Headliner Repair

[DonTX]

All the lst gen trucks I have seen have the headliner either totally gone or falling down badly. Is there an aftermarket fix, do upholstery shops reglue them, or what is the normally accepted fix for this problem?

 

[tugboatphil]

Don,



The one on my 90 seperated almost completely. I went to a home show one time and got a bunch of pin on buttons from different vendors. I stuck them through the cloth and into the foam. Sure, it looked like something from Hee Haw, but the rust on the hood and roof looked like Sanford & Son. Gotta remember that I grew up in West (by God) Virginny, so these were status symbols for me! :-laf



However, I did try to reglue mine with some spray adhesive from 3M. That's when I learned that they make several spray adhesives. I can't remember the correct formula number, but after reading my label (which I didn't do BEFORE I sprayed it) it stated that it was not to be used with foam on headliners!!!



I had the same problem with a car, and found a local upholsterer that redid them. This was 20 years ago, but his total price was $75. It was just like a new one.

 

[4 wheelssmoking]

go to an auto upholstery shop, they will do it right and maybe 2hrs time spent. cost 75. 0-150. 0 depending on the shop and how hungry they are.

 

[Greenleaf]

My "normal" repair/solution is to RIP IT OUT and deposite the thing inside a DUMPSTER.

 

[JLEONARD]

I just got a quote from an appolstery shop on friday.

$125 if I drop off the truck.

$65 if I remove the shell and bring that in to recover.



Those are Ct prices...



Jay

 

[Nightram]

I used to do these at the upholsery shop I worked at. The trick to these is peel the liner cloth off, and take a putty knife and CAREFULLY scrape the old foam off the backing board. Try not to pulled the backing apart, or it will not stick. Then you added glue, make sure to throughly cover the backing, and lay the new material on it, and start from the center and apply the headliner to the backing. Trim and leave about 1 to 1-1/2 around the whole headliner, glue then wrap the excess around the back of the headliner. for the holes, like the dome lamp, don't trim them out, just cut and "X" in the hole so the headliner can fold so you can get the lamp and visors in. Not too hard, just time consuming.

 

[DonTX]

OK, thanks. I had not looked closely at the system, apparently there is a formed foam piece that the cloth is glued to, correct?

 

[Demons_Ram]

Don,

It's usually a cardbord/masonite formed type backing that goes against the sheetmetal, then some have a thin layer of foam, and then material, like cloth/velour.



Pull the whole liner out

Peel the old material off (carefully)

Wire brush backing board to remove old glue and foam that's still stuck to it

Pick out your choice of new material you'd want in there

Spray 3M automotive upholstery adhesive on the back of the new material and the backing board

Let sit to tack up before laying two together

Carefully lay material onto backing (might want to get help from wifey here)

Start from center out, smooth/press material down on backing (a small/short paint roller works well)

trim and cut hole access

reinstall



Don't pick a cloth that has large pores or holes in the material, or your glue will try to seep through.



Help here:

AUTOS & BOATS : Interior : Headliner Repair: Introduction and Prep : DIY Network

AUTOS & BOATS : Interior : Headliner Repair: Removing the Old Headliner Panel : DIY Network

AUTOS & BOATS : Interior : Headliner Repair: Board Repair and Fabric Replacement : DIY Network

Windows Media player video

AUTOS & BOATS : Interior : Replacing a Sagging Headliner-Cover : DIY Network

 

[RRothenberger]

I just fixed mine a week ago. I spent an hour on it, and it cost me about $20. Pulled the whole headliner down, scraped the foam off, sprayed 3M Headliner gule on ($14), layed on the fabic, cut to fit. I just went to the local craft/fabic store and looked around, I found this camo cotton fabic that I liked ($5). I think it turned out really nice. Good luck.





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[DonTX]

Thanks RRothenberger and Demons, that is exactly what I was looking for. I will find me a lst Gen yet! (Gotta be a dually automatic though)