Droopy Headliner Fix

[PwrSmoke]

Anybody have a fix for a droopy headliner? The cover is beginning to seperate from the foam backing on my '86. It's holing tight at the edges, so I can't just sneak in there with contact cement. I see LMC truck has a replacemetn headliner for '87-up trucks but I'd guess it won't fit my '86.

 

[Devon Harley]

drop it and use 3m spray adhesive works great i just did mine and its holdin tight.

 

[evilplan]

Just be careful which 3m spray you use, spray 90 will eat the foam, I think I used spray 77 to fix mine

 

[alienturtle]

There is a company that makes a replacement headliner kit. It includes the foam, the glue, the headliner material (what ever color you want) to re do your headliner. As long as your cardboard is still good then it is a breeze to change it. You just use a wire brush and brush all the foam from the cardboard. It was reasonably priced as well. Mine has been up there for over a year now still looks new. Ill find you the link

 

[boosted power]

+1 on the super 77. If you want to change the material now is the time. It is really easy to pop the cardboard out and resurface it.

 

[itsacrazyasian]

its pretty easy to remove the head liner, pull the fabric off, take a stiff brush to remove all the foam off the cardboard backing. apply spray adhesive and install new headliner material...

don't do what one of my customers did and use thumb tacks. They freaking fell out and i SAT ON ONE. I freaking screamed like hell.

 

[franklin2]

I have done many different vehicles, and the only way I have had repeated success is to do the hard part myself(take it out, clean it up) and then take it to a local upholstery shop and they provide the fabric and use THEIR glue to glue it on and then trim it out, usually for around $75.

I have tried doing this myself, and you have to find the fabric, or use some vinyl. Some of the Fords used cardboard, and it holds up ok under the strong glues, but I have ruined a couple of the foam ones this way. I have also used the "kits" you can buy in the store, and they have never held for me, they always fall down after awhile.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

If you want a quick fix to hold things until a more convenient time, I bought a bag of little cork-screw "thumb-tacks", at Walmart of all places, that actually are for sagging head-liners.

They are little clear plastic headed cork-screw-shaped pins that you poke through the head-liner and then screw into the backing.

I got these for a different truck; thankfully, my head-liner is still nice and tight.

 

[Ataylor]

I have poked small holes in one in my 1989 Olds and sprayed the adhesive through the hole. Then used those mini foam rollers used for house paint to roll the fabric onto the foam and cardboard headliner. You can see the holes if you look hard, but not bad. It is a tempory fix, but it has worked so far. I removed the headliner out of my truck (which involved removing the front seat so it would crease the cardboard, and pulled the whole thing out the back door). Then I took it to the local upolstery shop and had them recover it. It looks great, but was much more labor intensive. I guess it depends on how long you want it to last and how much you want to spend.

Archie

 

[PwrSmoke]

Thanks for all the replies. Helps to remove the experimental aspects of this a little by hearing what has worked or not worked.

 

[03wr250f]

Where did you guys get the headliner material.

 

[franklin2]

Where did you guys get the headliner material.

Certain Walmarts have a fabric/sewing area that sells vinyl. If you look around there are also fabric/sewing shops that sell vinyl. The vinyl won't be original, but looks good when it's done. You can use it if your headliner backer is cardboard. You can lay the vinyl out on the cardboard and then fold it in half to expose half of the cardboard. Spray the cardboard and the back of the vinyl you folded over with 3M glue, and then fold it back over carefully to stick it to the carboard. Then fold the other half over and do the other half. Try not to get a lot of glue on the vinyl, the glue makes it soft and attacks it. If you have some wrinkles because you have soft spots don't panic, just let it sit and when you come back the next day they will be gone when the glue completely dries.

If you want the original foam backed fabric, I have bought it from Pep Boys and my local upholstery shop will sell it to me also. But you need a special glue to use the original foam backed fabric, I tried the stuff pep boys sells and it didn't hold. I pulled it down and sprayed another coat on it after it fell a few weeks later and then a couple of months later it fell again. That's when I just started paying the local upholstery shop for the fabric, and to glue it on for me. They use a gun and their glue holds for years. If you do all the work to pull it out and clean it up, they usually do not charge much for the proper fabric and to glue it on for you.

 

[79jasper]

Joanns, hobby lobby, etc.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[Dieselcrawler]

For the hassle it is, it cost me 80 bucks for a upholstery shop to recover my crew cab headliner.

 

[Clb]

So as I've not gotten into this yet, whats there to be aware of when pulling these out?
Anythig easily busted up?
One day when I get time its gunna happen.
I miss the tin lid like my quad cab has.