Cruising on a long trip while listening to your favorite playlist can be fun and exciting. But if the music is causing you to experience some annoying vibrations and rattling noises, the overall journey may not turn out that great.
This can be really disturbing, as it makes it very hard to play songs with a high level of bass without your car beginning to sound like it’s breaking apart.
Your subwoofer is usually the main culprit behind these rattling sounds, but you should be able to easily fix it without breaking the bank. There are different ways that you can deal with the unwanted vibration and rattling so you can comfortably listen to your favorite playlist while driving.
How to Reduce Vibration From Subwoofer in Car
These five methods tend to be the most effective and affordable solutions, so without further ado, let’s get started!
1. Determine the Source of the Vibration
The first thing to do is to identify the area in your car that’s been most affected by the subwoofer’s bass sounds. Some of the most common areas include the trunk, the windows, the doors, the hoodliner and the license plate.
The simplest way to identify the part that’s most affected is by playing a bass-heavy song and slowly increasing the volume until you find the problem area(s). Once you’ve located any problem areas, it’ll be quite easy to fix them.
2. Use an Automotive Sound Deadener
After you’ve located all the areas that vibrations are coming from (most likely the trunk or doors), it’ll be time to combat the problem by using a sound deadener.
I’ve used a handful of sound-deadening materials in the past, and some of them have proven to be a remarkable solution to my problems. However, you do need to know which brand to choose, because not all of them are effective.
Let’s say I’ve used about 12 different sound-deadening products in the past. Out of those 12 products, only three have demonstrated great performance. These are:
GTMAT Automotive Sound Deadener
I must say, my personal favorite is the Dynamat Extreme. Dynamat is the leading company when it comes to sound-deadening, but its products can be a bit costly, especially if you’re on a tight budget. A less expensive but still effective alternative, however, is the Noico Sound Deadening Mat.
The Installation Process
After you’ve successfully purchased a sound deadener, you can start the installation process by applying it to the trunk of your vehicle and then proceeding to cover the other areas such as the doors, hoodliner, etc. For optimum results, it’s best to apply it to the entire vehicle.
Here, learn how to properly sound-deaden vehicle doors.
3. Tighten Your License Plates and Trunk Screws
You can start by checking your license plate and trunk to see if there are any loose screws. It’s important to make sure these areas are secure, especially if you have subs installed and you enjoy playing loud music.
If you have the time, you should even get under your car and check and see if there’s anything loose there. You never know what might be the cause of the vibration and rattling!
4. Change the Frequency of the Bass
There are lots of different products that you can use to lower the frequency of your vehicle’s bass sounds. In fact, the market is becoming oversaturated.
Typically, using an amplifier is the main strategy. You can use almost any amplifier, as long as it has advanced settings that will enable you to change the frequency. Yes, it’s as simple as that!
5. See if the Problem is Fixed
Once you’ve finished installing sound-deadening mats, tightening loose screws and changing the frequency of the bass, you must check and see if the problem has been solved. To do so, just play a bass-heavy song at a high volume and see if the rattling and vibration continues. If not, you’re home free!
What Causes Vibration and Rattling?
In general, the rattling is caused by low-frequency sound waves that come from the subwoofers. These turn into air molecules that are then converted into a powerful form of energy. This energy causes the metal on a vehicle to vibrate, which leads to the rattling.
How to Stop Rattling and Vibration in Your Vehicle
These days, rattling and vibration in vehicles seem to be a huge problem. However, if you follow the step-by-step guide above, you should be able to reduce or completely eliminate rattling and vibrational noises once and for all. I’ve personally used these methods, and they’ve been extremely effective in my vehicle.
For more information about soundproofing vehicles, here’s another article you can check out: How to Stop Car Door Rattling from Speakers – 7 Easy Steps.
image: Wikimedia Commons