Soundproofing the B3030 Cab and found something interesting

[srs]

WaxMan, I don't have the foam under the steering wheel either like Bandit does. And I did notice awhile back when I removed the cover under the steering wheel it was very dusty with some dried grass clippings in there. I purchased my B3030 in 2008 so it seems like Kubota did improve the insulation part, but only slightly. The Handi-Foam looks pretty good too for sealing things up, certainly better then the yellow Great Stuff type they sell at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

 

[bandit67]

Thanks WaxMan for the idea on the black foam. I'm going to get some of that, since it's too much work to get that lower cover off the tractor to replace the existing factory foam padding. They didn't put a lot up in there from what I can tell, so the black spray foam should help a lot.

The foam under the plastic steering cowl is essentially the self adhesive foam they put on the back of the cowl, with a different backer at the bottom so they could extend it an inch lower than the bottom of the cowl. The factory foam easily peeled off the cowl, so I acetoned the plastic to get the sheen off, and added some new 1/8" thick high density self adhesive foam sound absorber, then re-installed the lower density factory foam on top of the new foam.

 

[WaxMan]

Bandit, I was just going to put a dab for the little tiny holes at the corners of the panel below in your picture for dust coming thru, Are you saying you want to fill the whole cavity with the expanding foam?
Are there other openings on the bottom or elsewhere?

Because that foam is the messiest stuff known to man if you go wild with it. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger and drips all over, it's sticky as h*** and makes a mess that does not like to be cleaned up.
I could just see someone maybe having a drink or two or very tired before starting this job, destroying the whole tractor with just 1 can of that stuff.
Be carefull when using it.
I would not want someone just because I said to use this stuff (not meaning you Bandit, anyone) inside the cab thinking they are filling all the holes on the firewall and the next day open up the hood to find the rear of the engine incased in foam.

It does not come off without scraping it off. You can break chunks and pieces off but the residue is hard to remove. Keep in mind No solvent will dissolve it once dry. If you get it all over the wires etc. it stays all over the wires etc.
What you think you're putting down is not what you're putting down, if you know what I mean. If someone has never used this foam before, please be careful with it, just use a very little bit until you know what it does.

 

[bandit67]

No, I would have liked to put new sound absorbing foam mat up there, but it's too big of a job to get to it. I too only would like to foam spray the small holes, if I can't get any of the foam padding I have wedged up in there.

Yeah, some of that expanding foam can be a pain to work with. I got most of the machine done for now and put back together, but now I'm trying to get the stereo in, so I haven't started it to drive it around and see how it turned out.

I added adhesive backed foam sound absorber to the plastic lever housings to either side of the seat, and put rubber edging material on the plastic housings where they sit on the fenders to cut down on the squeaking. I also added some foam padding up in the ceiling. I have also added additional foam padding behind the 2 pillar covers between the door & side window, but I may add either self adhesive foam sound deadener to them since they still are a bit tinny. Not sure I should add butyl mat to those because it could add too much weight for the plastic fasteners to hold. I also foam padded the small plastic wiper motor cover that sits above the dash panel.

I have a bunch of foam mats, etc. that I may use to stuff into some of the cracks & crevices, or just install self adhesive foam weatherstripping to deal with some of the gaps that are left. Trying to do it so things can be taken apart down the road for repairs.

I actually had a tough time getting the fenders & seat pan pieces all lined up to re-install them. Not sure why, as some holes lined up perfectly, then the next hole right in line was out of alignment. I assume it may have been that way from the start. I'll add some pics of what my project looked like.

I did a couple of cell phone videos before the project, and will do matching ones after to see if the mic can catch any difference in the in-cab sound.

 

[WaxMan]

Bandit, sounds like you're making a nice quiet ride for your sound system. :thumbsup:
It makes it a lot easier to line up the holes if you put a round punch or a philips screwdriver in the hole your not putting the bolt in, and pry one way or another to line up the hole your putting the bolt in. The butyl mat does not have to cover the whole piece of metal your trying to sound proof. I found that just a couple of squares here and there are all thats needed. Like for those side panels.
The grills that I used are from the factory Kubota speakers, I made the spacers from 3/4 plastic board and shaped them to fit the curve of the headliner.
While the headline is down put in a dome light, I got this one out of a junk yard. I think from a Ford Excursion. The two side lights that are lit shine right outside the doors. The middle light not shown lit lights up the cab.

 

[bandit67]

I have those pics of from back when you did yours. I don't think I have the patience to do the plastic spacers, so I have some 3/4", 2.2lb black foam that I'm going to try to use instead. I plan to put the speakers in the same spot you did. If the Kubota dealer is open, I'm going down tomorrow morning to pick up the 4" speaker grilles I ordered. At least I should be able to get it knocked out quickly, and if I don't like the way the foam spacers look, I can go back later and spend the time to make some nicer ones like you did.

I'd just like to get the stereo in and start the tractor to see how all the soundproofing work turned out. Then try my new Alpine Bluetooth iPhone compatible am/fm stereo. Be nice not to have to wear earphones any more. :thumbsup:

I like that dome light. Might have to do one of those.

 

[bandit67]

Got everything buttoned back up today, while the wife was doing all the pre-Easter cooking. There are still some things I want to do to further improve the sound deadening, but I needed to get the tractor put back together since it's been torn apart for a week and a half, and need to do some work with it next week.

Soundproofing seemed to help some, though probably not quite as much as I had hoped. I can still hear the hydro whine, though it seems quite a bit more muted than it was before. Engine noise is muted quite a bit more.

It was a pretty involved project. Was it worth it? I guess every little bit helps, though for the amount of work & time in pulling everything apart, I would have preferred even more sound control. I am glad I did it because it did help with the overall noise issues, and the sound that does get in, get's absorbed more quickly, instead of bouncing around as much.

I really think installing a rubber backed outdoor carpet on the seat pan area would do wonders, but right now, I'm not quite ready to do that, with the seat frame and all the levers, it would be a difficult project. However, I think I am going to add something to the rear panel with the tool box in it, because I think that will help a ton with sound absorption. I also am close to pulling the trigger on treating the cab side of the pillar covers, but first I may try adding some self adhesive foam to the back side and/or butyl sound deadener - I did stuff the pillars full of foam, but the plastic fasteners don't hold the covers tight enough to keep them from sounding "tinny".

Also got the new stereo installed. I used foam spacers to mount the speakers since I could get those cut quickly. Doesn't look quite as good as Waxman's nice plastic spacers, but that's something I can do when I have more time. For now, the foam spacers are working nicely. The sound is impressive - much, much better than I was expecting, and apparently, these speakers need about 10 hours of play time to "break in".

I went with an Alpine mech-less AM/FM Bluetooth unit with sync that I can make/receive calls through the stereo (note the mic mounted on the headliner) and listen to music off my iPhone via bluetooth or USB cable. Pretty slick setup. I installed JL Audio Evolution C2-400x 4" coax speakers. I am very, very impressed with the stereo system, and am very glad I did this install, and think the soundproofing work helped quite a bit to create a decent listening experience. I spent quite a bit of time driving around at 2000 -2500 rpms to get a feel for how the stereo would sound with the engine running at working rpms and the hydro whine going up the hills, and can say that I am impressed. Glad to be rid of the earphones.

I also installed a ski boat rear view mirror because I didn't like the blind spot between the factory mirrors.

 

[WaxMan]

I think the rubber spacers for the speakers look good, good enough. The Bluetooth for the phone is a good idea, I have to get an adaptor for my Kenwood to do that.
I don't know how good the mike will work on the other end.

 

[bandit67]

I was bothering my wife & daughter making calls and they told me it sounded like I was calling them from my truck. Of course, I'll have to drop rpms down to idle when I talk, but I had to do that anyway before when I was speaking on the phone. However, if I have to turn the engine off to speak, then it shuts down the power to the radio since the accessory key position doesn't work the same as on a car unfortunately.

The sound deadening modifications seemed to significantly cut down on the engine noise getting into the cab, so at idle, it's a lot quieter, and I expect should be fine for receiving phone calls.

 

[WaxMan]

It's good to hear your cab is quieter, I just want to hear my phone ring. I think your radio volume will go soft when the phone rings, letting you know.
That is one feature I don't have.

 

[bandit67]

I have to say I am really, really glad I put the stereo in. So much better than earphones. And I'm glad it worked out better than some of the other folks who weren't all that happy with their stereos in their B3030 cabs in the past. I think the speaker location is key, as it's directed right at your ears. I can't imagine the factory speaker location can do much good at all.

Still want to address a few more things regarding sound proofing/sound control to see if I can build on the improvements, but overall, I'm pleased with the results of the "sound proofing" project and the stereo project.

Thanks WaxMan for what you've done and the ideas you've come up with - they were a big help.

 

[bandit67]

I've had a chance to spend a little more time in my cab since I've done the modifications. Though the modifications did not completely isolate hydro noise from the cab, they did help to control the amount of noise bouncing around inside the cab, which seems to make a big difference in how bad the outside tractor noises impact in-cab comfort. I've also gone back and further plugged up some of the various penetrations, more for overall dust control, but they've seemed to also impact sound transmission.

The more time I spend in the cab, the more I am enjoying the sound modifications. In addition, the stereo sounds great, and possibly with the combination of sound control modifications and location of speakers, I am completely pleased with the stereo install and overall sound quality when at operating RPMs.

It seems I was more fortunate with my B3000 compared to the B3030 cabs as far as how much dust made it into the cab, but there's no doubt that there are ways to cut down on the dust entry if you want to spend a little time dealing with it. Some cheap foam can do wonders with dust control.

At this point, I can say I recommend doing these sound modifications to any B3030 or B3000 if you're not pleased with all the noise & dust getting into your cab.

I expect that once I do my 50 hour service, I will see a noticeable decrease in hydro whine, as I saw on my B3030 open station when I switched from UDT to SUDT2 semi synthetic. This time, I'm going to go with a full synthetic in hopes of further decreasing hydro whine even further beyond what SUDT2 did for my B3030.

 

[WaxMan]

I was also able to spend some time with the tractor for the first time since I added the sound proofing. With what improvements I have done so far, Is is a very noticeable difference. I have not done anything about the dust yet. Still some front panels to sound proof. Driving around today transplanting 13 shrubs it's much quieter. Especially at low rpms.

 

[srs]

I hadn't planned on doing what WaxMan and Bandit did now but I was able to get some time to work on my B3030 HSDC. I just finished putting everything back together. I installed the Dynamat Xtreme under the seat panel, the "hump" panel, and both left and right floor panels. I also attached it directly to the transmission. I got the Xtreme through Amazon (free shipping) from a dealer Bandit recommended. I made patterns like WaxMan did but started off on the wrong foot as my first pattern was cut upside down. So I double checked everything before I cut things and the Xtreme went on relatively easy. I also had a heavy black rubber and foam pad (approximately 1/2" thick) that went on top of the panels and under the rubber Kubota mat. Putting the bolts back in got a little tough as some holes lined up while others didn't. That was a royal PITA! I also had to fight removing and reinstalling the rear turf tires as they are loaded and were a bear to manhandle by myself.
I made one mistake where I wrapped the Xtreme a little too high in the rear, see attached photo. I caulked every hole or gap that I found inside. I placed a floodlight on the floor facing up to see if any light would penetrate the cab. I found a 2" wide X 1/8" thick black foam tape at the Depot in the metal duct work section that I was able to seal up some areas from underneath. Really stuck good, not much for insulation but it will keep dirt out. Hard to really tell how much quieter it is but I'm sure it will help. Probably in the fall at the 300 hour mark I'll change over to SUDT2 to see if that helps, unless Bandit persuades me otherwise to go with 100% synthetic. Waiting on his results. Thanks to both of you, WaxMan and Bandit for all of your help and suggestions.

 

[RFB]

]At this point, I can say I recommend doing these...modifications to a B3000 if you're not pleased with all the...dust getting into your cab.

bandit,

What fixes would you advise just for dust?

 

[bandit67]

First off - you actually have some issues with dust getting into your 5740?

I added some rubber grommets and installed weatherstripping foam at various penetrations, including areas that Kubota already installed something. If I could see daylight, I added more foam, especially at penetrations for levers, etc. Such as where Kubota installed only a rubber sleeve. I tried to add the foam in such a way as to allow for future parts disassembly so that the "dustproofing" work would not have to be re-done if parts needed to be taken apart, or didn't more permanently "glue" parts together.

I didn't have a whole lot of issues with dust, not like the B3030 owners seem to have, so I didn't have to do all that much. I added the extra foam to give a bit more cushion for the dust to get through, but not impede the function of the hand or foot levers. There were areas that Kubota better addressed in the B3000 than on the B3030.

One thing I noticed, and something that every Kubota cab owner may want to check, is the penetration through the sheet metal that the FEL joystick cables run through, didn't have any protection to keep the cable sheathing from getting worn by the sharp edge of the sheet metal opening. I added a grommet to the opening, similar to what I did on my B3030 open station (I had the cab joystick control), and after 365 hours and 4 years, the grommet was still intact. On the B3000, I noticed that the joystick cable's sheathing was starting to show signs of wear. Very little, but still some signs of wear, in less than 40 hours of use.

 

[bandit67]

I hadn't planned on doing what WaxMan and Bandit did now but I was able to get some time to work on my B3030 HSDC. I just finished putting everything back together.

So Stanley, have you had some time to try out the new soundproofing?

 

[srs]

So Stanley, have you had some time to try out the new soundproofing?

I only had a short amount of time to run the tractor and it seems quieter. When I got done putting everything back I went to install the belly mower and I hope to cut the grass tomorrow (Thursday) but they are calling for a chance of rain. This will really tell me how much quieter the cab is as I run the engine at full throttle to power the mower. The cab is definitely sealed tighter but I too need to get some kind of thicker foam to seal up where the levers go through the metal panels. Lousy design on Kubota's part! Also I want to remove the dash panels under the steering wheel to see about sealing any openings here. Glad to be done with the floor panels, etc. Like I said a pain in the butt to reinstall. Thank you again. Stanley

 

[bandit67]

I had the most problems getting the fenders lined up with the vertical floor piece that joins the floor pans with the seat pans. Cheated and lined things up with one of my "nose pickers" (coolant hose removal tool).

I had to plow snow yesterday. Looking like I'll be plowing snow early tomorrow morning again. Still have my snowblower on because we're not completely out of the woods with regards to the 2-3 foot spring snowstorms. Threat of those storms typically goes into May. Not too sure we're gonna see one this year. We're WAY overdue for a 6 or 7 foot spring storm, but I think the chances of getting one this year are getting slim.

 

[srs]

I had to plow snow yesterday. Looking like I'll be plowing snow early tomorrow morning again.

I envy you. We did not have enough snow this year in my part of Maryland to use the tractor. Royally sucked! I love snow and live in the wrong part of the country, plus Maryland sucks too with all the taxes. But that's another topic, ha. Enjoy the snow, you live in a beautiful area, and be safe!!!