Finally found out where the "thud" when shutting my driver's door came from -- a big piece of s-foam laying loose inside the door (pics below). it is obviously shaped like the curve of the door, and has a cutout that matches the lower lateral door rib - but what the heck does this thing do??

I couldn't determine exactly where along the length of the door it is supposed to be installed, so I just took it out.

should I put it back in???

 

uhhhhhhh put working pics up, first...

 

hmm. the pics work fine for me. what error are you getting?

 

Teh internet owns ju. Imageshack is your friend.

 

The only thing that those foam things do is fill the gap between the door panel and the metal door frame. I would just leave it off. I don't have any of mine anymore, and I don't see or hear any ill effects from their absence.

 

ok I put them on image shack. thanks for the tip...

 

I thought they also might help improve the door's rigidity - make it more dent-proof, etc. dunno. I won't bother putting it back in.

 

looks like something for sound deadening... i'd put it back in if it fell outta my door

 

There are many pieces like that in door, prob sound deadning, Put it back or have a rattling door when the bass knocks!

 

You car will not float as well in a flood if you take these out.

 

I took mine out anyway when they worked themselves loose.

 

yeah its just for sound or vibration...it definitely dosent give the door any strength

 

thats just extra weight....

 

i think that is one of several pieces that should be glued onto the door panel. when i changed my speakers, both sides had a chunk of foam in there and i saw the marks on the door panels. i couldn't figure out any real reason for them.

 

Nice hardwood floors!!!!

 

Those things do sh*t for sound deadening. They don't make any difference in terms of preventing vibration of your doors when the bass hits. If anything they make it worse because the foam itself rattles inside the door. I took every piece of foam out of all 4 of my doors and hear no new rattles or any other ill effects (and I have very good ears....sax and bass player, hehe). Take that crap out of all your doors and shed 1lb of weight