Need Opinions

[ubtripn]

I had a sagging headliner and I do not like the design. I tried to re-activate the glue with a wet towel and hand iron, only worked for a while. I then removed it with the intent of removing the cover, then scrape the padding and then paint the cardboard. (I decided to do this because there was once a guy selling plastic replacement headliners but none are available for our models.)

Anyway, it went bad. The cover came right off but the headliner cardboard is laminated layers of thin paper. The padding would not come off without pulling part of the layers up. I gave up and decided to just coated the padding with 3m spray to hold it together then painted it black. It looks a lot better but I am not happy with it.

I am going to pull it out and coat it in a couple layers of fiberglass, sand and paint.

Has anybody ever done this? I do not want it to heavy and I don't know if mold-able ABS would work.

What are you opinions?

p.s. I will not be casting a mold, I want to cover the existing weak cardboard with fiberglass, not so much that its heavy but enough to make it a shell.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Roadrunner777]

My fabric has been sagging too, particularly over the last year. I tried a number of adhesives, but the fabric is just too decayed to work with. I pulled off all the fabric that was really bothering me, and I will, at some point, remove all the fabric and just run the padding exposed. Now, my Exp is in pretty rough shape with rust and so I'm not really investing in aesthetics. If I were, I would probably experiment with some heavy coating style paint, like bedliner or something. You have an interesting concept going, and it sounds like you are good with fiberglass... good luck!

 

[ubtripn]

I have done a couple things in fiberglass so I am about average. Its funny you said what you said because I was going to rhino coat the cardboard. Its the padding that gets in the way with mine. The whole set-up is cheap materials but that's ok. I almost left the headliner out and rhino-coated the inside of the roof but the headliner is need, without it none of the trim lines up.

 

[ubtripn]

I forgot, try some t-pins. They are used in offices and shaped just like they sound. You can sink them in to remove the sagging and then paint them with a brush to match. Just did a friends that way, took one tenth the time. This is a great semi-temp fix.

 

[Anime]

You might be able to fiberglass it, but really, you're better off just using fiberglass mat and lots of resin to make a super-thin fiberglass layer, and hopefully you can make it even enough that you won't have to sand it much.

Any more than that and it will likely get pretty heavy and although fiberglass is strong enough to support it's own weight, too thick of a layer of fiberglass will make it hard to put in the plastic trim pieces and stuff like the dome light.

You can just get headliner fabric in a roll and stick it on the stripped cardboard, generally much easier than fiberglassing would be:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=241556

 

[ubtripn]

I am unable to get the padding that is deteriorating to separate from the cardboard.

Thanks for the advice, I am going to do that with the fiberglass matt. The headliner must have some flex as well for re-install.

 

[jd4242]

Rock auto now carrys the board fyi

 

[ubtripn]

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thank you! I checked their website but cannot find it. Would it be possible for you to link it? Sorry for asking, I just can't find it, thanks again!

 

[jd4242]

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thank you! I checked their website but cannot find it. Would it be possible for you to link it? Sorry for asking, I just can't find it, thanks again!

CRAP!!!! Im sorry....it was my RANGER that they started carrying. .I couldn't remember which one I was searching for..they do 100% carry it for the ranger...sorry

 

[jd4242]

Ive seen the boards for the ex somewhere else tho, let me see if I bookmarked it or wrote it down..

 

[jd4242]

Man I cant find it..I know I just seen it..ill post it if I can find it in my notes somewhere

 

[ubtripn]

Thanks for the help looking everybody. I have scoured the net but I can only find truck ones since they are smaller. Please let me know if you happen to run across any Explorer size. Thanks again.

 

[rkh58]

Check Boise craigslist. Theres 91 Ex parts ad that lists a headliner.

 

[FR-425]

Acetone will dissolve the foam, leaving a nice hard crust; replace with new foam and fabric.

Just brush on the Acetone and use a hard roller to smash it flat.

Do not try to peel it off, just flatten out the melted foam and let it dry.

It will come out very hard like fiberglass... .. Mint!

 

[dmorris]

Acetone will dissolve the foam, leaving a nice hard crust; replace with new foam and fabric.

Just brush on the Acetone and use a hard roller to smash it flat.

Do not try to peel it off, just flatten out the melted foam and let it dry.

It will come out very hard like fiberglass... .. Mint!

My 92 headliner is molded fiberglass, this will work on that type (not sure if the OP mentioned his was cardboard or FG).

 

[Blue91Ex]

i believe i have seen the explorer headliners on LMCtruck.com
ill see if i can get a link in a bit

edit: i checked and i was wrong, they only sell the carpets. i think your best bet for a headliner would be a junkyard.

 

[mr cribb]

4 door or 2 door?

If 4 door I have a red headliner in vg shape for being a 91. Has a small tear.

Lmk if you're interested.

 

[Gadget X]

You could always do what I did. I used a sheet! Trust me, it looks good! Here is my thread where there's a pic of it. I think the pic is in post #8 . http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=280426