silencing rear shelf

[ukrkoz]

in follow up to this post:

Putting an amp in a hybrid

the main source of subwoofer caused rattle in my TCH is rear shelf.
I had it somewhat taken care of with a heavy weight on it, but it looked ugly and weight shifted around.

today i figured nice and easy way to silence that shelf.

1. lower the passenger side backrest
2. you will have lowermost plastic shelf cover edge exposed.
3. grab that edge and pry shelf cover up
4. it easily pops off clips, exposing large hollow chamber between the shelf cover and the metal shelf itself. gives you a moment to appreciate cheap plastic, poorly holding clips, and wonder, what is the purpose of that hollow chamber right next to the large speakers.anyhow.. Toyota didn't even try to introduce any dampening material there.
5. i, basically, stuffed that chamber with soft stuff. foam, sponges, towels, wall insulation - anything of that nature will work, as far as it compresses to stabilize plastic, but enough for it to be secure back on clips.

that's it! crank your sub up now and enjoy.
next is to chase down cause of occasional rattle somewhere around passenger seat. oh, and one down in the center console.

[carolinacamry]

Wish I could figure out whats clunking around in the roof. Starting to bug the crap out of me.

[snookwhaler]

I feel your pain. It would have been so easy to use a little better quality materials in this car. BUT, the lack of them makes it feel cheap and leaves you to question the "build quality" of the rest of the car.

I had a minor rattle back there. It turned out to be where the C-pillar trim contacted the top of the rear shelf. I slid a long thing piece of the "fuzzy" velcro in there. Now the noise is gone and it looks factory.

Now the car is silent again. It sucks to have noises in a car that is so quiet.

Hopefully that is the last of them (fingers crossed).

[ukrkoz]

i have just redone my Sunday craft work.
one thing i have to do is to mention that there is a thin layer of felt between the shelf cover and metal rear shelf. my apologies, Toyota. except that it's nowhere touching the plastic cover, allowing it to rattle. basically, it's a large resonator.
i replaced whatever i stuck in there Sunday with quality strips of foam.
also, I ran foam "noodles" into the baby seat buckles, coming out of cover. reason being, they pressed plastic down even better. topped them with foam pads, and closed the lids. as those lids will rattle either. looks bullet proof on rattles to me. as little power as my sub in the trunk has, it can create quite a rattle with some songs.
wish i could post pics, but my little one "borrowed" the camera. my cell sucks on taking pics.

[ukrkoz]

ok, here we go:

foam pad through the buckle:



2. covered with lid silencing pad:



3. final product:



4. door pocket silencers:



5. and my faithful co-pilot for the last 11 years. always has trouble with his tail:

[Aceee]

Originally Posted by ukrkoz

today i figured nice and easy way to silence that shelf.

1. lower the passenger side backrest
2. you will have lowermost plastic shelf cover edge exposed.
3. grab that edge and pry shelf cover up
4. it easily pops off clips, exposing large hollow chamber between the shelf cover and the metal shelf itself.

ukrkoz, Is it possible for you to post a picture of how the shelf is removed. I would really like to do this but need a visual.
Thanks

[ukrkoz]

[Aceee]

ukrkoz, WOW that was fast. Thank you very much! I'll give it a try tomorrow.