Sound isolation for noisy gearboxes
Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2018 12:09 pm
We all know the noisy rattling that -especially steel- gearboxes can make, even when the gear and pinion gears mesh perfectly.
It’s the result of (amongst other things) the tank body and tub becoming a giant resonator box.
Most people already know, and use this trick, so it’s more aimed at those starting the tank-hobby.
To squelch a large part of the ruckus there’s a fairly cheap & simple solution: Cheap. Foam. Mousepads.
Why mousepads? Well, simply because the shops that sell hobby foam ask a premium for the thicker ( 4 mm and thicker) foam sheets, and mousepads are often much cheaper.
-Get Your hands on the cheapest dense-foam mousepad You can find in Your local China-junk-outlet (it’s the “Action” over here). Check that the thickness is about 4 to 5 mm.
-rip off the picture on top. Usually they are printed on some nylon/silk like material that comes off fairly easily. ( The silk/nylon material is -with a bit of paint- useful for detailing other stuff, sleeping bags, rain capes, stowage, etc.. Keep it! )
-cut two strips of about 10 cm by 4 cm
-cut out a notch near the back of the strip that will drop around the outgoing gear shafts
-shove Your insta-isolator blanket between gearbox and tub. It should fit really tight!
-if there’s enough room between rear top body and gearbox, glue a square bit of foam to the underside of the body above the gearbox
Done!
You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.
It’s the result of (amongst other things) the tank body and tub becoming a giant resonator box.
Most people already know, and use this trick, so it’s more aimed at those starting the tank-hobby.
To squelch a large part of the ruckus there’s a fairly cheap & simple solution: Cheap. Foam. Mousepads.
Why mousepads? Well, simply because the shops that sell hobby foam ask a premium for the thicker ( 4 mm and thicker) foam sheets, and mousepads are often much cheaper.
-Get Your hands on the cheapest dense-foam mousepad You can find in Your local China-junk-outlet (it’s the “Action” over here). Check that the thickness is about 4 to 5 mm.
-rip off the picture on top. Usually they are printed on some nylon/silk like material that comes off fairly easily. ( The silk/nylon material is -with a bit of paint- useful for detailing other stuff, sleeping bags, rain capes, stowage, etc.. Keep it! )
-cut two strips of about 10 cm by 4 cm
-cut out a notch near the back of the strip that will drop around the outgoing gear shafts
-shove Your insta-isolator blanket between gearbox and tub. It should fit really tight!
-if there’s enough room between rear top body and gearbox, glue a square bit of foam to the underside of the body above the gearbox
Done!
You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.