Dome/roof covering peeling off

Hi Scott, Sorry to hear about your Roof, Ceiling, and the plow guys. I had my headliner recovered. Wasn't bad, about 100.00 with me taking it out. The other option I was thinking was getting one from the junk yard, they wanted 50 bucks, but I kept thinking that it would do the same thing. I ended up having the whole inside redone after the headliner. A friend of mine got some of the spray adhesive and reapplied his fabric to the headliner. Let us know what works out... David

Hey David, thanks for the info. How did you remove? Were you able to remove the whole backing as a piece? That is, is it an entire panel that's replaced? I'm not very concerned about 'pimping my ride' or anything. I'd be fine with bare steel, really. I'm just trying to keep the car neat and operational for as long as possible. The orange foam is coming off onto the seats and into passenger's hair, and that's just not on.

Scott

Hey Scott, All around the edge of mine(86 740 T Wgn) I simply took the trim down and detached the dome light elec. I have a wagon, and it took me a while, but wasnt that hard. Well only as hard as working upside down doing anything. In mine, it was one piece. It was like fiber board, with the foam over that, then the fabric. Its common on most cars as they age for this to happen.

If you have a wagon it's easy, if you have a sedan (as I do) it's a major pain in the butt. As I told someone else recently, if I were to do it again I'd have the windshield removed for R&R of the headliner, it sounds like a pain but believe me it will be a lot less cursing.

That "someone" was me, and it was good advice. :-) Scott - I am told the headliner issue was common for these cars and is to be expected. ipdusa.com has a great instruction manual with pictures on how to do this. I think their kit is a bit high, maybe look at stockinteriors.com

Here is IPDusa:

Now I've forgotten where I got it from, but I ordered the fabric elsewhere and the whole mess including adhesive cost me about $40 as I recall.

You do need to specify 1/8" thick fabric as much of it is 1/4" thick which won't work properly with the sunroof. The place I got it didn't have it listed but I emailed them and was able to specify it and they did stock it.

One other thing, be careful cutting the hole for the sunroof in the cloth, and leave yourself plenty of extra fabric as the sunroof is smaller than the hole in the backboard. Getting the sunroof headliner out is also a pain, seems like I had to take the screws out and pull out the whole track assembly.

I realize this reply is too late for you as you cut back the existing headliner.

But for reference to others with the appoarently common problem:

I bought a 1990 740 GL that had a large area over the passengers' heads pulled down.

After realizing that the deterioration of the foam precluded use of adhesive and also realizing the pain associated with replacing the headliner, I opted for the following:

I got some brass colored upholstery tacks. Not too long with large domed heads.

Starting in front of the hanging part on material that remains attached I pushed the tacks through the fabric and into the foam. This is to prevent future drop of the fabric.

Working toward the rear, push in tacks at regular intervals while carefully holding the fabric up.

By experience, you can decide the spacing. The ability of the tacks to remain stuck in the deteriorating foam is a little iffy, so it takes quite a few.

Put extra tacks along the rear window gasket. They seem to stick better in this area.

Finally tuck the fabric under the window gasket with a putty knife.

Ain't pretty but it works. Certainly can't see it from outside as you pass those SUV's and shiny cars with $$$car payments attached.

Caveat: I have not driven at moderate speed with all the windows open so I can't predict what will happen. I do suspect it will hold.

jimB

Yankee Creedo:

Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.

-------------------------------------------- JimB

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