Effect of wind on these trucks, is it just mine?

[Mattchu60]

I live in Iowa and it is very windy this time of year usually, almost every day for the past few weeks we have had 20-35mph sustained winds where I live in the country. I have noticed that on these days if I am having the misfortune of driving into the wind the cab noise is pretty bad, its like a loud rushing sound around the truck. I have replaced all the cab seals in the past 3 years and also added the extra 2nd set of door seals so its sealed up good - there are no air leak issues.

Is it just the nature of these trucks and their shape to be very sensitive to wind? I know heading into the wind I need to drop down into "D" or it will lug the engine down, worn out TBI engine probably isn't helping. Trying to figure out if there is a way to lessen the noise. I put some fatmat material on the drivers doorskin and I believe that helped, I am wondering if doing the floor and rear of the cab would also help.

I am always trying to reduce noise and make it a more modern feeling truck.

[Firebirdjones]

Always windy here in Prescott, sometimes 60 mph winds, but 20-30 mph winds every other day this time of year is not unusual at all.

My 79 is quiet as a mouse. Unrestored original truck that drives very tight. Matter of fact, unless you crack a window, you have to put some effort in to shut the doors, it's that air tight. No sound deadening added either, just what the factory put there.

I'm sure sound deadening would help your situation if that's what you want to do. Most of the classics that come through here now, people are requesting it so I sound deaden most of them nowadays.

[mongocanfly]

My 81 has a fair amount of noise that is multiplied a bunch when then wind is howling. I've got all new gaskets as well. Most of my noise comes from wind passing around the vent windows.

[Firebirdjones]

New gaskets can actually be a cause. Not always but in most cases from my experience here restoring these classic cars, the quality of aftermarket weather strip leaves a lot to be desired. The only really good stuff out there are NOS pieces. Very hard to find now for 40+ year old cars and you pay out the nose for it.
Might have some luck finding some for a square truck though, not that old yet. That's why I mentioned my truck being unrestored and original and never been apart. It has perfect OEM weather stripping throughout the truck and seals up air tight. One of the quietest squares I've ever owned.

The other square I had before I completely restored and had it all blown apart, fresh paint and new repo weather strip installed everywhere etc... It always had some highway wind noise no matter how tight I adjusted the doors.

On that same note, I'm reluctant to replace some areas of weather strip on certain classic cars if I can help it at all, one area especially is around the drip rails on a hardtop car (door glass isn't surrounded by framework). Quality of reproductions has been horrible lately and in most cases you'll have wind noise around the glass no matter how you adjust the door and/or the glass. Can be frustrating for sure.

[tucsonjwt]

I have owned a 73, 76, and 83 square. All had a lot of wind noise on the highway. The worst is my current 83, which I think has to do with the drip rails and aftermarket door seals, as stated above. I hear that Precision brand is the best, so I might try that in the future.

[Rich84]

The sliding rear window is where most of my cab noise comes from. But with no AC it is a necessary evil.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

My 79 is quiet as a mouse. Unrestored original truck that drives very tight. Matter of fact, unless you crack a window, you have to put some effort in to shut the doors, it's that air tight. No sound deadening added either, just what the factory put there.

You must have got the one good one we made.

The other 14,999,999 were noisy when new, primarily from the vent window area.

K

[Mattchu60]

Its not so much air leaks that I get the noise from, its sealed up really nice. The problem seems to be a "rushing" sound over the whole truck and its related to the windiness of the day. On a nice calm day I can run it up to 85-90 mph and its really nice and quiet inside. On a windy day with 30 mph winds, driving into the headwind at 55 mph will makes a low roar around the cab. Something with the wind and the dynamics of how it flows over the body I think.

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

You must have got the one good one we made.

The other 14,999,999 were noisy when new, primarily from the vent window area.

K

Thanks Keith, that makes it a "one of one" Price just went up

[wilkin250r]

If you're going to do sound-deadening material like a Fatmat or Dynamat, I think you're most effective areas for getting rid of wind noise would be your door skins, and your ceiling.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Thanks Keith, that makes it a "one of one" Price just went up

lol

We used to fluff/puff vehicles for executive use, media rides, development work, etc. Before we even saw the truck we knew what the first three fixes were going to be:

1) Fix wind noise
2) Balance and vector tire/wheel assemblies
3) System balance driveline
4) Anything else we found

K

[Malo83]

Originally Posted by tucsonjwt

I have owned a 73, 76, and 83 square. All had a lot of wind noise on the highway. The worst is my current 83, which I think has to do with the drip rails and aftermarket door seals, as stated above. I hear that Precision brand is the best, so I might try that in the future.

My 83 is noisy also, new door and window seals, shaved drip rails, wind wings are terrible, read somewhere to put a nickel under the widow handle to tighten it up, But!

[rich weyand]

I drove from Indianapolis to Champaign a couple weekends back. 70-75 mph into a 40 mph wind, so an air speed of 110+ mph. It was like driving a shop vac.

[Oberon67]

Is there any modification we can do around the wing windows that will decrease the noise?

[dropd80s]

Originally Posted by Malo83

read somewhere to put a nickel under the widow handle to tighten it up, But!

This made a world of difference in the wind noise in my 87.

[franken]

Some put a slip of paper in, for example the wing window and door checking its resistance to being pulled. The later approach is pressurize the cab w/ smoke and look for leaks.

[SkinnyG]

I never use the vent windows - thinking of a bead of silicone to seal 'em up good </redneck_fix>. Rear slider reduces buffeting huge when the windows are down.

[hotrodder]

Hey Rich I too live in wonderful (?) Bloomington.

[rich weyand]

That makes three of us....

[Skeetman]

I also have a lot of wind noise in my "85 stepper. I have shaved (removed) the dip rail. I was thinking of installing the drip weather strip from a 1992-1998. Not sure if it will fit but it would take up the gap near the top of the door. Has anyone installed the extra drip weather strip on a square?

[Titomars]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

You must have got the one good one we made.

The other 14,999,999 were noisy when new, primarily from the vent window area.

K

14,999,998. Mine is also an unrestored original '77 Silverado body wise. She is quiet as a mouse too. As far as rattles, squeaks, and wind noise mine drives like a new Cadillac. I use my wing every time I drive and it gives me no issues, noise or leaks.
When I worked part time for my dad back in high school. He got a brand new '76 C30 flat bed for deliveries. That truck was as noisy as the old beat up '62 GMC 3500 with a V6 that he had.

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by Titomars

14,999,998. Mine is also an unrestored original '77 Silverado body wise. She is quiet as a mouse too. As far as rattles, squeaks, and wind noise mine drives like a new Cadillac. I use my wing every time I drive and it gives me no issues, noise or leaks.
When I worked part time for my dad back in high school. He got a brand new '76 C30 flat bed for deliveries. That truck was as noisy as the old beat up '62 GMC 3500 with a V6 that he had.

I think that has a lot to do with it, as I stated my 79 is the same way. Original, paint and all, never wrecked, tight as can be.

I did have a 77 factory 454 1/2 ton that I restored back in the early 90's, all new GM sheet metal. Only piece original to the truck was the cab. Even with all new weather stripping and many hours spent with door alignment (and many more getting body gaps tighter than factory) That thing made a fair amount of wind noise.

I think like Keith hints at, sometimes you get a good one.

The funny part of all that, I owned both at the same time. I Bought the 79 454 1 ton and drove it across country 1900 miles with the intention of stripping the drivetrain for the 77. Realized how tight and beautiful the truck was on that cross country trip and before I got home decided to sell the 77 instead and keep the 79 intact. Glad I did. 20+ years later I still have it and it's been a fantastic truck. Just something to be said about original unrestored vehicles and how they drive/feel.

[Titomars]

Originally Posted by Skeetman

I also have a lot of wind noise in my "85 stepper. I have shaved (removed) the dip rail. I was thinking of installing the drip weather strip from a 1992-1998. Not sure if it will fit but it would take up the gap near the top of the door. Has anyone installed the extra drip weather strip on a square?

The up-scale squares (Silverados) of ours came with an upper weatherstrip. I have seen them in Classic Industries catalogs. LMC carries them too. When I was with various GM dealerships we used to add them on customers trucks for wind and leak issues of a non warranty nature.

[Titomars]

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

I think that has a lot to do with it, as I stated my 79 is the same way. Original, paint and all, never wrecked, tight as can be.

I did have a 77 factory 454 1/2 ton that I restored back in the early 90's, all new GM sheet metal. Only piece original to the truck was the cab. Even with all new weather stripping and many hours spent with door alignment (and many more getting body gaps tighter than factory) That thing made a fair amount of wind noise.

I think like Keith hints at, sometimes you get a good one.

The funny part of all that, I owned both at the same time. I Bought the 79 454 1 ton and drove it across country 1900 miles with the intention of stripping the drivetrain for the 77. Realized how tight and beautiful the truck was on that cross country trip and before I got home decided to sell the 77 instead and keep the 79 intact. Glad I did. 20+ years later I still have it and it's been a fantastic truck. Just something to be said about original unrestored vehicles and how they drive/feel.

I agree. Mine has only 110k on the odometer. When the windows are closed the doors still need that extra effort to close tightly. Thankfully the original owner never butchered up the dash and doors for speakers, stereos C/B's and such.

[Firebirdjones]

Yup, my 79 is the same way. With the windows up you need a little extra effort to shut the doors.