Headliner Removal

[massacre]

i just removed my headliner due to it being badly trashed when I bought it.
Plus I am leaking water at the drivers rearmost window, had to remove to see if it was the window or the roof racks. At this time it appears to be the window that is leaking. The carpet pad was pretty damp, I took it out and put it aside to dry.
It wasn’t too bad of a job, just a lot of little stuff. None of the pushpins broke and I put all the trim pieces and dome lights back in because I still have to drive the truck to work.
Now the problem is - how do I get the headliner to the shop to get recovered? haha
I guess I could try and stuff it up on the roof and hold it with the clips, I might have to borrow a pickup truck or something since the headliner is so huge.

 

[410Fortune]

Put it back in the truck and rest it on your head, drive to the shop this way
I have done this more then once



I now have an excursion which can carry a full explorer 4 door headliner...I know because when we moved from CO to ID I had to bring 3 good headliners with me!!

Fun tip: Don't store your super precious and perfect 1989 Eddie Bauer bronco II headliner anywhere that your cats may be able to get to...damn cats used mine as a scratching toy when it was stored along the wall in our master bedroom. The problem is the cats are not supposed to be in the HOUSE!!

 

[massacre]

Hahaha I thought of that but didn’t know if it could be a safety issue. I have a CDL and don’t want to lose it. Plus I am not a tall guy so it would prob be apparent that it was resting on my head.
Sorry to hear about the cats, that sucks for sure. Animals can be so cruel.

I ended up popping fuse #1 when removing the front dome light cover. I didn’t know that the hot lead for the interior light bulb (not map lights) was right there.
Replaced the fuse, still no interior lights. Had radio and lights on front doors. Broke out the test light and removed the dome light.
Figured out that I put it back in wrong, once I put it in correctly I had power in all the right places. The mounting screws complete the circuit and I didn’t have the screws in the right spots so once they were correct it was fine.
Somehow lost one of the little bulbs so will prob pick some up and some fuses too haha

 

[massacre]

 

[FR-425]

Spray adhesive and a fabric store, do NOT! try to remove the old material, just put the new cloth over the old. Just gently brush it with a wire brush to get the loose stuff off.

https://www.amazon.com/3M-38808-Hea...4&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=fabric+adhesive&psc=1tions

follow the directions!

 

[massacre]

Spray adhesive and a fabric store, do NOT! try to remove the old material, just put the new cloth over the old. Just gently brush it with a wire brush to get the loose stuff off.

https://www.amazon.com/3M-38808-Hea...4&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=fabric+adhesive&psc=1tions

follow the directions!

I appreciate your estimation of my abilities, but I think i’ll Leave this one to the experts. I just know it will come out like crap if I do it, never done one before.
Thanks for the link, IDK maybe i’ll Look into it
Is 1 can enough to do the whole headliner?

 

[Centaurious]

Your rear side windows take a slightly non standard thickness of butyl tape that you will need to order. Sorry I can't remember what the thickness is off the top of my head.

 

[Mr. Alligator]

I appreciate your estimation of my abilities, but I think i’ll Leave this one to the experts. I just know it will come out like crap if I do it, never done one before.
Thanks for the link, IDK maybe i’ll Look into it
Is 1 can enough to do the whole headliner?

One large can shoild be enough, but you will probably use all of it. Might want extra. If you do it yourself, spray adhesive is relatively cheap and something you might have a future use for anyway.

I doibt that a rear cargo area window leak would effect the headliner.

If the rear cargo area window does leak, you can first try to tighten the series of inside nuts that secure the glass panel. If this fails, an auto glass shop could tell you the correct thickness for the butyl tape, and almost certainly have it in stock. (If you use butyl tape that is too thick, your rear cargo area glass will be water tight, but will also stick out from the window frame a bit and look very awkward.)

Finally, if you do-it-yourself, one option is to use material from a fabric shop. Any pattern you want. If you use a solid print, I think any mistakes might show more. I used a camo material that I liked, and the pattern really hides mistakes.

You can do this!

Good luck.

 

[massacre]

The seal at the top of the window is dry rotted. Guess I need to find some butyl tape then

 

[Mr. Alligator]

Yep. Since you have your headliner out, now would be an opportunity for rear cargo area window seal replacement. Another easy project for you, especially since the hard part is getting the large interior rear panels out.

There is info on this site. You will just unbolt all of the nuts that retain the glass. Make sure to secure (tape) the window to your truck exterior so it does not fall out when you are inside the truck unfastening the last of the hardware... the window may or may not be firmly stiuck to the dry rotted seal.

Then just make sure you have the correct thickness butyl tape, and install with the ends meeting on the bottom rear of the opening. As I recall, the tape instructions also,called,for a half inch gap, presumably to allow for compression.

You got this one.

 

[410Fortune]

USE 3M spray adhesive not some cheap stuff

 

[Mr. Alligator]

^^^ Definitely, whenever doing these projects, it is always best to use highest and best quality available. The cost will still almost always be minimal compared to paying labor, and getting cheap parts marked up by someone else. And then you can cruise down the road with your rattlesnake headliner, knowing you did it yourself!

Awesome.

 

[massacre]

Well when i got my windshield replaced, I was talking to the glass guy about the rear windows and I might just call him and let him do it. I have comprehensive insurance so the glass is no cost to me. I should probably replace both windows, wasn't hard to get the plastic panels off - more of just a pain

 

[gmanpaint]

Put it back in the truck and rest it on your head, drive to the shop this way
I have done this more then once

I've done this before too!

Just an extra large hat, cruising down the road, funny looks at a stop light, and not a care in the world. Lmao

 

[kmack]

My Dad re-did the headliner he has in a '01 VW Beetle. He pulled the old, drooping fabric off then just scraped off as much of the old foam as he good, but didn't try to get it perfect. He then sprayed the headliner board the same color as the old fabric. The little bit of foam left on the board created a nice texture, and, unless you really stare at it, you never notice that it isn't fabric/foam anymore!

 

[massacre]

To be honest I would love to rivet some thin sheet aluminum over the back part to protect it from damage. May still do that depending on how much has to be bent. I don’t have a brake or English wheel

 

[Mr. Alligator]

In a 1977 Mercury Cougar, i pulled out the drooping fabric and removed the hanger rods, then just painted the interior roof black. It looked good, and sounded awesome when it rained.

 

[massacre]

I am considering leaving the headliner out, but I bet the sun would heat it up like an oven lmao

 

[~X~]

Second gen headliners are not hard to come by & easy enough to swap out....just thought I'd throw that out there.

I actually like the alligator idea though!

 

[BKennedy]

I used this guide when I repaired and recovered my headliner. It came out great. They are so long you need two or three people to glue down the new fabric.
Repairing Vehicle Headliner

The headliner repair is shown starting about half way down the page of my rebuild thread.
Bkennedy's SAS and Rebuild Thread