Ear buffeting and relief vent noise/flutter after alucab and seat delete

[Apothum]

So I am having some problems with my hardtop 2023 JTR after a few modifications. I have done the following:

• alucab contour canopy
• 60% goose gear seat delete.

My main problem right now is I am having some pretty intense ear buffeting with all the windows up. Driving on the highway, or honestly above 30mph, I get rapid pressure changes in my ears that uncomfortable and buffeting like when a single window is down. I can also hear my rear right pressure relief vent flapping and making noise like it never used it (confirmed visually looking through the speaker clasp). It seems to go away a bit when I open the rear bed window. What I fear is the alucab has changed the pressure behind the cab in a way that is messing with the pressure vents window of operation. The flapping closed is annoying but whatever, but the pressure changes and buffeting causing my ear problems is too much.

I am at a bit of a loss for what to try to fix this, its so uncomfortable to drive right now and I am preparing for a cross country trip. I have ordered some hothead headliners just for cabin noise reduction, but the pressure buffeting and vent fluttering when driving is getting to be too much. Does anyone have any things I could try or advice? I cant find anyone else with these problems which makes me feel a little crazy.

Sponsored

 

[nanook12]

Don’t have any issues with the Smart Cap adv., what does the space aft of the truck rear window look like?

 

[Apothum]

Don’t have any issues with the Smart Cap adv., what does the space aft of the truck rear window look like?

This is what I’m working with

 

[nanook12]

That is definitely a bit of a scoop there. Get some wide tape and bridge the gap between the truck roof and canopy. See if that makes it go away.

 

[Lunentucker]

This is what I’m working with

You added a taller brick to your brick. Yeah, that's going catch air and create all kinds of buffeting noises as the pressures try to equalize.

 

[NotSo Bright White]

I added a single Hooke Off-road roof rack and a Yakima wind deflector to push the wind over my Harker Outdoor Shell. It was for better fuel economy but it may help your issue as well.

 

[Apothum]

That is definitely a bit of a scoop there. Get some wide tape and bridge the gap between the truck roof and canopy. See if that makes it go away.

I can’t believe I am considering taping the top of my jeep but I guess I’m desperate!

Could you send me a photo of how your smart cap is lined up and how flush it is with the roof line?

 

[nanook12]

I would just tape it to find out if that is the problem, then use a fairing or something more suitable long term…

 

[nanook12]

I see above there is a rack fairing… Yamaha make a lightweight setup

 

[nanook12]

You could use one Yakima load bar (rain gutter type) put the fairing ahead of that to block the canopy scoop effect.

 

[Apothum]

I see above there is a rack fairing… Yamaha make a lightweight setup

Is your theory with the tape that because my cap sticks up into the air above my roofline it’s creating a high pressure zone which is messing with the relief vents and my ears. Or are you more concerned about the gap between my rear window and cab. Just trying to get a mental model here.

 

[nanook12]

You might be pressuring the cabin from the reverse air flow from the scoop effect caused by the canopy. The idea is to make it more aerodynamic.

 

[nanook12]

The tape is cheap and will tell you what you need to do.

 

[nanook12]

If you put one Yakima load bar in your gutter on the truck roof, then a Yakima fairing attached to that load bar… this would force the wind /slipstream over the lip of the canopy. You want a low pressure area aft of the truck cab. Not a high pressure area.

 

[Jeepmonster]

There are two vents on the back of the cab (behind rear seats). Not sure if they are freely vented to atmosphere or if there is a flapper/damper. It's possible the low pressure area between the cab and cap is creating oscillations in pressure and relieving through the vents (into the cab). The tape mentioned above would be a cheap way to check if the height (and gap) of the cab is having an impact.

Sponsored