How to Sound Deaden Wheel Wells

Start by removing the plastic wheel well liners so you can access the metal or structural surface underneath. Once exposed, thoroughly clean the entire wheel well of any dirt, grease, and debris using denatured alcohol. Dirt, grease, and debris will prevent sound deadening materials from bonding correctly. If you notice rust, remove it using a wire brush or rust treatment.

Next, tape and mask any areas where you do not want coating applied. This includes suspension components, brake lines, and other moving parts.

Once the wheel wells are clean and prepped, apply Spectrum liquid sound deadening in three layers, each approximately 1 mm thick. Spray or brush the material evenly across the wheel well surface. Allow approximately 60 minutes of drying time between coats, or until the surface no longer leaves residue when touched.

After the final coat is applied, allow the coating to cure before driving the vehicle. If you are treating larger areas such as vans or cargo vehicles, this same approach works well when soundproofing a van.

Once the sound deadening coating has fully cured, reinstall the plastic wheel well liners and secure them using the factory clips or bolts. The liners help protect the sound deadening coating from debris and moisture while maintaining the factory appearance of the wheel wells.

This step targets sound entering through the cabin floor and wheel well structure. Applying vibration damping mats helps reduce panel vibration. You can then add Luxury Liner Pro™ is a 2-in-1 noise barrier to block airborne tire noise before it enters the cabin.

This type of treatment is mostly done when dealing with vehicles that have aggressive tires or lifted suspensions, such as soundproofing a pickup truck with big tires or doing an effective sound treatment for off-road vehicles like Wranglers. It’s even been proven effective for EVs where tire noise is more noticeable, such as when the Model Y can benefit from a good wheel well sound deadening treatment.