Have a '91 SR5 4x4 pickup [with moon/sunroof] and the headliner just started developing holes. Wanted to replace it but it doesn't look like there's a shell -- looks like the foam-backed material is stretched over empty space with the bare roof a couple inches above... though it feels like there's a shell in back over the extended portion of the cab.
Anyone do a DIY replacement headliner job on this model before?
Thanks, Stacey
I can't say for sure what you have, but most of them are a piece of material with a thin layer of sponge or foam rubber and a fairly stiff backing board all glued together. No one I know has ever had success regluing one of these. Replacements are available for most vehicles. Being a do-it-yourselfer (read cheap!!) I've successfully redone a couple of them by cleaning everything off of the backer board and using a filler (I think it was spun orlon- got it from an auto upholstery place) and a piece of fabric or leatherette. I laid out a pattern on the backerboard to get a diamond effect, drilled holes at the appropriate points, laid out the fabric, filler, and the backerboard and used pop rivets with washers to hold the three together. You get a nice padded effect, and the pop rivets are small enough to not be noticeable. If you do this, the fabric or leatherette will need to be quite a bit larger than the original cover. Also, if the backer has a sharp bend in it anywhere, lay out the pattern so that you will be pop-riveting at that point, otherwise you'll have a sag there. Hardest part of the whole job is removing and reinstalling the trim around the headliner.
That's the problem. There isn't a backing board beneath this headliner. It's just the foam-backed material stretched across empty space and I supposed clipped over the doors frames (under the molding) and held up in the center by the molding that runs around the sunroof. Just wondered if anyone had re-done one of these. I called one upholstery place and they quoted $300. I believe the type with a headliner shell (the panel or cardboard type backing) are easier and cheaper to replace.
On 19-Apr-2004, snipped-for-privacy@home.pls (Stacey) wrote:
-- I'm not an expert, but the only other tye of headliner I know of uses steel rods (called bows) to support the headliner. This is how older cars (60's and earlier) were built. The headliner is stitched to create a tube on top for the bow to slip through, and the bow snaps into holes on the sides of the top. Generally installed by putting the bows in the headliner, inserting the bow ends into the holes, then pulling the headliner either forward or backward (whichever is easiest) to pull the bows into an upright position. The headliner keeps the position by being held by the side, front, and rear trim pieces. On an older car you can see the straight rows of stitching going side to side on the headliner. Without a backer board or bows the headliner will sag. Since you're going to replace it anyway, try poking a hole through the headliner in the middle of a large flat area and see what you find. The backerboard is cut away for the sunroof, and may be cut back several inches there. I'm more familiar with cars than pickups, but it could be that the headliner is glued directly to the roof. In that case you'll have to remove the old headliner, sand off any remains of it from the roof, and glue up a new one. Cars have steel bracing under the roof panel to keep it from drumming in the wind, which means you couldn't glue directly to the roof without them showing. Pickups have a much smaller roof area, so might not have these braces. Either way, the headliner needs to be supported or it will sag as the material stretches over time.
Why not just call the dealer and find out what it's supposed to be? They probably have a drawing on microfiche.
Every day is a good day- it's just that some are better than others.
Yeah, it's not that type either. ;)
I did. The roof of the truck is a few inches up. There's empty space, like I said.
Well, these holes developed themselves from the headliner rotting, and it's plain to see there is no headliner backing (except the foam-back of course) anywhere in the front portion of the cab. There may be some shell in the back (extended portion) of the cab. And the headliner was not glued to the roof either. There is wiring and such [for the sunroof] running and the roof is clean.
I was hoping to find someone here who had done this. But I guess calling the dealer is a good choice at this point. :)
Thanks for all your time and help. Stacey
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