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No more wind noise!

15K views 23 replies 8 participants last post by  SMARTKAR 
#1 ·
The best $30 I've ever spend....
With the top down its quiet, better than my 91 Maita, with the top up....
I cant even talk on the phone.. this rubber strip is making me loving the 451 a lot more.
 

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#4 ·
Hi boys,
I found this in a Retail Mod shop in Hong Kong. Selling for $35/ about 2 Meters...
More details next trip to HK. It comes with 3M double sided tape plus some (glue aid), Not Koolaid..LOL That's what they call it.
Its worth every penny....
 

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#8 ·
Have two cabrios MY08 & 09. 08 quiet since new. 09, a new purchase creates LOTS of wind noise!

Only difference I can see is that the small black spoiler mounted on the 09 Tridion between the top of windshield and the front of the canvas is at a slight angle. I’d like to square it up but not sure how it is held in place screw or tape??

That being said a flare of rubber in the windshield gap could be a viable solution???
 
#13 ·
I just ordered a rubber strip from Amazon. I have seen photos of it applied in two different places in front of the roof opening: directly in front of the roof opening, and further down, as it is applied here, just above the windshield line. Does anyone know if it works better in one position or the other? My inclination was to apply it at the roof opening, but might it work better at the lower windshield line position? Thanks!
 
#14 · (Edited)
Take a look at where the Original Poster has it mounted. He claims it works well, mounted where he has it.
I really doubt you will find one person who has mounted a strip where the roof opens, then pulled it off, only to remount it lower down by where the windshield meets the frame, just to see the difference.
I would think anyone who has mounted one of these strips is going to claim their mounting position is best and leave it where they put it.
Just say'n.:shrug:

Good Luck
 
#15 ·
I'm sure you are right, Jo e Lefors. I doubt anyone has tried it in both positions. I've just seen photos of it mounted in two different places, and wondered if either one was more effective in reducing wind noise. I'd like to think that when my rubber strip arrives from Amazon, I will experiment with it by temporarily attaching it in both places, then measure the dB levels to determine the most effective noise reduction, but I will probably go with whichever looks best, or is easiest to align.
 

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#16 ·
Having a convertible myself and driving it topless most of the time, I would really like to see your pictures of the different placements and reading your results.
Now a days I guess one can use a cell phone to measure dB's.
Thank you for going the extra mile and testing which placement is better.
Take care.
 
#20 ·
I did a "mock-up" experiement with wind deflection on my 2012 passion cabrio today. I applied a temporary strip in two locations: at the line of the roof opening, and at the line of the windshield.

The temporary deflector strip I used was a length of ethafoam rod I gaff taped to the car. The aerodynamics may not be exactly the same, but the size and profile of the rubber strip I purchased from Amazon is not that far off from my mock-up.

I measured the dB levels on my iPhone, using the free Decibel X app. The levels certainly fluctuated while I was driving, but I tried to estimate an average dB level while I was driving. Personally, I "heard" a lot more wind noise with the top up and no wind deflector strip, even though the dB levels were all pretty similar, with or without the wind deflector in place.

Here are the results of this experiment:

Stock (no deflector-Top closed)
At idle: 64dB
At about 40-50 mph: Low to mid 80s dB
At 70mph: 90dB (although I heard a lot of wind noise)
At 70mph Top open: 98dB

With deflector strip at windshield line-at 70 mph
Top closed: 90dB
Top open: 98dB

With deflector strip at roof line-at 70 mph
Top closed: 89dB
Top open: 94dB

I'm going to apply my rubber strip at the roof line. While the sound dB levels were all about the same with the top up, the wind deflector seemed to reduce the "sound" of the wind noise I heard. Aesthetically, I like the looks of the rubber strip at the top, and it did seem to make a measurable difference in wind noise when the top was down.

I will probably try this again after I apply the actual rubber strip.
 

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#23 ·
I added the rubber strip my 2012 Cabrio, and it made it somewhat quieter with the top down. With the top up, however, there was still a loud whistling wind noise, and the car was louder with the top up than with the top down. I added a foam strip to the rubber seal above the windsheild to try to make a tighter seal, and the whistling was pretty much eliminated. It's still kind of loud, but much improved now with the top open or closed. Here are a few photos, showing both the rubber deflector and then the added foam strip.
 

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