Auto Foam – Chassis Stiffening & Soundproofing Solution Explained

Auto Foam entered the Malaysian market in 1999 through the efforts of KL Auto, a Kuala Lumpur-based outfit operated by Mr Desmond Chong specializing in performance parts, car audio systems, and security. It positions itself as a simultaneous solution for car owners seeking to upgrade both the driving dynamics and soundproofing quality of their cars.

KL Auto brought in Auto Foam in 1999.

Since its arrival on Malaysian soil, Auto Foam has gradually built-up a sizable network of clients, which includes daily Joes, rally cars, and even the Petronas Adventure Team (PAT) whose 4x4s endure the most punishing drives under the most grueling conditions.

If there is one rule that governs any product market is that only products of quality endure the test of time. Their enduring presence since 1999 is solid testament that it is a viable product, but why and how?

We suppose….

Chassis Stiffness vs Suspension Stiffness

Before we proceed to explore what Auto Foam offers and how, it is important that we clarify the difference in stiffening your chassis and stiffening your suspension. Overly stiff suspension causes bouncy rides, even if it means a flatter cornering stance. This is excellent for track use, but day-to-day it makes for an uncomfortable and very tiring drive.

An overly stiff chassis, well, you simply can’t make a chassis stiff enough. A stiff chassis flexes less, which leads to improved stability when cornering and also markedly reduced transfer of road harshness into the cabin. Going over potholes, cars with stiffer chassis feel less of a ‘crashing’ effect as it allows the suspension to dissipate shock more effectively. In addition, a stiffer chassis is capable of handling more power from the engine.

Auto Foam’s Premise

The typical chassis architecture of a car consists of hollowed sections at certain pillars and cross-members. In a typical application, Auto Foam is injected to fill these hollowed sections, which increases the overall chassis stiffness. This increased chassis stiffness, as discussed earlier, will lead to improved ride and handling characteristics of the car as the chassis becomes a more stable element.

Having foam inserts in the chassis hollow sections also improves insulation against the dreaded trio of noise, vibration and harshness. This leads to increased refinement on the go even on smooth roads, as resonances, less perceptible on a conscious level but no less wearing, are reduced or even eliminated altogether.

A point to note is that Auto Foam is applied only to the chassis, and not in the space between body panels. This ensures that body repair works due to accidents can be carried out without fuss.

Auto Foam is inserted into hollow sections of the chassis.

Properties of Auto Foam

The USPs of Auto Foam are achieved thanks to five chemical & physical properties unique to this grade of foam. First amongst them is that the foam does not shrink on curing. The curing process takes place with the aid of a specially formulated catalyst that ensures consistent curing of the foam after being injected into the chassis and that the foam itself does not shrink over time. After curing, Auto Foam adopts a closed-cell molecular structure, rendering it water-proof, preventing the absorption and retention of moisture – a problem which, unchecked, could potentially lead to rust.

Water has been sealed inside bottle for years already. Proof of Auto Foam’s waterproof properties.

In addition to being water-proof, Auto Foam’s molecular structure also makes it a very rigid foam. This allows it to fulfill its brief of increasing chassis rigidity. However, under hard impact, the foam readily absorbs energy and serves to complement the function of the car’s crumple zones in an accident.

Highly rigid

Finally, Auto Foam, considering its immense promise, carries minimal weight penalties. A typical application on a family sedan adds no more than 3kg of weight to the car. There is also no danger of the foam catching fire in an accident, as it is rated fire-retardant to B2 DIN standards.

Application Process

Although the advertised time required for the Auto Foam application is stated to be 3-4 hours, we would suggest you set aside the whole day for this, with good reason. Not withstanding the fact that traffic might not operate in your favour on your appointed day, you may also have to deal with the fact that you might not be the only customer around. However, the most critical reason for this is that you might want to give time for Desmond to properly evaluate your car and propose a solution tailor-made to your needs.

It is important to note that the best results of the Auto Foam process is obtained not by stuffing the car full of foam, but rather by calculated applications at strategic spots. The simple reasoning behind this is that energy can only be channeled or transformed but never destroyed. Therefore, the art of proper insulation is not actually in suppressing energy but channeling away from the cabin. Putting insulation at the wrong places not only fails to improve the situation, but could potentially amplify certain vibrations and resonances.

To ensure an effective application of Auto Foam, it is therefore important to adopt a ‘big picture’ view of the process and understand the vibration dampening characteristics of the car’s chassis. For example, sedans and hatchbacks, even designs based upon each other, have markedly different sound & vibration properties that different strategies must be adopted for their respective applications. The proposed solution must be tailor-made to suit your car and this where KL Auto’s vast experience and know-how comes in.

For maximum effectiveness, applications of Auto Foam must be properly tailored and suited for each car.

Be Wary of Fakes!

The reality of marketing any products, especially those that fetch premium prices, is the danger that imitations will one day flood the market. While it may be somewhat alright if the customer buys an imitation product knowing it is one, problems come when imitations are being passed on as the real deal with the customer completely unaware. The dangers of this are two-fold as the customer has to live with a substandard product, and when problems arise, the maker of the original is blamed.

Auto Foam is currently facing an onrush of imitation variants flooding the market. According to Desmond, a commonly sold imitation uses lower grade household foam which have poor strength and are brittle. These substitutes not only do not improve the motoring experience of one’s car, but proceed to make things worse instead. Rubbing salt into the customer’s wounds is the fact that foam injection is a non-reversible process. A customer who has injected fake foam into a car will have to live with the consequences of that action until that car is sold.

Imitations are everywhere!

Talk About It: Soundproofing, Noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH)