Cab Vents and Road Noise

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Sur5er

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Had the chance to look over the cab vents on my 2016 Ram 1500 5.7 while tracking down a leak. With the seats out and rear sound cover removed I noticed the amount of road noise coming from the vents when the Climate control is NOT in Recirculation Mode. I grabbed one of my padded cases that is used to protect instruments, pistols, meters, etc. and cut some of the foam to fit in the pockets in front of both cabin vents. The foam is about 2" thick and stays in place without any adhesive. Cut the road noise almost completely! If you have the rear seat mods done, all you need to do is unbolt the child seat strap to move the panel out enough to "plop" the foam into place. Bolt in the child seat straps and you are done!
 

SitKneelBend

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Had the chance to look over the cab vents on my 2016 Ram 1500 5.7 while tracking down a leak. With the seats out and rear sound cover removed I noticed the amount of road noise coming from the vents when the Climate control is NOT in Recirculation Mode. I grabbed one of my padded cases that is used to protect instruments, pistols, meters, etc. and cut some of the foam to fit in the pockets in front of both cabin vents. The foam is about 2" thick and stays in place without any adhesive. Cut the road noise almost completely! If you have the rear seat mods done, all you need to do is unbolt the child seat strap to move the panel out enough to "plop" the foam into place. Bolt in the child seat straps and you are done!
To pile on to what @GTyankee is saying...if you obstruct those vents cabin pressure can spike when closing doors and in some cases it will break windows.
 
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WY-Dave

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To pile on to what @GTyankee is saying...if you obstruct those vent cabin pressure can spike when closing doors and in some cases it will break windows.
Just wait until you get 2 people closing the doors at the same time haha

I did the Level 2 seat mod, removed them. You be amazed on how much the rear seats block the road noise. I just

 

SitKneelBend

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Just wait until you get 2 people closing the doors at the same time haha

I did the Level 2 seat mod, removed them. You be amazed on how much the rear seats block the road noise. I just

I'm unfamiliar...what is the level 2 seat mod?
 

04fxdwgi

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Another reason to not block them is unless your heat / AC is on recirculation (MAX AC), the system takes in fresh air, conditions it and exhausts out excess through those rear cab vents. Blocking them severely hampers the HAVC air flow and efficiency.
 

jr27236

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Had the chance to look over the cab vents on my 2016 Ram 1500 5.7 while tracking down a leak. With the seats out and rear sound cover removed I noticed the amount of road noise coming from the vents when the Climate control is NOT in Recirculation Mode. I grabbed one of my padded cases that is used to protect instruments, pistols, meters, etc. and cut some of the foam to fit in the pockets in front of both cabin vents. The foam is about 2" thick and stays in place without any adhesive. Cut the road noise almost completely! If you have the rear seat mods done, all you need to do is unbolt the child seat strap to move the panel out enough to "plop" the foam into place. Bolt in the child seat straps and you are done!
There is a new version to these vents that is available from the dealer for like $10 ea. They seal better to the can wall and water will not enter on the top of them as mine did. As for road noise from these vents, you would never hear it when it is all back together. Of course when you remover the seat and sound deadening panel you will hear it. As for the foam idea, as long as you can blow air through it it will be ok, but if it is dense and no air is able to blow through it you effectively blocked these vents taking away what they were designed for.
 

Atcer2018

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If you’re going to go to the trouble of pulling the rear seats, as many trim levels do not have fold down rears, just go all the way. Pull the fascia panel and Dynamat the rear cab wall, it will do more for road noise reduction than a piece of foam covering the exhaust vents.
 

GTyankee

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Your 2012, 2020 Ram likely has the new style vents already.

I would guess that my 2016 Ram has the OLD Style vents

I would have to remove the rear seat, then remove the sound deadener on the rear wall, to expose the vents, etc.

Outside view
 

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skidoorulz

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I have a 2010 3500 and have noticed more road noise than normal lately. I pulled the seats to check the vent flaps. They were fine and solid one piece all the way across not the 3 flaps per row. When I pulled the noise backing out these two rubber flaps were laying on the floor under the vents. It looks to me like they should glue into an area in the sound deadener that would be directly over the vents. Is it possible these flaps are somewhat of anot odf sound deadening?82cafd85-dcf2-4f89-9a71-e459f7f1e83a.jpg26d30dd4-e415-40f5-a091-83982ad8d92a.jpg46e5b5b0-2b72-48bd-9069-ba023e0dafdd.jpg0868b4f0-38aa-4f3c-a884-802927b0c1c8.jpg
 

skidoorulz

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WellI glued the rubber pieces back in. I went to the pet shop and bought a piece of fish tank filter media. I cut it to fit the two open holes in the sound deadener panel behind the seat and stuck them in. Took it for a drive today. Even without the HVAC system in recirc the cab is much quieter. Little to no road noise on the back seat.20231027_140814.jpg
 

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Dave Haddon

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Removed full rear seat unit with back wall and OEM finer wall. Sealed off the vents used 2 layers of sound deadener and 1/2 inch dense foam with 1/2 ply covered vinyl on back wall and another platform on the flooring. Dogs have huge room for kennels or area for my stuff. Also did door panels. It is so quiet it is mellow. Music is clear . Thing about closing doors and broken windows is BS…
 

GTyankee

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With my 2016, i always have my rear seat in the UP position.
Under the back of the rear seat, i keep paper towels, toilet paper, construction vests, etc.
At times i forget about the rear vents & i pack it too full back there.
Closing the Drivers door gently, does not work.
I either close the door with force, or open the drivers window just a bit

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