Well, it's finally warm enough here in Indiana. First off I'd recommend any one desiring to sound-deaden your car just set aside $250 (bit less) and a whole weekend where your car can be gutted and unused and you don't have anywhere to go.
Tools you'll need with your RAAMaudio supplies (ensolite, raammat bxt, spray adhesive):
Average size screwdrivers, one of each phillips & flat
Socket set, in mm's
2" and 4" socket extensions
8mm, 10mm, 14mm (think 14 is right)
1 pair hearty scissors
1 utility knife
Patience
Short handled rubber headed sledgehammer (5lbs?)
Optional:
Thin, mechanics, or otherwise tactile gloves, washable
Small boombox with CD player & good tunes
Moving blanket
Time to do it 'all at once' instead of in sections
Your moving blanket is going to be folded up in various formats to accomodate your midsection and chest or back as you lean into the car and/or your knees while you do so.
Boombox keeps you moving, working, chipper.
The gloves will prevent your hands from getting the tarry bottom of BXT on your skin, only two methods I have found for removal:
One, use a piece of BXT agains skin and pull quickly away, like waxing. It takes sticky along, though not perfectly.
Two, scrub with dish soap (Dawn I chose) and the scrubby side of a dish sponge under warm to hot water. My hands are tore the f- uP after two evenings spent working.
The time is simple. I started on passenger side floor. You have to take the back bench out to get to the carpet and get it up for bare metal access. I have to pick up a kid every day, and in this state the law says backseat and booster. So I had to put it all back together again first night. Then second night I got the hatch floor and beneath spare, and finished the bench area. Then put it all back together again. Tonight I do the driver's side floor, then put it back together again. Good news is I don't have to take the back seats out again after tonight. Or any seats for that matter. Doors and hatch door are next.
Okay, I will continue forthwith, w/o pictures.
...continued...
Each side of the car is symmetrical; taking a seat out is taking a seat out, the panels in the door jamb, etc, work the same way as well. I will be 'vague' in my description of 'sides' to this effect.
Your front seats are simple. Each corner has a plastic guard on it. Take this off gently lifting up with both hands from the bottom. It should pop off with minimal effort and no breakage. Against the floor itself on each corner of the mounting rail you'll see a big lone bolt. These bolts are going to be the same size as bolts in your hatch holding the seat back for the bench in. They are also the same size as the bolt in the side of each front seat, beneath a plastic cover that pops off with a flathead, holding your seat belt onto the chair. All of these size bolts are going to take some effort to 'pop' the first time. Once you feel it 'pop' the bolts are almost removable by hand; use the socket until a turn in the opposite (righty for tighty) direction doesn't clack any more because it is too loose. Here I just use my thumb and forefinger OR take the extension off the wratchet and twist it manually.
Repeat for each of 4 corners. Now the seatbelt has to be removed, pop the plastic cover off the bottom of the seat closest the door; inside you'll see another of these big bolts. Get it out, and let the seatbelt pull up and hang. Don't worry, you won't lose it, there's a plastic stopper.
The seats lift out fairly easily, they're just a bit cumbersome/large so careful on the paint!
Next examine your kick panels for one of two 'button' fasteners:
One has a smaller button in the center, this pops out simply with your flathead, then pull out the bigger surrounding button. It's kind of like a 2-in-1 drywall stud, the button expands the casing into the hole. The other type of button has a similar/same diameter, but is one piece of black plastic. This you need to wedge the scissors under an edge, then slowly work them under so each prong is beneath the head exerting equal force/pressure, and lift straight up to pull the 'toothed' bottom of the shaft out of the hole. These type generally hold your fabric/carpet down, where as the other kind hold plastic panels.
There is one unique button, in front of the front seats, a screw in the seat of a black plastic sheath. Unscrew it with a phillips head and pull the sheath.
Once the kick panels are removed (the ones on the side nearest the doors will have one 'clip' in the door edge, this pops out nicely if you pull back and up, more back than up, and gently. If you are paying attention you'll 'feel' it's pressure areas and know which way to pull by how the panel resists you.
Now to the door moldings. After the kick panels you can access the long panel in the door bottom/threshold. Pull staight up, trying to work about 25% down on one end first because the clips are not right at the edges, but a little in toward the middle. Again, gentle and straight and you'll have no breaks/issues.
Seatbelt panel is next. it covers the whole column between the front and back seats. It pops off easily, there are no clips, instead it is kind of pressure molded to the rubber insulation strip. Don't worry, it won't take it along, pull out (toward center console area/armrest) from the bottom and the top should come along behind. Last is the small short strip of plastic molding on the back door threshold, same as the front ones, just smaller.
Now all of this is assuming you know how to remove the center console as if you're doing a shifter upgrade, or a shifter bushing upgrade. Shouldn't be too hard to find if you don't know how to do this; check TWM's site or here for these instructions, 'removing center console'.
All that's left now is the bench seat and back. Disassemble the whole rear area/tray and headrests as if you're putting seats down, and do that. Now pull the felt top rear out with the tiny pull at the back, it lifts out like a tray/sheet. Under you'll see two pieces around the spare. Furthest back just comes out, the one behind that has two silver screws in it, one on each side. Take them out with a phillips head. Remove the rear part of the molding, unbolt your spare, pull it out, and remove the 'super emergency' spare beneath it, the foam spacer. Hehe, don't go over 25mph on that spare!
You should immediately see large bolts holding the back seat in, 3 sets of two on brackets, left, middle, right. Pop them out, again these are going to need some real effort to start out. Remember the sledgehammer? Yep, BAM!
Once the bolts are out you can just lift out the seat backs for the backseat. Now where the butt support black fabric ends and the gray starts on each side of the back bench pull up at the front. There is a 'clip' holding it in, just two, one on each side where it pushes and snaps into the metal of the car. At this point you should have nothing but a bare shifter assembly.
WARNING:
DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT remove the shift assembly and attempt to place any material beneath it for sound-deadening. Upon doing this no matter how I reassembled I had trouble putting the car into gear. Any gear. I assume only that there is some kind of 'spacing' issue from the car floor and that it is precise enough that 1/8" or less of RAAMmat BXT and Ensolite is too much 'lift'. I may be wrong, but once I removed the mat and foam I had no problem shifting again. Oops!
Pull your carpet up carefully. You can do one side at a time if you wish; I did passenger side one night, back seat bench and hatch area the next, and tonight I'll finish with driver side. Then only doors are left. I haven't done/looked at those yet, so bear with me.
Once you're at bare metal just start laying down mat. I covered the whole area I was doing with mat before I started Ensolite foam. Ensolite went down like butter, and the adhesive that RAAMaudio sells is great compared to the 3M variety of spray-adhesive.
Be certain to cut holes wherever you will cover them. My seat mount holes, the tiny button plug holes, the 'clip' holes where the rear bench clips down. Just pay attention and do an eyeball overlay and make use of your trusty utility knife. You remember cutting out models, don't ya?
So far I've noticed a great difference even if I'm not done. I've read it but had to hear it to believe it. My factory standard stereo sounds like a damn drum and bass demo system. Not /really/ but it sounds amazing. Bass audibility and response alone are crazy; it's better than my '94 TBird with $1000s of dollars spent on the audio. Difference? I never sound-deadened the TBird. Also the highway is almost non-existant now. Yay. I'll finish this when I get onto the doors. Just approach with patience, remember not to lay over wires, every wire I ran across had a mount point which clipped out or somehow or other allowed me to maneuver mat beneath it and foam beneath it so it is still accessible if it has to be, as it was 'standard' before this project.
Tools you'll need with your RAAMaudio supplies (ensolite, raammat bxt, spray adhesive):
Average size screwdrivers, one of each phillips & flat
Socket set, in mm's
2" and 4" socket extensions
8mm, 10mm, 14mm (think 14 is right)
1 pair hearty scissors
1 utility knife
Patience
Short handled rubber headed sledgehammer (5lbs?)
Optional:
Thin, mechanics, or otherwise tactile gloves, washable
Small boombox with CD player & good tunes
Moving blanket
Time to do it 'all at once' instead of in sections
Your moving blanket is going to be folded up in various formats to accomodate your midsection and chest or back as you lean into the car and/or your knees while you do so.
Boombox keeps you moving, working, chipper.
The gloves will prevent your hands from getting the tarry bottom of BXT on your skin, only two methods I have found for removal:
One, use a piece of BXT agains skin and pull quickly away, like waxing. It takes sticky along, though not perfectly.
Two, scrub with dish soap (Dawn I chose) and the scrubby side of a dish sponge under warm to hot water. My hands are tore the f- uP after two evenings spent working.
The time is simple. I started on passenger side floor. You have to take the back bench out to get to the carpet and get it up for bare metal access. I have to pick up a kid every day, and in this state the law says backseat and booster. So I had to put it all back together again first night. Then second night I got the hatch floor and beneath spare, and finished the bench area. Then put it all back together again. Tonight I do the driver's side floor, then put it back together again. Good news is I don't have to take the back seats out again after tonight. Or any seats for that matter. Doors and hatch door are next.
Okay, I will continue forthwith, w/o pictures.
...continued...
Each side of the car is symmetrical; taking a seat out is taking a seat out, the panels in the door jamb, etc, work the same way as well. I will be 'vague' in my description of 'sides' to this effect.
Your front seats are simple. Each corner has a plastic guard on it. Take this off gently lifting up with both hands from the bottom. It should pop off with minimal effort and no breakage. Against the floor itself on each corner of the mounting rail you'll see a big lone bolt. These bolts are going to be the same size as bolts in your hatch holding the seat back for the bench in. They are also the same size as the bolt in the side of each front seat, beneath a plastic cover that pops off with a flathead, holding your seat belt onto the chair. All of these size bolts are going to take some effort to 'pop' the first time. Once you feel it 'pop' the bolts are almost removable by hand; use the socket until a turn in the opposite (righty for tighty) direction doesn't clack any more because it is too loose. Here I just use my thumb and forefinger OR take the extension off the wratchet and twist it manually.
Repeat for each of 4 corners. Now the seatbelt has to be removed, pop the plastic cover off the bottom of the seat closest the door; inside you'll see another of these big bolts. Get it out, and let the seatbelt pull up and hang. Don't worry, you won't lose it, there's a plastic stopper.
The seats lift out fairly easily, they're just a bit cumbersome/large so careful on the paint!
Next examine your kick panels for one of two 'button' fasteners:
One has a smaller button in the center, this pops out simply with your flathead, then pull out the bigger surrounding button. It's kind of like a 2-in-1 drywall stud, the button expands the casing into the hole. The other type of button has a similar/same diameter, but is one piece of black plastic. This you need to wedge the scissors under an edge, then slowly work them under so each prong is beneath the head exerting equal force/pressure, and lift straight up to pull the 'toothed' bottom of the shaft out of the hole. These type generally hold your fabric/carpet down, where as the other kind hold plastic panels.
There is one unique button, in front of the front seats, a screw in the seat of a black plastic sheath. Unscrew it with a phillips head and pull the sheath.
Once the kick panels are removed (the ones on the side nearest the doors will have one 'clip' in the door edge, this pops out nicely if you pull back and up, more back than up, and gently. If you are paying attention you'll 'feel' it's pressure areas and know which way to pull by how the panel resists you.
Now to the door moldings. After the kick panels you can access the long panel in the door bottom/threshold. Pull staight up, trying to work about 25% down on one end first because the clips are not right at the edges, but a little in toward the middle. Again, gentle and straight and you'll have no breaks/issues.
Seatbelt panel is next. it covers the whole column between the front and back seats. It pops off easily, there are no clips, instead it is kind of pressure molded to the rubber insulation strip. Don't worry, it won't take it along, pull out (toward center console area/armrest) from the bottom and the top should come along behind. Last is the small short strip of plastic molding on the back door threshold, same as the front ones, just smaller.
Now all of this is assuming you know how to remove the center console as if you're doing a shifter upgrade, or a shifter bushing upgrade. Shouldn't be too hard to find if you don't know how to do this; check TWM's site or here for these instructions, 'removing center console'.
All that's left now is the bench seat and back. Disassemble the whole rear area/tray and headrests as if you're putting seats down, and do that. Now pull the felt top rear out with the tiny pull at the back, it lifts out like a tray/sheet. Under you'll see two pieces around the spare. Furthest back just comes out, the one behind that has two silver screws in it, one on each side. Take them out with a phillips head. Remove the rear part of the molding, unbolt your spare, pull it out, and remove the 'super emergency' spare beneath it, the foam spacer. Hehe, don't go over 25mph on that spare!
You should immediately see large bolts holding the back seat in, 3 sets of two on brackets, left, middle, right. Pop them out, again these are going to need some real effort to start out. Remember the sledgehammer? Yep, BAM!
Once the bolts are out you can just lift out the seat backs for the backseat. Now where the butt support black fabric ends and the gray starts on each side of the back bench pull up at the front. There is a 'clip' holding it in, just two, one on each side where it pushes and snaps into the metal of the car. At this point you should have nothing but a bare shifter assembly.
WARNING:
DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT remove the shift assembly and attempt to place any material beneath it for sound-deadening. Upon doing this no matter how I reassembled I had trouble putting the car into gear. Any gear. I assume only that there is some kind of 'spacing' issue from the car floor and that it is precise enough that 1/8" or less of RAAMmat BXT and Ensolite is too much 'lift'. I may be wrong, but once I removed the mat and foam I had no problem shifting again. Oops!
Pull your carpet up carefully. You can do one side at a time if you wish; I did passenger side one night, back seat bench and hatch area the next, and tonight I'll finish with driver side. Then only doors are left. I haven't done/looked at those yet, so bear with me.
Once you're at bare metal just start laying down mat. I covered the whole area I was doing with mat before I started Ensolite foam. Ensolite went down like butter, and the adhesive that RAAMaudio sells is great compared to the 3M variety of spray-adhesive.
Be certain to cut holes wherever you will cover them. My seat mount holes, the tiny button plug holes, the 'clip' holes where the rear bench clips down. Just pay attention and do an eyeball overlay and make use of your trusty utility knife. You remember cutting out models, don't ya?
So far I've noticed a great difference even if I'm not done. I've read it but had to hear it to believe it. My factory standard stereo sounds like a damn drum and bass demo system. Not /really/ but it sounds amazing. Bass audibility and response alone are crazy; it's better than my '94 TBird with $1000s of dollars spent on the audio. Difference? I never sound-deadened the TBird. Also the highway is almost non-existant now. Yay. I'll finish this when I get onto the doors. Just approach with patience, remember not to lay over wires, every wire I ran across had a mount point which clipped out or somehow or other allowed me to maneuver mat beneath it and foam beneath it so it is still accessible if it has to be, as it was 'standard' before this project.
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