Sound deadening headliner on Bronco top (first photos)

[Norsman]

It looks like a simple thin piece of carpet... that can't be that heavy.

Hothead liners will mostly likely be a better option for sound dampening and to keep the cold or hot air out. I have them on my jeep. But the fit and finish will probably be better with the Ford option as it covers the entire panel.

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[Efthreeoh]

Unfortunately the Ford version does not appear to have a reflective backing, unless it is hidden. Without a reflective backing it will do nothing to stop heat gain.

Zack is on the right path with the Hothead product, thats the way I'm going.

Nice catch. Appears to go from 3 or 4 mm down to 1 to clear the latch.

Yes, I noticed the material is tapered anywhere it comes near a roof latch mechanism, which indicates the material may have some insulating properties in it, if just not thickness to increase its mass. There are other parts that show blocks of thickness in larger open flat areas of the top. Not knowing the naked contour of the inside of the MIC top, could the blocks be insulation material, or thicker dampening material placed at strategic locations to best dampen road noise and vibrations? Ford has had the tops in design for several years and may have modeled the noise signature of the panels and developed a custom headlining material that provides durability, light weight and sound absorption, who knows for sure.

I'm still on the fence regarding the applicability of Hotheads using a reflective foil on their product and how effective it is under a SMC plastic material. It's plausible that the foil helps, but what test data indicate it's better than a non-foil-backed product? Perhaps the Jeep hardtop is constructed differently than a Bronco top and needs the foil? Maybe Ford uses a sheet of foil between the sheets of SMC that forms the MIC top? Someone suggested there is foam inside the MIC top for insulation purposes. I'm just putting my engineering hat on with this. I really don't think it is Ford gluing on some carpet from Walmart. I'd bet there are SAE specs for such material applications that dictate performance of the material at temperature extremes for durability and safety requirements. I'd bet a paycheck that the material has to pass stringent flammability requirements at a minimum. Thinking that an owner can just go get his 11 year old to make a class project to cut and glue material from Hobby Lobby on to the top will be better than Ford's engineered approach is laughable. I get it, people just like to be snippy and complain.

If Hotheads comes up with a better solution, then great, a few years down the road anyone can swap out the factory solution with aftermarket. What I do know is large automobile corporations have far larger engineering budgets than small aftermarket companies.

 

[Velociraptor]

Thanks for those pics! I got that feed on my facebook page but the pics were behind the Bronco Nation firewall. I will still go with the Ford product mainly because I am too lazy to install aftermarket myself. If eventually the Ford stuff starts to degrade then there should be many aftermarket choices.

 

[Deleted member 14214]

First pics of the 2021 Bronco sound deadening headliner.

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First pics of the 2021 Bronco sound deadening headliner.

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[North7]

You can see that it tapers down to thin near the pin mechanism for the roof, right?

Ford has had the tops in design for several years and may have modeled the noise signature of the panels and developed a custom headlining material that provides durability, light weight and sound absorption, who knows for sure.

I'm still on the fence regarding the applicability of Hotheads using a reflective foil on their product and how effective it is under a SMC plastic material. It's plausible that the foil helps, but what test data indicate it's better than a non-foil-backed product?

I'm just putting my engineering hat on with this.

I thought so, you sounded like a fellow engineer. I'm not sure if I would call that "tapered down" or simply the area that has adhesive under it. The area that is lifted may not have adhesive or just be poor fitting.

Regarding the "modeled the noise signature" since the Bronco is not a Lincoln I wonder how much modeling they did, if any, it may not have been significant in light of the vehicle price point and the "trunk liner" material not appearing very substantial.

Regarding "but what test data indicate it's better than a non-foil-backed product?" It has been standard practice in the construction industry for some years to use OSB Radiant Barrier sheathing for roof construction.

Benefits of Radiant Barrier Sheathing
When utilizing OSB radiant barrier sheathing, you can reflect up to 97% of solar radiation which translates into an attic heat reduction of up to 30°F.
https://www.norbord.com/na/blog/radiant-barriers-myths-busted-and-facts-explained/

https://www.radiantguard.com/pages/what-is-radiant-barrier

 

[DUSTYcazOREGON]

First pics of the 2021 Bronco sound deadening headliner.

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First, I do not think it looks like crap....but, due to the poor trim job at the edges, my guess this is NOT a final version and certainly not the quality the factory will turn out. Pluses for Factory; covers 95% of the top(s), factory warranty (any adhesion or other issues it's covered), it's done. After market; unknown long term factory/dealer support, the Hothead only covers recessed areas (see photos their page), you need to install it; if it's not done right it won't adhere properly and you need to install it (I watched the videos....I do not want to do that (older, back issues)). Factory is $100 bucks or so more....I personally will go factory.

 

[Sponticore]

Looks heavy, looks light, looks great, looks like garbage lol - we are all way too bored at home. I'll make my decision when the dealer has a demo on the lot to see.

 

[vrewald14]

So what I find fascinating is how many members here immediately go negative on the factory hardtop sound insulation based on a few pictures. None of us have any idea what the 3-diemnsional contours of the ceiling of the roof panels are. The roof panel constriction looks like it is comprised of two separate sheet molded compound (SMC) panels sandwiched together and most likely bonded or sonic-welded together (or both). The headliner material looks to be contoured and mated to the ceiling surface and what appears to be poor craftsmanship of the cut edges of the headliner could be an optical illusion caused by (a) the bending of the image by the camera lens, and (b) the bending of the material edge as it traces the contour of the inner panel around the bulges for the latch mechanisms. The edges of the headliner material on the non-latch side of the panels seems to be straight cuts.

I'll hold judgement until I see the final production version. For $500 out of a $40K+ vehicle I'll take the risk that the full-rate production roof will be a quality product. None of us have any idea of what the headliner material is made of and what its thermal and sound insulation properties are. Also, there seem to be places in the material where the thickness varies and it is obvious that the material is tapered near the latches to give the latches to eliminate interference between the latch handle and the headliner and to allow for finger space as well. So what I see is actually a decent implementation of sound deadening headliner on a removable top of a 4x4 off road machine. Keep in mind the headliner needs to survive in a garage or storage shed where owners will lean stuff against the stored roof panels and rodents may decide to investigate it as nesting material.

And despite how talented you may think your children are, none of them could safely use the knives and adhesive application tools to make anything close to what are shown in the pics. LOL.

Finally a sensible assessment! Thanks for putting actual thought into a response.

 

[dwbronco]

To me it looks like it was cut kinda wonky, if you zoom in on the pics, the straight edges are not straight. Also does not appear to be very thick or insulating, looks like felt they glued to the tops; not sure how that would qualify as sound deadening.

If you zoomnin, 6ou xan see that the "felt" the same material you will find in the trunk of a Fusion; and it's aitring atop what looks to be half and unch (maybe less) of foam. It's definitely not felt applied directly to the top.

 

[Efthreeoh]

I thought so, you sounded like a fellow engineer. I'm not sure if I would call that "tapered down" or simply the area that has adhesive under it. The area that is lifted may not have adhesive or just be poor fitting.

Regarding the "modeled the noise signature" since the Bronco is not a Lincoln I wonder how much modeling they did, if any, it may not have been significant in light of the vehicle price point and the "trunk liner" material not appearing very substantial.

Regarding "but what test data indicate it's better than a non-foil-backed product?" It has been standard practice in the construction industry for some years to use OSB Radiant Barrier sheathing for roof construction.


https://www.radiantguard.com/pages/what-is-radiant-barrier

I'm just saying that foil is not the only type of radiant underlayment that can be used and who knows what Ford puts between the two sheets of SMC to reduce heat infiltration into the cabin. Maybe nothing, as you imply, it's an off road vehicle per design philosophy, but the automotive industry has developed a lot of computer-aided software tools. Ford could have farmed out the roof entirely, who knows.

The option is named "Hard Top Sound Deadening Liner" not "Hard Top Heat Infiltration and Sound Deadening Liner". So one would expect the material has sound absorption properties to dampen the sound generated from inside the cabin, not necessarily noise from outside the cabin. I for one think the the option is not over priced and seems reasonably implemented.

Thinking Hotheads will have a ready solution weeks after deliveries start is a bit ambitious. No doubt their Bronco design will be based off the excellent intellectual property they've developed to design and manufacture their Jeep solution, but as you know, the devil is in the (engineering) details.

 

[Ride Em Bronco]

 

[Blksn955.o]

Since the Bronco panels are a little different than the Jeep in their layout/mold.

Hot Heads could offer a "pro" option that is not wrapped/stapled around the edge but has "extra" material beyond the main cardboard panel. These "wings" would be sprayed with some 3m glue and the corresponding roof panel area also sprayed after the main cardboard frame is attached. Then the fabric could be placed on the roof panel and would be lower to get closer to those low clearance levels for the latches. This would require more "skill" or install confidence over the normal product but offer a more custom factory look. The time not stapling and cutting the edges would probably wash for the time having a different product. OR a bare option that the end user does their own material overlay...break out the steamer.

Anyway, from building our Home Theater room when I finished our basement using the AVS forums for some research and talking with my aunt who was an engineer doing industrial soundproofing for 30+yrs. You would want to have some mass as it would take more noise/air movement to move a heavier barrier. Since Hot heads using some dyno mat type product that is dense vinyl/rubber that is a plus as more weight could help with vibrations/rattles. For sound treatment you want a combo of absorption and dispersion. Added foam in the hot heads would also be a plus to help with absorbing the sound and knocking out some of the echo. In the end with all the other reflection points, surfaces, and speaker locations and a car not being a fixed room it would be harder to apply home theater logic to an automobile but I think the hot heads is probably the best all around solution for the effort involved.

I think the Ford option is fine for 90% of the people who would get a headliner. Adding the other things like Hot Heads incorporates does not make sense from a diminishing return on expense to have such a product.

 

[Dannyboy71]

Wow 17 pages and counting! I couldn’t do it

 

[Carreratime]

This material would look and fit better if it was applied before the locks and other hardware fittings were installed. But since it's an option they may have chosen to work around these obstacles after the roof has been assembled. Maybe they'll work it out?

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