Peeling off the backing of...
Peeling off the backing of the Dynamat, each strip was placed on the single-wall sections of the hood and pressed with a wallpaper seam roller for maximum surface contact.
Since we had thrown the original carpet kit away long ago, we needed to cover the exposed layer of Heat Shield. We ordered an OEM black rubber one-piece floor mat, and it fit OK. We did need to cut a hole for the transfer case lever and do a little trimming here and there. The Ford factory mat came with a thick insulation pad similar to Heat Shield, so we effectively doubled our noise and heat insulation.
Door InsulationWe were able to do the hood ourselves, again using a QuietRide Solutions pre-cut kit. First, we removed the factory liner. After placing and pressing on the Dynamat strips, the precut panels of Heat Shield were applied and the factory hood liner was reattached using the original "Christmas tree" plugs.
QuietRide Solutions specializes in do-it-yourself kits, but they're not in the installation business. We still needed to have the doors done, so we contacted Dynamat directly. Dynamat manufactures a wide range of noise-canceling products and kits that can be installed by owners or qualified shops. At its recommendation, we took our F-550 to Paradyme Mobile Electronics ?in Sacramento, California.
Since every truck and every year are a little different, we were glad the technician at Paradyme was doing the work. With the main side panel out of the way, the plastic liner was peeled back to expose the bare metal inside the doors. A Dynamat two-door kit is adequate for most cars, but for the big doors our truck, we had to use additional material. Unlike the QuietRide Solutions kits, which use pre-cut strips, Dynamat covers the entire surface with a solid sheet of its noise reduction material. The doors did not receive any Heat Shield padding as you don't want to put anything inside the door that might get caught in the latch or window mechanisms.
The ResultsBack on the highway, we weren't expecting miracles given our aggressive tires, but there certainly was a difference. Noise levels were down significantly, and what was left was somewhat muffled. Was it really quiet? We're afraid our F-550 is not a Mercedes sedan. Tim said that following a full installation in a normal vehicle, they typically see a 48% to 50% reduction in noise, or about a 20-decibels reduction. In addition, the aluminum-backed Heat Shield can lower cab temperatures by up to 30 F.
Will Acoustishield and Dynamat sound and heat reduction kits turn your diesel into a Cadillac limo? Probably not, but they will definitely make those long trips more enjoyable, and it will certainly improve the quality of your sound system.
 With the Dynamat in place,...  With the Dynamat in place, the panels of Acoustishield were installed using quick-dry spray contact glue. |  The Acoustishield panels were...  The Acoustishield panels were then pressed into position. |  The final step for installing...  The final step for installing the Acoustishield in the hood was to replace the factory hood liner using the original "Christmas tree" plugs. |