Road Noise: Hard Upper Half Doors vs Full Doors

[deadbeat son]

I find the ambient road noise from running half doors with soft uppers pretty fatiguing, and as a result I don't enjoy taking my TJ on longer trips. Yes, I know I can wear ear plugs, but I'd prefer to cut down on the overall noise as well.

Before I spend the money on a set of full doors, do the fiberglass hard upper doors, such as those from Bulldawg, cut out as much noise as a full door? I'm would appreciate input from anyone who has experience with both. Just weighing options at this time.

Thanks!

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I'm really curious about this as well. I have a set of full doors in the attic and have run only half doors since July, with or without the soft uppers. But I agree, after a road trip in September, 12 hours each way, I was longing for a quieter option.

I can't help but think the hard uppers would make a big difference. Even if not completely matching full hard doors, there's a lot more mass there than the soft.

 

[Don Bulee]

why not an amp and speakers and just hearing some old good music instead of the road noise?

 

[deadbeat son]

I'm really curious about this as well. I have a set of full doors in the attic and have run only half doors since July, with or without the soft uppers. But I agree, after a road trip in September, 12 hours each way, I was longing for a quieter option.

I can't help but think the hard uppers would make a big difference. Even if not completely matching full hard doors, there's a lot more mass there than the soft.

On windy days while driving at typical highway speeds on I-25, I can see the soft uppers moving with the wind, leaving gaps of around 1" between the upper and the windshield frame moulding. While I would assume the hard uppers would address this, I just don't know if they would be as effective as a full door.

 

[psrivats]

On windy days while driving at typical highway speeds on I-25, I can see the soft uppers moving with the wind, leaving gaps of around 1" between the upper and the windshield frame moulding. While I would assume the hard uppers would address this, I just don't know if they would be as effective as a full door.

That is an easy question. I have both full doors and bestop upper sliders+ half doors. Half doors + sliders are noisier than full doors.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

On windy days while driving at typical highway speeds on I-25, I can see the soft uppers moving with the wind, leaving gaps of around 1" between the upper and the windshield frame moulding. While I would assume the hard uppers would address this, I just don't know if they would be as effective as a full door.

you can help with that by opening the doors and bending them inward to help preload the frames. I've got mine tight enough where they almost never gap like that.

But still, there's no mass to dissipate the absorbed sound energy. It just passes right through. I think having fiberglass and glass has to be better than cloth and vinyl, or even cloth and glass sliders. It's definitely not going to match full hard doors, but it might be close enough to be worth it.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

and just to be clear, I'm correctly interpreting that you refer to the rigid fiberglass doors, not just cloth doors with a rigid sliding window, yes?

 

[deadbeat son]

That is an easy question. I have both full doors and bestop upper sliders+ half doors. Half doors + sliders are noisier than full doors.

I don't think the Bestop uppers are fiberglass, they're still cloth aren't they?

and just to be clear, I'm correctly interpreting that you refer to the rigid fiberglass doors, not just cloth doors with a rigid sliding window, yes?

View attachment 420321

Yes, exactly.

 

[deadbeat son]

you can help with that by opening the doors and bending them inward to help preload the frames. I've got mine tight enough where they almost never gap like that.

But still, there's no mass to dissipate the absorbed sound energy. It just passes right through. I think having fiberglass and glass has to be better than cloth and vinyl, or even cloth and glass sliders. It's definitely not going to match full hard doors, but it might be close enough to be worth it.

Thanks for the tip, not sure why I hadn't thought of that. I'll give them a little tweak to make it tighter. I know that won't solve all of my issues, but it can't hurt.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Thanks for the tip, not sure why I hadn't thought of that. I'll give them a little tweak to make it tighter. I know that won't solve all of my issues, but it can't hurt.

the other thing that helps and is almost free (compared to new upper doors) is earplugs lol. I wore them the whole way on that road trip last year and I'll do it again this year.

 

[PNW_LJ]

why not an amp and speakers and just hearing some old good music instead of the road noise?

allow me to introduce you to tinnitus.

 

[deadbeat son]

the other thing that helps and is almost free (compared to new upper doors) is earplugs lol. I wore them the whole way on that road trip last year and I'll do it again this year.

Yup, I mentioned that in the OP. That's an option, and I've definitely done it before, but I'm looking for alternatives to that.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Yup, I mentioned that in the OP. That's an option, and I've definitely done it before, but I'm looking for alternatives to that.

ah, I missed the mention. I do get fatigued from having them in my ears for an entire day. I know people do it occupationally but I don't, so I'm not used to it. Would be nice to not have to.

 

[deadbeat son]

ah, I missed the mention. I do get fatigued from having them in my ears for an entire day. I know people do it occupationally but I don't, so I'm not used to it. Would be nice to not have to.

The other option is to just drive 55 or slower. It really only seems to bother me at higher speeds. Maybe I should install cruise control instead of new doors.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

The other option is to just drive 55 or slower. It really only seems to bother me at higher speeds. Maybe I should install cruise control instead of new doors.

not crazy. There's a huge difference between 55 and 70. That road trip I mentioned was on a route specifically chosen to minimize mileage spent on Interstates so I could drive slower. I might go through Monument Park this year so I can skip the section of I-25 between Trinidad and Walsenburg.

allow me to introduce you to tinnitus.

the WORST.

 

[Irun]

I find the ambient road noise from running half doors with soft uppers pretty fatiguing, and as a result I don't enjoy taking my TJ on longer trips. Yes, I know I can wear ear plugs, but I'd prefer to cut down on the overall noise as well.

Before I spend the money on a set of full doors, do the fiberglass hard upper doors, such as those from Bulldawg, cut out as much noise as a full door? I'm would appreciate input from anyone who has experience with both. Just weighing options at this time.

Thanks!

I've run soft uppers, soft uppers with glass, Bulldawg uppers, and full doors. If reduced noise is what you want, just get full doors. They seal much better, provide better visibility, and, when opened, better access to drive-thru locations. The Bulldawgs have a big negative in that they use a special insert for the uppers. You have to remove the factory inserts to use them. At least the version I have does.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I've run soft uppers, soft uppers with glass, Bulldawg uppers, and full doors. If reduced noise is what you want, just get full doors. They seal much better, provide better visibility, and, when opened, better access to drive-thru locations. The Bulldawgs have a big negative in that they use a special insert for the uppers. You have to remove the factory inserts to use them. At least the version I have does.

if soft uppers was a 10 and hard doors was a 1 in noise level, where would you put the bulldawgs?

That matches my understanding with the inserts, and also that they use fasteners to attach, rather than just dropping in. Are the fasteners tool-free or do you have to carry around a socket if you wanted to remove them on short notice?

 

[Bobohunter1776]

allow me to introduce you to tinnitus.

WHAT DID YOU SAY? I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THE RINGING.

 

[deadbeat son]

I've run soft uppers, soft uppers with glass, Bulldawg uppers, and full doors. If reduced noise is what you want, just get full doors. They seal much better, provide better visibility, and, when opened, better access to drive-thru locations. The Bulldawgs have a big negative in that they use a special insert for the uppers. You have to remove the factory inserts to use them. At least the version I have does.

Thanks for weighing in, I appreciate your direct experience with all of the various configurations. I assumed full doors would be the way to go, but it's good to verify before spending the money and doing the work to paint them.

not crazy. There's a huge difference between 55 and 70. That road trip I mentioned was on a route specifically chosen to minimize mileage spent on Interstates so I could drive slower. I might go through Monument Park this year so I can skip the section of I-25 between Trinidad and Walsenburg.

This just reinforces that I seriously need to consider if my TJ is the right vehicle for me as part of a bigger picture needs assessment. I have soft top, half doors, and no AC. My desired use for the Jeep is to explore remote areas of the mountain west as much as possible, and due to circumstances beyond my control that means a lot of quick 36 - 48 hour trips, with occasional 4 or 5 day excursions squeezed in here and there. That schedule necessitates lots of interstate miles between regional locales and I want to be able to do these trips in relative comfort. While a TJ is my preferred platform, I have to decide whether I should keep spending on my existing TJ to increase comfort, buy a different TJ that has some additional features, or <gasp> consider whether I would be better served by a JK or JL. The TJ is definitely my preferred platform by far, but I don't know that it's the best answer given all the above. I do have a T4R that I could use, but the TJ is truly astounding in its off road capabilities, and I'd prefer not to use my daily driver for these trips.

 

[Bobohunter1776]

Thanks for weighing in, I appreciate your direct experience with all of the various configurations. I assumed full doors would be the way to go, but it's good to verify before spending the money and doing the work to paint them.



This just reinforces that I seriously need to consider if my TJ is the right vehicle for me as part of a bigger picture needs assessment. I have soft top, half doors, and no AC. My desired use for the Jeep is to explore remote areas of the mountain west as much as possible, and due to circumstances beyond my control that means a lot of quick 36 - 48 hour trips, with occasional 4 or 5 day excursions squeezed in here and there. That schedule necessitates lots of interstate miles between regional locales and I want to be able to do these trips in relative comfort. While a TJ is my preferred platform, I have to decide whether I should keep spending on my existing TJ to increase comfort, buy a different TJ that has some additional features, or <gasp> considering whether I would be better served by a JK or JL. The TJ is definitely my preferred platform, but I don't know that it's the best answer given all the above. I do have a T4R that I could use, but the TJ is truly astounding in its off road capabilities, and I'd prefer not to use my daily driver for these trips.

I feel ya. TJs are amazing for what they were designed for, but comfort was not one of those things.