FatMat Install on a Dodge Charger

By: Brad Walker
       Gauge Magaizine.com

Have you ever heard that car go by with its system banging? Then after it all you hear is rattling from the trunk and other body panels. There are several companies that make products to help stop this unwanted rattling. However, most are pretty expensive. FatMat has come up with a solution, an affordable line of sound deadening material. There product are comparable if not better than its competitors and is priced well below them!

Recently we installed the FatMat Rattle Trap Xtreme in a Dodge Charger. This is not a difficult install, but it is time consuming and can be pretty frustrating! Everything you will need comes with the kit. You get a razor knife to cut the material and a roller to apply sound deadener.

We started in the trunk so we would have plenty of space to learn what we are doing. We removed all the panels, carpet, spare tire, and anything else we could get out. You also want to clean everything well to help with adhession.

FatMat recommends making patterns to help you cut out the material without much waste. I used piece of cardboard from the box it was shipped in.


Then you just peel back the backing paper and apply the sticky side down. We learned that it is easier to remove a small amount of the backing at a time. The material is VERY sticky and can be difficult to get lined up with all the paper removed.

After sticking it down where you want it you MUST roll it with the supplied roller. This applies with much more force than you can with your hand.


It is very time consuming to cut patterns, so I broke the rules and started cutting strips and laying them down where needed. This speeds the process up! However, it does not look as professional.


My buddy, Mark Sanford did it correctly, and this is what his final product looked like in the trunk!!!
 

We decided that the doors would make the most difference in noise reduction in the car. So we removed the door panels and the protective layer of plastic.

In this picture you can see the very small strip of sound deadening that the manufacturer installed.


When you work on the doors you need to be patient and careful. The edges of the inner door skins are very sharp!!! Once again we cut the Fatmat into thin strips so it would fit easily through the openings in the door.



We learned that is was easier to roll back the paper backing on one end, First. That way the Fatmat would easily stick in place. Once I got the entire strip in the door I would slowly pull the backing off. As I pulled the backing away I made sure the Fatmat was sticking where I wanted it.


Once I had a piece installed I would try my best to roll as much as I could with the roller.

We installed as much of the Fatmat on the doors as possible!

Mark Sanford also went ahead and did his roof skin. Once the headliner is removed, he just installed large sections of Fatmat and rolled it on. The roof is much easier to do since it is flat!

If you are looking to cut down road noise, Fatmat is for you. If you are looking to reduce engine or exhaust heat, Fatmat is for you. If you are looking to make your stereo sound better, Fatmat is for you. Pretty much everyone should look into installing this into your vehicle. It is a low cost way to make your driving experience more enjoyable!

For full videos and additional information on fat mat please visit their web site. 

www.fatmat.com

or give them a call

1-877-Fat-5060