• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

96- vs 97+ question (noise level)

4

4Doors

NAXJA Forum User
Location
FL Panhandle
I drive a '92, but may have a chance to buy my father-in-law's '98 this summer. It's basically the same as mine, so my question is about noise level. Stock vs stock, is the '97+ quieter to ride in than a '96-? Is it a significant difference? What makes the difference?

I've experienced some hearing loss and after riding in mine on the highway for a while my ears are buzzing a little. My small children ride with me fairly often so I want to protect their little ears.
 
My vent windows are the non opening type. I've been making progress in my battle against wind noise recently. I did a little sound deadening on my front doors and installed 97+ door seals on all 4 doors which helped out tremendously. I was also checking out my bro-in-law's '99 and noticed the different windshield rubber that doesn't have the metal trim. I went home and put some electrical tape over the gaps in the trim on mine and that made a huge difference, so I searched and discovered I can have the 97+ rubber installed on my '92.

I'm not looking for a cadillac, I'm just wondering if there is a big difference in noise level between the 2 body styles. I didn't know if they added some sound insulation in the newer ones.
 
Is it really that confusing? My XJ didn't cause my hearing loss, but if the newer body style is not as loud then it might help me to not lose any more and might protect my children. Guns didn't cause my hearing loss either but that doesn't mean I shoot without ear muffs. Good grief.
 
Your Jeep really shouldn't be loud enough to cause hear damage or loss, permanently or temporarily. The little metal trim on the windshield does not add an appreciable amount of wind noise.

If your Jeep is loud enough that it hurts your and your kids' ears then you have other problems than metal trim pieces around the windshield.
 
Windshield trim can cause significant noise, not level but presence. My 90 was loud enough to take it back to the dealer who RTV’d the trim to keep it from making any kind of noise. Bit of a problem when the windshield needed to be replaced!
Without giving a lecture on noise, dBC etc. I can tell you that a stock XJ will not generate high enough noise level to cause any hearing loss at any frequency, unless something is very wrong.
My 92 has a sound deadening matt under the hood, the 98 does not. Having said that, my 98 feels tighter and quieter which may be attributed to the interior material and construction differences.
 
The vent windows make a significant amount of wind noise, comparing my 91 MJ to my 96 XJ.

Not sure, but the rear view mirrors on the old style body may also increase noise compared to the 97-up mirrors.
 
not that im complaining about this at all, but on various xj's ive had the mechanical fans seem to differ in loudness at stop--> go acceleration. my 2001's fan was very audible, as is the one in my white 97. however the fan in my black 97 and my old 96 can hardly be heard. all 4.0s

side note, i never noticed a difference in wind-resistence noise with the 96 compared to the newer models. exhaust and tire hum would be the main factors if everything else is as it should be
 
I'm going to echo what SJX40250 said here. My 98 XJ Limited is much much quieter on the road than my other car....an 89 Toyota Celica. I think the XJ is simply newer with better construction. Both cars have an underhood sound dampening pad but the XJ is almost whisper quiet at freeway speeds compared to the Celica. Neither cars are Cadillacs to be sure and I don't have an older style XJ to compare it to, but when I want a quieter ride, I drive the newer XJ.
 
Last edited:
wow, you definitely don't want to ride in any of my vehicles, I'm a firm believer in loud pipes save lives...or something like that :spin1:

I'd get the 98 just because I'm a fan of the late model body style and interior, but you should probably get a sedan or something, your kids hearing should be the least of your concerns in an xj

high COG and whatnot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mFoQtpsVQA
 
Well, from my personal experience, as you lose your hearing background noise tends to become more of a problem as it covers up or obliterates the sounds you are trying to hear.

While riding in an XJ won't damage your hearing, it can make the ride pretty miserable--can't use the cell, sound system always sounds like crap, and conversations can be a lost cause when.

So, for 4Doors, I "hear" you. I believe the later model cars are better when it comes to interior noise levels, manufacturers have been working on that issue. As for how big a difference 96/97, totally subjective and as others have said how the vehicle is equipped will make a huge difference--tires/tire inflation/roof rack/aftermarket bumpers/foglights can all make a difference. Renewing the window and door seals and making sure the doors fit properly can make a huge difference. Even the use of synthetic lubricants versus dino might make a difference depending on the range of hearing loss.

Good luck.
 
My 97 is definitely quieter on the road than a friend's 96. It is difficult to use a cell phone on the interstate for me in either Jeep. Has your windshield been replaced? The second one they put in my Jeep, they didn't seal very well around the A pillar on the driver's side, and if the wind's right, it whistles a bit, and I can feel the pressure change in the cab- it's fairly annoying. Beyond the obvious gaps, you might go over all of your seals, door fitment (tweaked door frames are pretty common), window seals/wipes, panel alignment- anything that might catch air- add some sound deadening material and insulation, etc. It's still going to be a flying brick, but you should be able to attenuate some noise in either jeep.
 
joe_peters said:
Well, from my personal experience, as you lose your hearing background noise tends to become more of a problem as it covers up or obliterates the sounds you are trying to hear.

While riding in an XJ won't damage your hearing, it can make the ride pretty miserable--can't use the cell, sound system always sounds like crap, and conversations can be a lost cause when.

So, for 4Doors, I "hear" you.
Click to expand...
Thanks Joe (and others) for understanding me on this, you summed it up well. I'm only 29 but when there is a lot of background noise I'm usually uncomfortable, so the hum of my XJ can cause my ears to buzz a little. It isn't painfully loud, my ears just buzz from the interior resonance and sometimes it takes a 5 or 10 minutes for it to stop when I get home. I guess it's an issue for me because the damage has already been done, so I probably don't have any real worries for my kids. I did a little sound deadening to my doors and it made a noticeable difference, so I'm going to spend a little more time working on some of other panels to help reduce resonance. Thanks to everyone who spoke from experience, I really appreciate it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
XJ shackle with custom springs question.
Replies
11
Views
206
XJlimitedx99
X
D
Take2 ZJ parts on my daily driver XJ
Replies
3
Views
2K
Da XJ nut
D
S
96' Jeep XJ 4.0 Modified Exhaust Experience.
Replies
0
Views
1K
streetxj
S
F
New Member and Wandering question
Replies
11
Views
2K
fiveniner
F
riverfever
Front end noise question
Replies
13
Views
610
md21722
M
Back
Top