please list any other misc aftermarket stuff like suspension arms, exhaust, headers.
 
#23 ·
I'd just dyno mat the rear deck or whatever the **** its called, maybe the trunk too if I felt like spending money. I think that would cut down on noise a good bit
 
#24 ·
Just hoping people stop dicks n look into the actual question. To me myself it is quite SIMPLE to make such an uncomfortable car at least rides ’better’.



I have sound-deadening materials all-around the firewall, wheel wall, cockpit, door panels and trunk area in my 2004 MSM. It really made a huge difference. You will never expect how bad vibration is inside the trunk. There is no sound deadening inside the Miata at all, basically, anything adding to it can reduce the noise. Btw all these things have only 25 pounds. Definitely worth it



A set of nice quiet tires also help a lot. But mine still running performance summer tires just make it fun to drive.



Smaller final drive is more suitable when cruising. It reduces rpm and has a better fuel economy. The MSM has a way to short gearing so I have a 3.6 instead. It makes the rpm drop from 4k to 3.2k-ish under 75mph.



Also, I have the bride racing seats. It has a lower sitting position and my neck feels way better.



I think the next step should reinforce the chassis rigidity. It is always the weakness that all convertible has. Frame rail, rear strut tower brace, Torsen bar brace, rear subframe brace, cockpit brace, frog arms, probably I will try everything fit to my car.



Don't ask me why. Maybe I am a noob. Maybe I am crazy. Just sell my 650i for storage and money. Don't get me wrong. I'm not looking for something like a luxury Germany sedan. I have 50km to commuting EVERY weekday and there is some really nice road. Just want to drive a fun car but the NVH is a pain in the ass. Still working on my own car!



Well. The cheapest way should be buy yourself nice noise-canceling earphones haha
 
#25 ·
Earphones take a lot of the feel away; but would not mind having a bit less NVH too. Care to share what type of materials did you use? I plan a combination of stick-on mass damping on metal panels (25% coverage), plus a layer of 12mm closed cell foam on top. MLV would work best, but it is kinda heavy. There are also "composite" sheets (closed and open cell foam layers) that you can use. Also, I plan on buying a roll of roof polyester insulation mat to fill in the cavities on both sides of the fuel tank, as the boot acts as a huge bass cabin on NA/NBs
 
#27 · (Edited)
I like to bring in-the-shell sunflower seeds, as something to snack on that will keep you alert but doesn't fill you up or make a mess. Have a small garbage can in the passenger seat or just behind it for trash. Also, a roll of paper towels stashed somewhere in case you have a spill... since your meals will probably mostly be eaten in the car. Bring a bunch of music that you like, that keeps your attention, and isn't sleepy-time. Bonus for audio books. Wear the comfiest clothes you have. Be mindful of whether you tend to get too hot or cold in the car (especially if you're traveling with someone who likes to run the heat/AC differently than you) and dress accordingly. Wear comfy driving shoes like sneakers.

snaptube vidmate
 
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