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Hard Top + Roof Rack = Tornado Wind Noise

81arctic

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Ok I'm going to keep this quick - Ive had my 4dr 2.3 MT Badlands with the MIC hard top and roof rack for about 3500 miles now and I can say without a doubt the wind noise in this truck is as loud or louder than anything I've ever taken on the highway (including a soft top 1969 GTO).

I test drove a soft top Wild Track last fall and remember thinking the highway noise wasnt all that bad. I did the Off Rodeo day up in New Hampshire (highly recommend btw) in a non-squatch soft top Badlands and again - trail and around town noise was way better than expected. I assumed at that point that if the soft top is this comfortable and quiet - surely my hard top will be at LEAST as quiet as a 4dr hard top Jeep, maybe even quieter since I added the sound deadening.

I was only 5 miles from the dealership on the day I picked it up last month, got up to 70ish mph on the highway home and wow... thats a lot of noise.

I know this is by no means a highway vehicle and that its built for off road so I feel a little off even mentioning it here, but it needs to be pointed out for anyone considering this build. Most of my use is in town and in the woods - I live a half mile from any paved road - and I absolutely love this truck in those situations, its completely covered in mud right now and most days - but bringing the family up to the mountains to play on weekends requires 3 hrs each way on highways and the noise fatigue from yelling over the wind with each other the whole way is honestly really tiresome.

Heres my hope (and question): How much of this hurricane noise is the roof rack, and how much is just 'normal'? The first thing I'm doing once ski season is over is pulling off the roof rack off and hoping that will change my life, but I'm asking on here to see if anyone has done that in a similar build and if you noticed a substantial wind noise difference when you did.

A secondary question - has anyone else with a roof rack tried any kind of air-dam or foil to quiet it down? has anything worked?

Thanks for any help, feedback, tricks or tips.
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Kickit

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I had the roof rack on mine with a kayak rack, noticed a high pitched whistling at freeway speeds, found that after I took the kayak holder off the noise decreased considerably. Maybe try removing the roof rack to see if that’s the cause of your noise problem? If you don’t need it on at all times it might be the less irritating option to just replace it when you need it.
 

mdFord

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I think it's the rack. I know my roof rack on my 2014 Explorer made the highway pretty loud with some lovely whistling, got a little better with a wind deflector in front of the rack.
 

Scape Goat

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Could you take decibel readings before and after? Maybe make a video for the rest of us? This would be good information to have.
 

Tricky Dick

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One of the reasons I skipped the rack, one less thing to add noise.

I think my hard top is reasonable at 70 and under, where I do all my driving. Crosswinds make it worse. I plug my ears going through car washes though, it's actually painful how loud it is.
 

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BroncocnorB

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Man my 2dr with OE roof rack is pretty quiet. Noisy, yes compared to a regular car - but entirely livable. Can take phone calls, listen to music, etc without any problems
 

vrtical

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When I open my moonroof on my scuby with the roof rack, its excessively loud, this isnt a Bronco issue lol.
 

grayshadow

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Yes, it makes noise but I deal with to have the platform.
 

Silver-Bolt

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Roof racks on all vehicles add a tremendous amount of noise. Our Audi SQ5 with the cross bars on is many times louder than without. Try adding a light bar. That will blast you bad.
 

PWillette

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I can confirm that the 4dr MIC w/ roof rack is extremely noisy at highway speed. In preparation for the summer months I removed my rack last week and the noise difference is substantial IMO.
 

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equitasforall

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Heres my hope (and question): How much of this hurricane noise is the roof rack, and how much is just 'normal'?
I picked up my Bronco last week in Houston and drove it 1700 miles back to Virginia. Most of the trip was interstate at highway speeds. I had very little wind noise from my 2 door badlands with the 2.3, auto and Sasquatch. What I encountered more than wind was road noise from the 35/12.50x20 Nitto Ridge Grapplers, but even then, unless I was driving on concrete as opposed to asphalt it was very manageable. Normal conversation level. Stereo between 6-8 volume level with no issues.

What you describe sounds like every vehicle I’ve ever had with a rack or rooftop carrier, or worse, every police car I ever drove with a light bar. Even the worst aerodynamically designed vehicle pushes wind up over the roof, and then channeling it under or around a rack creates even more turbulence and noise in my opinion.
 

DaveInSA

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Depends on what you're calling roof rack.

My 2 door MIC with the stock rails and crossbars isn't much louder than without them.
But install the yakima cargo platform and it gets about 500x louder :D
Add the side rails on to the platform and you get a nice chorus of whistles along with it.

I'll keep them off till I actually need them then just live with it for that period :)
 

lasttj

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Might not work on a modern car, but I have a vintage VW with a roof rack. I stretch bungi cords very tight between the cross bars to keep them from "buzzing" at high speeds...(if you consider 60 mph high speed from a 40 hp engine!).
 

BluebroncoNC

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I had the following roof rack (ford) and Yakima top and had zero noticeable difference to my now Bronco with no rack. Hmm... Edit: You have me worried as I'm going, was going, to stick that rack and Yakima on my current truck. Yellow truck was totalled... :(
Ford Bronco Hard Top + Roof Rack = Tornado Wind Noise 20220308_134430
 

WyoBronc

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After hearing all the testimonials regarding wind noise with the MIC and roof rack I was more than a little concerned. I was pleasantly surprised. I have a 4dr soft top that whistles and flutters in high wind and at highway speeds. But my 2dr WT with roof racks is surprisingly quiet. Perhaps the OP needs to check/reseat the front panels.
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