AutoFoam vs DIY Insulation Foam... pls read!

rikeys

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Dear All Forum DIY fans,

As you know I was the one started the question on AutoFoam. I saw the AD at a local Mag & was interested as I did use this sort of expanding insulation foam for my projects while in college for Automotive projects.

Therefore I took the liberty to find out more... Initially I thought I could DIY the foam for my car as it seems simple & since I am able to purchase it off the shelf at any major DIY shops at very much less the cost to send to car to the Professionals to do it.

I did try to foam my car last year near Dec but unfortunately had an incident which the can nozzle broke me trying to press the foam out but nothing happened instead the neck broke & foam shot to my face & up the sky coming down to cover my whole car..... well I had an early Christmas!

Now I found out later that the foam cans had a usage timeline meaning if you happened to get some stock this month & decide to foam couple of months later you can end up with 'less pressure + uneven expansion + unstable curing & adhesiveness'

AGAIN I also found out the the foams we buy off shelf are known as 'Insulation Foam' means there are designed to expand & foam in areas with gaps but the same time exposed to air as indicated on the cans! THEY are NOT DESIGNED for other usage especially in a car! The expansion & gas pressure is great and it creates huge air pockets in between and is soft & easy to press down. It also takes in moisture meaning it can absorb water! And due to the larger gaps of pockets water can seep thru as well!

---------------------------

After reading the numerous posting here I decided to re-aquaint myself with this AutoFoam product & got in contact with Desmond & see for myself what a BIG MISTAKE I almost did to my own car! It's not that I could not DIY myself but its the fact that the products are NOT the same even though they are EXPANDING FOAM!

This expansion of AutoFoam is slow - it oozles out NOT shoots out like the DIY cans. Also it does not cure by itself as it need an active agent to cure with. The density is greater akin to a Rubber mattress vs a PU foam mattress! A rubber mattress is denser & heavier & harder to press in than a foam mattress.

The other property I seen is the ability for AutoFoam to hold in water in a bottle & not let the water seep thru or even soak in! That made me think dam lucky I didn't foam my car yet!

Now another thing I found out was the torsional strength AutoFoam has oppose to DIY foams - It's harder to twist AutoFoam after it's fully cured than is to DIY foam!

OK now AutoFoam is not for sound insulation as it is for strenghtening the car... the bonus or perception of less sound is because the body is not flexing so much & creating resonance sound that really BUGS the ears!
Real sound proofing is your usual SP materials for autofreaks OK! (Like SuperLon)

What is really good is that AutoFoam really does what it says and is able to strenghten the car which in returns make the car better, more comfortable, more responsive to drive. In example: if you are driving a Wira you get the similar feel to Waja (just example OK!) Whatever feel you get is your own perception as is my own so you have to find out yourself on that.

Please do your own research if you are keen to foam your car and remember that DIY is fun & cheaper but we are not taking about grounding wires here OK! We are talking about a "Permanent Chemical Reaction Component" for your car! For me this time I have to give up DIYing & go with the Pros .... cause I couldn't buy AutoFoam off any shelf!


Now I am fortunate I didn't managed to DIY foam my car as it seems the exploding incident was "A Blessing In Disguise".
 
so desu-ka.. :eek: i'll always thought to DIY that foam into my car chassis. luckily i read this forum. thanx bro..
 
Those sealing/insulating foam is different from the AUTOFOAM.... sealing foam is soft when cured.. AUTOFOAM is hard when cured...

so sealing foam only work as soundproofing if used in our car.... i have used 3 cans of them in my car.. it works good... no prob.. most important is how u pump de foam into de sills.... it doesnt really "shoot" out... just normal oozing from de tube... i have used them for quite some time... i think more than a year already...

if u have de money.. go for AUTOFOAM... i dun advice ppl to DIY this... as it is quite a messy job.... n u wun get a hard foam from those sealing foam to strengthen ur chassis when it is cured...

i guess the reason dat guy who posted in AW screwed-up using de foam was maybe bcos he didnt "waste" a little foam to test de foaming rate 1st b4 really punping it into his car.....
 
I understand where you are coming from I too felt the same as even Desmond is an avid DIY fan as well that's why he also monitors the forum. What I'm posting is to let most DIYers have at least an informed choice as its take your own risk' as opposed to someone that been doing it for many years with the right products.

Like I said if its that simple to get the AutoFoam product you'll see Brothers/Cosplus/Kakimotor etc. all filled with them on the shelf like the grounding cables & Voltage Stablizers! rite?

Since expanding foam is a patented chemical properties its only manufactured by 3 major companies if I'm not mistaken ... GE, Wurth & Abro. Others on the shelf are repacked under license I presume.

The airpockets or larger pores are caused by the inherent propreties of the expanding foam like 1:4 size expansion meaning the faster & more space the foam covers the more air space it needs to create in between which in the end makes it weaker like a bread with lots of raising flour!
As I mentioned AutoFoam doesn't expand a lot so they have to pump in more that DIY foam and it takes time to cure.

Even so all have shelf life so becareful when you are buying any for DIY.
Else is much safer & less headache just to drop by KLAuto to seek out Desmond for tehtarik! hehehe!
 
yes... i did mentioned that those sealing foams only work for soundproofing and absorbtion... there is no chassis strengthening characteristics...

so for best results... go for AutoFoam..

i DIY cos i dun have money.. :p heheh
 
What car U DIY on? Will you be there for the DIY meet I think I saw your name for Soundproofing rite?
 
where's this KL Auto??and how much is the autofoam would cost??
 
seong said:
where's this KL Auto??and how much is the autofoam would cost??


http://www.autofoam.com.my/
they are having MERDEKA package now go grab it - call Desmond


read the other threads we debate on the foam thing
http://www.autoworld.com.my/forum/allposts.asp?summary=1&Forum=ap200110301&access=1&status=1&subject=Anyone+AutoFoam+their+car%3F
 
I want to do it. But I'm in Penang. Sigh.... else I've already do it long time ago...

Do you think Desmond will bring his worker down to Penang and open 1 shop here?
 
Name list of ppl waiting for Autofoam come to PG!

gogo2 said:
I want to do it. But I'm in Penang. Sigh.... else I've already do it long time ago...

Do you think Desmond will bring his worker down to Penang and open 1 shop here?


Name list of ppl waiting for Autofoam come to PG:

1) Itchibawa / Honda Civic ES (On the waiting list since 1Q, long neck
waiting!)
2) keelinlee / Honda City
3) Paul Leong / Nissan Sentra
4) gogo2 / Proton Iswara Aeroback (still got the Merdeka price?)
5) tko73 / Proton Iswara Sedan
6) thr9110 / Honda Accord
7)
8)
9)
10)


http://www.autoworld.com.my/forum/allposts.asp?summary=1&Forum=ap200110301&access=1&status=1&Subject=Anyone+AutoFoam+their+car%3F&Closed=&page=14

They are appointing a agent outlet there soon and will be heading up!
 
rikeys said:
What car U DIY on? Will you be there for the DIY meet I think I saw your name for Soundproofing rite?


DIYed on my wira sedan... if u dig out de soundproofing thread... if not mistaken page 12,13,14 got de soundproofing pics of my car including de foam injection pics...
 
John,

If you come from KLCC, go straight till you come to Bulatan Pahang (The one which can take you to Wangsa Maju) Go straight past it. Before the next flyover, keep to the left (DO not take the flyover). You will pass a Proton Service Centre on your left.

At the junction, turn left. Go straight. You will pass by Reddy Clinic and Damai Service Hospital. Also AMBank. At the next left junction which is before the traffic lights, turn left. Turn left again at the end and KL Auto is 2-3 doors away from the corner.
 
KLAuto Location

johnsmith said:
thanks....shall check it out...

check out the map
http://www.autofoam.com.my/LocationMap/LocationKL.htm
 
Good write-ups and thanks a LOAD for sharing dude.
Was thinking of DIY'ing the foam to my car after reading some info from forums, and luckily I came across this thread.

Thanks again.
I'll leave some things to PROFESSIONALS. :biggrin:
 

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