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Door sound proofing and rattly window switch fix guide

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74K views 37 replies 24 participants last post by  Smashwell  
#1 ·
Right so we all know one of the main let downs of our cars is the horrid rattles. They happen at certain frequencies with the radio volume and it sucks. Excuse the shoddy pics, but at least this should help some of you a touch.
This is how I fixed mine:
1.Remove the door handle cover, this requires force, it’ll feel like you are going to snap it, but it wont (well, unless you are totally cack handed). Pull up from the bottom.


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2.Remove the 2 torx screws from inside the handle


3.Get a flat bladed screwdriver and cover it in tape. Wedge this under the door car at the bottom of the door card and gently lever it up, this will pop the door card off its poppers, use your hands after to gently pop the rest of the card off. Once you have done the bottom and 2 sides, push the card upwards and the door card will come off the door. Disconnect the cables and put the card to the side.


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4.Get some house door weather strip, mainly used to stop drafts. This stuff is sticky backed and really easy to work use it to go round the whole outside edge of the door card. I also put some under the trims on the side of the door. This will soften the edges a bit and make more a seal for the door card.

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5.Buy some soundproofing from a car audio shop. I used Dynamat, but I also have some cheaper stuff I want to try too later on. Use a marker pen to make out the shapes you want to cut, and then cut it out using a Stanley knife. Like the weather seal, its sticky backed and really easy to apply. If it’s cold, get a hairdryer on it to warm it up, this will help it form to the door card better.


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6.That’s your door cards done. Hopefully that alone will sort your rattly problems and make your speakers sound a touch better. However there is another reason why you get a rattle. The window switches.


7.Unclip the unit, this is fairy easy, use a small flat bladed screwdriver. Then pop the unit open with the same method.


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8.Remove the butterfly things, these simply prise off. Then you will see the pivot for your switch. Notice how wobbly that is? Yeah that’s why it sounds crap when you crank up your music. Go find some washers, you might need to get some ultra thin ones, it varies from switch to switch I found. For my passenger one I had 2 run 2 washers to pack it out, the switch still needs free movement, but must not jiggle about. My drivers side needed far less attention, I used some ultra thin washers from my hope disc brakes off my mountain bike, but im sure you can source ultra thin washers from your local factors. Get a selection and play about. This works far better than ramming foam in I found, foam just made the switches awful.
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9. Reassemble it all, and enjoy your rattle free doors:D
 
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#3 ·
Thanks, i'm also now creating another guide for installing the power cable for an amp, to compliment sabas guide (he takes power from the boot, but this isnt suitable for larger amps). Figured i should put something back into the community, theres a bit of a lack of information on Saabs compared to the VAG range of cars that im used to.
 
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T
#4 ·
Paul, great job.

One thing surprised me - using Dynamat on the door panel (oops, "card"). Most times this is applied to the door itself. I'm curious if it helped dampen extraneous sound, thus heping the stereo system?
Regardless, don't forget to soundproof the trunk and under the carpets too. You may find all of your work plus these make your car sound great!
 
#6 ·
TJN, i had read that using it on the door card itself would reduce the vibrations in it and thus help prevent rattles as the card befores heavier and therefore harder to rattle about. I have a heap more soundproofing ready for other areas, i had intended to do the actual doors too :) All in good time, got a few more things i want to crack on with on the car first!
 
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W
#7 ·
This would be great, but I'd be afraid that I would crack something trying to get the panel off. Does it really make it sound good enough to be worth it? I can definetly hear the rattle, and sometime when I drive on an overpass or something it gets worse, but I'm just wondering if its worth it.
 
#8 ·
Nice writeup.

I can attest that yes it makes a huge difference to pad the doors down. I, including many members padded using foam (eggcrate style). This really makes a difference.

As for pulling the door handle cover - I've taking off my door card 3 times and each time it's a pita to remove the door handle. Mine required me to yank at it full force to remove the handle. After that step, the rest is way too easy and putting it back on is easy as well.
 
#9 ·
I don't think removing the door handle is that hard. If you pull up on the bottom first, and kinda pull out and forward the front will come undone. I never had to put all my force into pulling it off. First time was a pain I guess. But I found this process to be fairly easy.
 
#10 ·
As gs04aero said, the first time is a pain, after that its dead easy. just give it a go, you can really go wrong, new handle cover wont be much and the door clips arent much if they bust either.

As for questioning if its worthwhile...YES. I wouldnt have bothered posting up if it wasnt! The rattles have gone, and the sound difference is increased a teeny bit. I intend to do the inner skins of the doors soon, so i shall do another writeup to follow on from this :)
 
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#12 ·
My dynamat was under £10 posted and did both doors, i'd say that was on par price wise!
 
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C
#15 ·
I used adhesive felt pads to prevent movement in the window switches. I initially took the whole thing apart the way you did. Later I did the other doors by simply maneuvering the pads into place and pressing them tight once in position. You need a flexible thin bladed tool for this like an artist's palette knife or hobby putty knife.
 
#16 ·
I found pads were too thick and limited switch movement when you actually wanted to use them. Its another way though :)
 
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#18 ·
alright guys i need some help i did all of the above, but on the driver door after plugging everything in nothing works on the door, no locks, lights or windows need some help
 
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#19 ·
Just finished sound proofing my doors following Pauls write up. The sound system really does sound SO much better. Used dynamat on the doors and door card. I also used some "Dynaliner" on both as well, which is just their version of a foam sound deadener. I'm going to try and see if I can do something on the floor panel behind the front wheels because a lot of road noise comes from there too. I'll be sure to add to this write up if I find a solution.

I tried the window switch fix too, but using washers on the drivers side window switch didn't work for me because I couldn't get thin enough washers and the switches would stick. It did work on the pass. side though. I used some felt pads instead.

I'm still getting one rattle from my drivers side door card, can't tell if it's the window switch or something else. If it is the switches I'll be searching for some different washers.

The sound proofing along with installing some BA s35's in the front really brought the sound system alive.
 
#23 ·
I cant help you with the lock as i have not had to attack that yet (but i can guarantee it'll be awkward as hell!)

Door speakers wise, doesnt matter if you have premium sound or not, you just need to the 7 speaker system as a minimum as the 4 speakers ones dont actually have any door speakers...which sucks.

You need 2ohm speakers, which makes your choice quite limited as very few companies seem to make them, myself and many others have fitted infinitys (i cannot remeber the mkodel number but do a search as you need quite a slim model as otherwise the door glass catches when the window goes down although some speaker spacers may sort that if there is room behind the door card)
 
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#24 ·
Thanks for the write up too btw! It's great!

You have inspired me to dynamat my car now lol. But i did some reading on it for the last hr, and they are still pricey here in the states. I'm gonna start with the doors, but I probably gonna do the trunk. I need to do more research and hopefully i can do the roof, and floor.
 
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