...…. . . : : | | Getting Dead Part 1: Doors & Woofer Install | | : : . . . …...
*******UNDER CONSTRUCTION*******
(I hate using that, but, hey, it's true!)
Newer VW’s come from the factory with pretty quiet interiors, however, there’s always room to improve on the factory. I also wanted to make the most of my new sound system by lowering the noise floor in the car. Road noise really degrades sound quality and panel vibrations from bass top my list of most annoying sounds in a car. So the project begins…
Here is the stock door panel for my GTI.

It’s quite easy to remove:

1. Using a small panel remove tool and very thin flathead screwdriver, separate the handle at the seam. I recommend starting on the bottom side to hide any scratches or marring of the plastic or soft rubber coating. It does damage easily, so don’t sweat it too much if you mar it. There are a few #1 head screws behind here that require removal in order to pull the panel from the door. I also remove the smaller screws holding the handle to the door panel, just one last thing to possibly scratch.

2. Three T-15 Torx (starhead) screws hold the lower portion secure to the door (remove all).

3. Using a panel removal tool or flathead screwdriver, slowly pry the panel from the door. If this is your first time, it may be a bit tight. Pull gently but firmly and it will start to pop loose. I recommend starting at one of the lower corners. Once you can get your hand behind the panel, unplug the light, locks, and window plugs.
I already had a pair of aftermarket speakers installed, but that’s the only difference between “stock” and my doors. The factory speakers are installed with rivets and will have to be drilled out. I fabricated adapters from 1” MDF, but plastic adapters are available from Scosche.

In my car, in order to properly apply the sound deadening, you’ll need to remove the window motor. Three #1 head screws hold it on - very simple. When applying mat in this area, I steered clear of the area directly around the motor gears to make sure the assembly would sit flush and the gears made full contact when reassembled.
The motor removed:

Most cars have a plastic moisture barrier separating the door panel from the metal frame. My car had a nice thick solid metal sheet. If you have a moisture barrier, you should remove it. Your sound deadener will act as a barrier. If your door is like mine, you will have wires running for locks, windows, etc. The deadener will cover the wires and add to the airtight quiet.
To make sure my new speakers sound their best, I also decided to run new speaker wire into my doors.

I used Stinger Pro Series black 16 gauge wire. For my car, I simply pulled back the wiring boot from the door frame and passed the wire through. In order to gain access from inside the cabin, I had to remove the glovebox on the passenger side and the hush panel on the driver’s side. Pretty simple, just some more T15 screws. Lucky for me, VW doesn’t use Molex plugs in the door jams like some cars. If you car has a big plastic plug rather than a wire pass through, you’ll have to find a spot you can drill through the plug and feed wire.

This is when you decide if the factory wire can accommodate your speaker needs (I used my factory wire with the last component set).

Now it’s time to start layin’ mat! In this installment, I used a Dynamat Trunk Kit and a pair of Dynaxorb pads. There are many ways to apply the mat and your method may be different from mine. But here’s what works for me…
I apply the sheet bit-by-bit rather than laying an entire sheet at once. Peel the backing down a bit and place the mat at the top of the door panel. Slowly remove the backing as you fix the deadening to the panel. Make sure if you cover any screw holes or door panel clip holes, you clear them as you apply the mat.

For flat sections, the Dynamat roller works extremely well. For best results, you want to work out any air bubbles.

To smooth the material around bumps and dips, I use the back of a screwdriver or the back of the roller.

Now you have to be a little smart… Not all wires can be covered. I needed to make access for my lock, window, and lighting wires. Simply cut a slit or hole in the mat and feed the wire through.

I also used Dynaxorb pads inside the door to help dampen internal reflecting waves that can cancel out frequencies and hurt the speaker’s performance. Dynamat includes super glue to secure the pads inside the door. I always pick up a second pack of super glue because I like to apply the glue pretty liberally to make sure the pads don’t come loose down the road.

For a little back up, I also put strips of Extreme Dynamat around the edges to keep them from possibly peeling.

Dead Door

I then wired up the speaker and mounted it and the MDF baffle to the door.

Finished product (for now).

I've got more deadener to apply to the metal panel, but I'm also going to add some foam the the actual door panel backside as well. (More than likely Second Skin from here on out)
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Page 6 - Sound Deadening Install: Pt 1 (You are here)

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