How do you carry on a conversation at 65mph?

[AKRUEBBE]

Originally Posted by NickM

Not that I travel at 65, more like 62/63 but the noise is still terrible, DW and I have to shout to be heard. What to other Class A owners do?

I've noticed that firemen wear head sets to communicate in the cab of their firetrucks so that thought progressed into why not in the cab of our motor home?

I'm not convinced I can sell the idea to DW to wear David Clark headsets plugged into an intercom but that is the direction I am headed with a pair of Sampson Racing crew headphones plugged into an aviation portable intercom.

Anyone else tired of the noise and shouting?

Get a fifth wheel and a luxurious truck and all you'll hear is the music from the radio and your DW

[Cln56]

That’s one reason we’re trading in for a diesel pusher

[Camper_bob]

We had 0 noise problems when we towed the trailer. Used a 3/4T 4x4 (Ram) gasser. The motor would rev, and you could hear it, but normal conversation wasn't remotely a challenge.

Our motohome on the other hand is noisy as all get out. Between the loud motor and the wind, and the AC, it was hard to have a convo with the passenger, and I couldn't even think of talking to people behind the cab.

I installed sound deadener/heat insulation (Thermotec) in the doghouse and under the vinyl carpet in the cab, and that helped quite a lot. Now it's not so much the engine as it is the wind noise. Next step will be to Thermotec the door panels, but I'm not sure it'll help A LOT. A bunch of little improvements hopefully will add up to enough improvement to make it worth it.

Even with the little bit I've done, it's easier to carry on a conversation. The speakers in the doors are so terrible, I don't bother with the "radio"; the sound of the wind is better than those crappy speakers most of the time. Upgrading them will be part of the door insulation mod.

I really don't mind it most of the time though. DW is often asleep, and I like getting lost in thought as I tack on the miles. The only time I want to carry on conversation is if I'm getting drowsy, or if I need input from the navigator.

For OP's question, since it's a Class A, I would insulate with heat/sound deadener everything I could reach. Really the doghouse, and the floor are pretty easy. But you'll always have issues with wind noise, and there's not much you can do about that...

If you're going to do anything, download a decibel meter app on your phone and take readings at the baseline and after each mod. I wish I had done that.

[Robt]

On our 2007 Seneca it was very noisy until we changed the tv. On this class c the area above the driver/passenger contained an entertainment system and storage. The tv had been replaced by the prior owner with a flat screen but the opening was still there. The tv just sat in the opening. I replaced the tv with on mounted to a piece of plywood that filled the hole left by the original tv. Immediate the noise I the cab area was reduced.

[Arniesports60]

I own a 15' Precept 31ul. I find the engine noise 'tolerable' in having
conversations. You do have to speak a little loudly.
I find the wind and whistle coming from the front dashboard area
more annoying.

But, it was hard to hear the radio. So we added 26x9 speakers below the
overhead cabinets in the cabin area. The speakers are great and I can
now enjoy the music on the road.

As for heat. Once we start using the RV more frequently I would probably
look into insulating the area as well as trying to fix wind leaking.

[RetiredLEO]

Cell phones

[Bracco]

I guess it all depends on what your driving. We own a 2016 Precept and it is very quiet, we talk in normal tone with no problems.
Now I did own a Thor Ace befor this one, you couldn't even here yourself think in that piece of junk!

[NickM]

Originally Posted by Bracco

I guess it all depends on what your driving. We own a 2016 Precept and it is very quiet, we talk in normal tone with no problems.
Now I did own a Thor Ace befor this one, you couldn't even here yourself think in that piece of junk!

Consider yourself lucky. Mine is also a 2016 Precept and there is no normal voice used here. There are a lot of factors in my coach that generate noise, the gears in the transmission whine, the engine noise coming through the doghouse, wind noise and road noise are all transmitted into the cab area.

We just got back from a trip to TN and I paid particular attention to the types of noise that are generated. Forget using the radio, not going to happen here.

As for AKRUBEE - we traded a quiet diesel truck and fifth wheel for this MH. You are absolutely correct, no noise, easy to have a conversation or listen to the radio. I don't miss the hookup/unhook and leveling though.

[dgantz]

Originally Posted by NickM

Consider yourself lucky. Mine is also a 2016 Precept and there is no normal voice used here. There are a lot of factors in my coach that generate noise, the gears in the transmission whine, the engine noise coming through the doghouse, wind noise and road noise are all transmitted into the cab area.



We just got back from a trip to TN and I paid particular attention to the types of noise that are generated. Forget using the radio, not going to happen here.



As for AKRUBEE - we traded a quiet diesel truck and fifth wheel for this MH. You are absolutely correct, no noise, easy to have a conversation or listen to the radio. I don't miss the hookup/unhook and leveling though.

Same here, we have a 2018 Precept36T and it's no talking and no listening to the radio or gps. What can be done to quite it down?

[Palms]

Must be one of the lucky ones. No sound deadening modifications and at our 65 cruising we listen to Pandora and carry on conversations. Ours is a 17 Precept 35S with Original Michelins.

[Marcm157]

Originally Posted by PlayersZ28

You do realize the part where you can't talk to your wife is actually a feature. Right?

I just spit my freaking coffee all over myself!!!!

[psw757]

Originally Posted by dgantz

Same here, we have a 2018 Precept36T and it's no talking and no listening to the radio or gps. What can be done to quite it down?

here Is what I posted last fall on the best way to improve this

So I finally dug in and accomplished this yesterday. My coach is the Entegra Emblem which is very similar to the precept prestige with some minor differences.

Results were pretty impressive, there was nothing on underside of my doghouse except what appreared to be some sort of black spray on like a plastidip.

I saw a 10db noise redution in gear with brakes held and a 12db reduction driving at 2200-2500 rpm. Pretty darn significant.

Here is what needs to be done and in this order

Remove the 4 screws holding the center stack bezel to the dash and pull center section out and remove the screws holding the ductwork to the outlets in stack.

Remove 2-3 silver screws in bottom lip of center stack the secures it to the top of doghouse.

Remove bolt and washers from inside top of center-stack on right side.

Next remove 11 screws from floor flange/lip and side near feet and 3 more inside center stack where lip/flange meets the wood box behind dog house.

From this point the dog house can be lifted slightly and pulled out. It’s helpful to have a second person gently lifting the center stack slightly to provide more clearance. Go slow as the is a rubber jungle of wires in there!

If you need more wiggle room lifting center area there are some more screws on the right side that can be removed, I didn’t need to.

Reverse the instructions for installing everything.

I ordered the following
Dynamite extreme kit 36sqft kit
Hoodliner kit, 3/4 thick
Dynamat tape.

This provides plenty of material to also line the wheel wells and under the seats.

[mtnprecept]

I followed the instructions from PSW757 and I had a significant reduction in noise. Since there is still some road noise from the passenger and driver floor, I plan to use more Dynamat Extreme on the linoleum and use a Blue Hawk 2 x 3 mat from Lowes on top of it. The many days of camping space and comfort of my Precept 31UL compensates for any noise of a few hours on the road.

[SeventyGTX]

Originally Posted by AKRUEBBE

Get a fifth wheel and a luxurious truck and all you'll hear is the music from the radio and your DW

Yep, that's what we did. Noise was the main reason we got out of our Class A, then C. Especially pulling long mountain grades here out west with the engine sitting at 6000+ rpm for several miles.

[stustoner]

Our Alante is much quieter that our Thor Class C was....perhaps it is the carpeting and/or it may also have sound proofing inside the doghouse....anyway, we can have conversations at a normal voice level as we go down the road. As it downshift the noise level increases but not a whole lot. The Thor used to SCREAM!

[psw757]

Funny thing about the doghouse was there really was no insulation, just sprayed black. Adding the dynamat provided significant reduction.

[yankeejohn]

Originally Posted by klspahr

Ours was loud till I insulated the inside of the doghouse and under the dash. The difference was amazing. It also kept all the engine heat out of the RV.

Yes it was work but well worth it. I (and others) posted info here with photos if you do a search

I'm having issues with heat on the floor of my 2021 Precept 34B. The metal for the table in the will almost burn your feet.

[redfernj]

I am not a fan of the noise...I put my headphones on when I am not driving...listen to podcats....

[TxLoser]

Is most of noise with the gas A’s engine or wind? My wife and son dream of an A someday but the noise from wind/engine and heat from the giant windows are a deterrent for me. Granted I’m in no position to be shopping RV’s, it’s a conversation we have on our trips.

[HJ Rosch]

Two years ago I went online and purchased sound/heat foam self stick sheets about an inch thick and applied it to the underside of the doghouse (not an easy task) and under the foot and seat area (in the wheel well). BIG sound difference, we can talk nearly normal when driving 63 mph down the road in every gear except a hard downshift on a steep hill. Easy listening to the radio too, I highly recommend it. The doghouse is the most difficult as you need to remove the console and raise the dash plastic to get it out. It also cut down the heat tremendously.