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Why is Lexus so loud inside the cabin?

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Old 04-04-15, 08:40 PM
  #91  
chromedome
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I've got an RX of the same gen as yours and it does get noisy on less than perfect roads, even with new tires. I've replaced the door and window seals and that's reduced the wind noise a bit but the road noise is irritating.

My ES has much less wind noise but tire roar again is an issue. On smooth highways it's quiet but on worn out town roads, the rumbling annoys the heck out of me. Maybe applying some sound deadening materials to the wheel wells and under the carpet would help...
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Old 04-04-15, 09:22 PM
  #92  
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^^^ Yes do it. It'll certainly help.
Sound deadener+ccf foam+ mlv.
Just got back from Monterey and what should be awaiting me? Two wonderful packages with huge potential. Ready for the next phase. Just went halves on a mlv roll with a gent on another forum. Also ordered 2 lb lead sheet to see how malleable it is. Will. Kill. Noise. My goal is to get the interior down to 60 db or less @75 mph
Attached Thumbnails Why is Lexus so loud inside the cabin?-img_20150404_211235_262.jpg   Why is Lexus so loud inside the cabin?-img_20150404_211346_075.jpg   Why is Lexus so loud inside the cabin?-14282074969521214386004.jpg  
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Old 04-05-15, 09:57 AM
  #93  
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Originally Posted by chromedome
I've got an RX of the same gen as yours and it does get noisy on less than perfect roads, even with new tires. I've replaced the door and window seals and that's reduced the wind noise a bit but the road noise is irritating.

My ES has much less wind noise but tire roar again is an issue. On smooth highways it's quiet but on worn out town roads, the rumbling annoys the heck out of me. Maybe applying some sound deadening materials to the wheel wells and under the carpet would help...
Highway departments don't help much here, either, as the tendency, today, for safety reasons, is to repave roads with porous-type pavement surfaces that tend to prevent skids. Problem is, while enhancing traction, those porous surfaces also provide thousands of tiny little air-pockets between the tire surface and the road itself for tire and road-noise to creep into and get amplified.
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Old 04-19-15, 11:03 PM
  #94  
rxonmymind
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Update.
Folks I just got through a 3 day marathon of an install while in between taking time with the family for breaks and what not. All said I EASILY spent 20+ hrs slapping, cutting, cursing, nip & tucking and pill popping advile this weekend. It was getting all the little crevasses customs cut that took the longest time.

So in overview this is what I did.
Sound deadeneer
2# lead encapsulated in PSA Ensolite foam.
1# Mass loaded vinyl.
Everything fit back together BARELY as in a playing card could not have fit in certain places and some I had to take off the lead & mlv because of fitment issues. The biggest benefit of all this was the HUGE increased in bass response and overall ease at which I can hear music again. Had to turn the bass **** down a bit.
Final tally was an 10-14 db reduction in sound while the average was 10.

I can tell you this. I'll NEVER do this again as it took to much time away from my family. Took a toll on my wife as I barely saw her but on the few occasions we went to lunch or errands. I value family and either I buy a quieter SUV next time or have someone do this. Besides, I'm no spring chicken and my fingertips, knees, back, shoulder and grumpiness is off the charts right now. This is a young mans game.

BTW, that second pic of the wheel well and where you can just make out the empty cavity would be a great place for a subwoofer. I measured it to be 6" deep by 7" length for the opening. Pretty substantial and could support almost any sub.
Attached Thumbnails Why is Lexus so loud inside the cabin?-img_20150418_124800_183.jpg   Why is Lexus so loud inside the cabin?-img_20150417_172831_060.jpg  

Last edited by rxonmymind; 04-20-15 at 09:53 AM.
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Old 04-20-15, 05:49 AM
  #95  
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congrats, yeah i know it's a ton of work.

can't figure out where on the car that second pic is looking at.
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Old 04-20-15, 08:54 AM
  #96  
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Originally Posted by bitkahuna
congrats, yeah i know it's a ton of work.

can't figure out where on the car that second pic is looking at.
Look's like the rear right strut tower, in the trunk area.
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Old 04-20-15, 09:26 AM
  #97  
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Originally Posted by hypervish
Look's like the rear right strut tower, in the trunk area.
Yes. Right rear passenger side and half of the curve before it gets to the tailgate.
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Old 04-20-15, 10:00 AM
  #98  
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Originally Posted by bitkahuna
congrats, yeah i know it's a ton of work.

can't figure out where on the car that second pic is looking at.
Yes it was. I have a greater appreciation for the installers who go through this. After all the improvements that I've achieved I still have to do the front of the cabin area. My order of ensolite failed to get here in the two days that I requested it. But perhaps that's a blessing as I'm in need of a serious break. The SUV smells like glue! Haha.
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Old 04-20-15, 10:44 AM
  #99  
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Originally Posted by bitkahuna
congrats, yeah i know it's a ton of work.

can't figure out where on the car that second pic is looking at.
few years back, I did my MR2 and Prius, but in reality it is really hard to do because then some other noise becomes prevalent, that you didnt even hear before and now it might be even more annoying. In Prius, it was tire noise that became much "louder" when everything else dropped.
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Old 04-20-15, 12:47 PM
  #100  
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Now you will hear wind noises.
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Old 04-20-15, 03:00 PM
  #101  
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Originally Posted by spwolf
few years back, I did my MR2 and Prius, but in reality it is really hard to do because then some other noise becomes prevalent, that you didnt even hear before and now it might be even more annoying. In Prius, it was tire noise that became much "louder" when everything else dropped.
Originally Posted by chikoo
Now you will hear wind noises.
exactly right, it becomes noise whack a mole.

i did the whole back of my gs400, and did some of my miata when i had that.
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Old 04-20-15, 03:09 PM
  #102  
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Originally Posted by chikoo
Now you will hear wind noises.
Haha!. My wife riding in the back with our grand kid was evaluating the sound back there. I asked her how it was. She said all I hears is wind noise. When she turns her head to specifically "look" for sound she can hear the tires but other than that it gets her approval.

Next thread.
"How to combat wind noise using pulse laser vacuum atomic air splitter" or get 4" thick clear leaded glass.
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Old 04-20-15, 09:06 PM
  #103  
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Originally Posted by rxonmymind
In pursuit of quiet vehicle one would obviously pick a luxury brand. I naturally gravitated towards Lexus. In the several months I've owned the 2009 RX 350 I've come to realize this isn't such a quiet vehicle. Want to see? Using this meter
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...=kr.sira.sound
I registered 38-40 db at idle on a quiet night in a residential neighborhood at my friends house.
Out of curiosity using the same meter I took a reading of my friends Ford F250 diesel at idle. Wait for it...............
45db. A 5 db difference at eye level. Both of us were shocked.
Going down the freeway the meter bounces around 75+-3. Near my knees it's closer to 80! By the window on the driver side 76 db.
Folks I can't tell you how aggravating this is as I just put a 4k sound system in there and it's having to fight the natural environment of a supposedly "Luxury" ride.
So out of curiosity could you do me a HUGE favor and see what tour vehicle is at idle with the above app. You can delete it once your done.
I guess I'll be doing a triple layer sound deadening in the future.
Thanks for the read.
Taking a douche move from the silly car "reviewers" that litter YouTube, let's just say its "sporty".
"why is my ride so rough?". Oh it's "sporty"
"why is my car so loud?". "sport" mode
"why does my steering wheel jiggle so much?" "sporty" feel
Im so sick of these reviewers, Consumer Reports included (here lately) downplaying luxury and calling it "sporty".
"why's my BMW spewing blue smoke out the tail pipe?". Oh it's the "sport" edition.
Lexus and Toyota need to IGNORE these airhead reviewers and stick to providing the smooth,luxury, isolated, cocoon of silence Toyota/Lexus built their reputation on.

Last edited by Pamperme; 04-20-15 at 09:14 PM.
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Old 04-20-15, 09:12 PM
  #104  
rxonmymind
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Yaaaaaaaaaaaa!! It's worth it!!! Yes! First night of my commute back to work and on smooth asphalt all I hear the wind hitting the side view mirrors.

Hitting 70 db!! Down down from 82db!!!

Why I did this project. Below is the sorry excuse of carpet in the Lexus. Pathetic for an otherwise stellar SUV.

Next up!
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...or-carpet.html
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Old 04-20-15, 10:40 PM
  #105  
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Originally Posted by Pamperme
Taking a douche move from the silly car "reviewers" that litter YouTube, let's just say its "sporty".
"why is my ride so rough?". Oh it's "sporty"
"why is my car so loud?". "sport" mode
"why does my steering wheel jiggle so much?" "sporty" feel
Im so sick of these reviewers, Consumer Reports included (here lately) downplaying luxury and calling it "sporty".
"why's my BMW spewing blue smoke out the tail pipe?". Oh it's the "sport" edition.
Lexus and Toyota need to IGNORE these airhead reviewers and stick to providing the smooth,luxury, isolated, cocoon of silence Toyota/Lexus built their reputation on.
I agree. I'd gladly give back 1 mpg if it meant adding ultra sound deadener to the ride. At least give us that option before it leaves the factory. I mean my goodness I can't believe the smoothness and NIGHT & DAY difference there is in the cabin and I have yet to tackle the front!
A little cheat preview. On a very smooth section of highway I did get to 69 db but flickered too much between 69-71 db to consider it a valid number. Anyway, never did I think I'd be hitting below 70's. But there it is.

Last edited by rxonmymind; 04-20-15 at 10:45 PM.
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