Removing sound shielding

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From Paul Scherek:

Hello again,
Has anyone found a good method of removing the foam sound shielding material from the panels? The foam is slowly disintegrating, and trickling down our necks through the little holes in the black vinyl......
The foam is glued pretty well to the panels, and I am wearing out my fingernails trying to get it off! Any suggestions most welcome.
Cheers,
Paul
May 1, 2010 at 1:20 PM Flag Quote & Reply

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From Joe Baz:

Paul,
I removed mine wth a brown scotchbrite disc on the grinder with the same rubber backing pad that is used for the sanding discs. The scotchbrite disc works a lot cooler so if you carefull it won't damage the paint.
Cheers
Joe
May 1, 2010 at 1:21 PM Flag Quote & Reply

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From Paul Scherek:

Thanks Joe,
Can you buy the Scotchbrite pad in a round, or does one need to trim it to suit the rubber backing pad? Is this a supermarket item? (You can tell I don't do much shopping!)
Cheers,
Paul
May 1, 2010 at 1:22 PM Flag Quote & Reply

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From Joe Baz:

You can buy them as disc to suit diferent size grinders from a specialty abrasive shop. I get mine from Blackwoods, over here in Perth I pay about $7-00 a disc.
cheers
Joe
May 1, 2010 at 1:23 PM Flag Quote & Reply

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From Paul Scherek:

Thanks again, Joe,
Cheers,
Paul
May 1, 2010 at 1:24 PM Flag Quote & Reply

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From Tony Lee:

Picked up some info on Soundguard Soundsorber Foams made by Pyrotek from Insulation Industries in newcastle.
www.soundguard.com.au
Several different configurations in three thicknesses and three colours - one whick looks identical to that fitted to the OKA.
Have been enduring the rain of disintegrating foam since we picked 123 up a month ago but yesterday things came to a head - quite literally. The perforated cover came right away from the foam and was resting on my head.
Duct tape to the rescue but I have "replace the head-lining" as item 256 on my to-do list.
May 1, 2010 at 1:25 PM Flag Quote & Reply

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From Paul Scherek:

Thanks Tony,
That's a great site! I am trying to make my Oka really, really quiet. This lot have a great range, much better than I have found elsewhere.
Cheers,
Paul
May 1, 2010 at 1:26 PM Flag Quote & Reply

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From Tony Lee:

Might move it up the priority list a bit.
25mm soundsorber 1350mm wide is around $80 per lineal metre so not cheap. Existing lining seems to be 15mm (although given the deterioration, who knows what the original thickness is), but there is plenty of headroom, so shouldn't be any problems with going a little thicker. Doubt whether the 15mm will be much cheaper.
They also had special sheets for under-bonnet sound and heat insulation. probably 30mm thick foam, foil each side and a heavy layer in the middle of the foam. Didn't get a price but one sheet should be enough to do the lid and the critical areas on the sides of the enclosure.
Best way to silence the OKA would be to turn the key off. Even the latest model doesn't seem much quieter than mine. Main reason for renewing it is to avoid the feel of rotten foam sprinkled all over me.
May 1, 2010 at 1:27 PM Flag Quote & Reply

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From Tony Lee:

All off. Some peeled off easily like skinning a beast and what was properly stuck was removed with one of those cheap wire wheels driven by an electric drill. Didn't seem to damage the paint finish.
Decided to remove the contact adhesive as well and wiping it over a few times with a turps-soaked rag softened it enough to be able to scrub it off with a coarse rag.
Probably the easy part. Now comes the hard part of sticking new stuff on. Maybe Sikens will be a bit less sudden-death than contact adhesive.
May 1, 2010 at 1:29 PM Flag Quote & Reply

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From Joe Baz:

Oka at the moment is using Dynamat, their website is well detailed and this stuff is really good, here are also a couple of other products that a panel beater friend recommended:
www.dynamat.com
www.megasorber.com
www.stage1customs.com
cheers
Joe
May 1, 2010 at 1:30 PM Flag Quote & Reply

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From Tony Lee:

Hi Paul,
Assuming you got the old stuff off, have you gotten around to putting the replacement back up? Use contact adhesive or something else?
Tony
May 1, 2010 at 1:31 PM Flag Quote & Reply

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From Paul Scherek:

Hi Tony,
Yes, but I am not sure everyone will like what I have done.
If you tap on an Oka roof, or even the side panel on the LHS, you will hear a loud "bong". I believe that while driving along, these panels resonate and give a general noisiness to the cab. I experimented with ways of damping, including stick-on de-resonating material, but they were only partially effective.
After a LOT of hesitation, I drilled holes in the roof and screwed into 8mm marine ply panels with sound absorbing material glued onto the outer surface. Now tapping the roof gives a muted 'thunk', not a 'BOING'.
The sound absorbing material I use comes form Tru-fit carpets, and consists of two layers of felt absorbing material sandwiched around a layer of bitumen. I have used the same material for engine, under-seat, behind seat and tunnel covers. I have previously used it to replace the material around the inlet duct and for that it is hugely effective. No inlet noise at all!
I will be road testing it with the roof damping etc within the next few days, and will report back. If I can work out how to post pictures on my home page, I will do that to show what I have done. Assuming it has worked of course......
Cheers all,
Paul
May 1, 2010 at 1:32 PM Flag Quote & Reply

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From Tony Lee:

My neighbour is quite experienced at gluing new headlinings into cars, but the inch-thick foam and vinyl stuff I've got to replace the original is a bit harder to handle than the normal thin stuff so he actually suggested doing something similar to what you've done. Only concern would be whether the plywood conformed to the general shape of the multiplanar roof without forcing the roof into some strange curves when viewed from outside. Did you use just one intact sheet or did you perhaps cut part way through the sheet along the roof bend lines to allow it to fit moire snugly.
Holes wouldn't worry me. The six coats of thermashield will soon leakproof any screws.
Those who think it is desecration will be well advised to not look into my crew cab section. Rear window replaced with ply, wall put up between front cab and crew cab and a heap of heaters, tanks, pumps, electrics, shelves screwed onto floors and walls plus lots of holes drilled in the floor for all the pipes and cables. Functionality takes precedence over aesthetics.
May 1, 2010 at 1:32 PM Flag Quote & Reply

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From Paul Scherek:

Hi Tony,
Yes, I cut the ply so that if followed the fold lines, very easy to do. After the diagonal cut was made the ply was then further divided into front and back sections, that is, forward and behind the roof bar. The gap is of course hidden by the roof bar, and allows space for the interior light wires between the front and rear sections.
I glued thick underfelt/bitumen/underfelt material to the ply holding the two diagonal bits together but allowing them to flex, and glued black cotton drill onto the felt. It was all pretty easy, and doesn't look too bad. Best of all, I will never again need to scrape of that horrible dusty decomposed foam!!
I am right with you on mods - like Land Rovers, Okas are working vehicles, not mantlepiece ornaments. Yours sounds comprehensively set up. Do you have a camper on the back?
Cheers,
Paul
May 1, 2010 at 1:33 PM Flag Quote & Reply

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From Tony Lee:

Yes, had the option of buying it with the OKA. Turned out to be basically an unlined, uninsulated, steel-sheet-floored shell with some pretty inconveniently placed doors and even more inconveniently designed storages/seats with top access. Us not being either young or contortionists, access was less than graceful too.
All stripped out to start again, but should turn out quite liveable in the end even in very cold climates. Jacked it up 100mm so I can fit 350 litres of water tanks flat on the tray plus recovery gear and other junk.
Crew cab has three levels now- bottom for webasto, calorifier, batteries, pumps and accumulators, toolboxes and waeco 40l freezer, middle for lighter stuff such as chairs, annex and shower/toilet tent stuff, some food and excess clothes storage in storage bins and top floor for light bulky stuff that is nice to have but doesn't need accessing very often.
The crew cab aircon (now that the aircon actually works (needed a recharge)) will be directed back into the front to supplement (or actually supplant) the dash aircon which although quite effective in its own way, tends to freeze the left kneecap and right wrist rather than cool one all over. One of those "on the average you are at a perfect temperature" sort of systems. Replace the foam head lining, put it on the dividing wall between the crewcab and front as well, replace some of the engine bay sound/heat insulation, add more where needed to reduce hot spots, move the crewcab speakers to right behind the headrests and we should be able to listen to music in cool comfort even when the engine is running.
Have two months to finish it - or at least get it usable before we head off OS for some motorhoming among different scenery in the US - so when we get back, we can take up where we left off nearly 40 years ago when a big wet stopped us from going down the Birdsville track. Was a Range Rover then. Hoping that what the OKA lacks in speed and comfort on sealed roads, it makes up for it with better driveability in real 4WD territory.
May 1, 2010 at 1:34 PM