stupid headliner

FLoz6 · Post by **FLoz6** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 7:49 pm

This is a random question for all you car-savvy men out there. My stupid headliner has been coming off the ceiling of my car for quite a long while now, and I have been just ignoring it. Until recently- the entire thing is off now, and just hanging down. I have just been using saftey pins to keep it out of the way, but when I have the windows down (as usual) they fall out and yes it hurts when you sit on them. SO- how do you fix a headliner? I have heard of several ways, such as a spray on glue, or the "real" way- cut an edge of the headliner and put glue stuff on the ceiling and then press it down (up?) and tuck the edge in.
Any advice from you manly gamers out there? Any of you who are old enough to actually drive...

Interon · Post by **Interon** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 7:54 pm

Are you talking about the flexible sun-blocker or the door lining?

Flexible sun-blocker: Try to clip it in. If it's broke, I suppose the glue or duct tape is the most feasible method (unless you want to buy an expensive replacement from the car company). Or you could find a demolished car that's similar to yours and try to get the sun-blocker.

Door lining: Just poke it in where it came from. My parents' car has that problem and I just keep poking it back in and that works just fine.

If neither of those two help, describe the ruined part a little more.

FLoz6 · Post by **FLoz6** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 7:59 pm

It is the fabric part of the ceiling. Ya know, that soft stuff that makes the car pretty.
It just covers the entire ceiling, over the insulation stuff. The edges are all connected around the sides in the inside plastic frame stuff, but the glue that held it to the ceiling has died (arn't old cars just great!), so now it is drooping in the middle.

Interon · Post by **Interon** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 8:05 pm

Your best bet is to use the glue, or to go to the mechanic if you can afford it. I seriously doubt that there is a simple do-it-yourself solution since that stuff rarely ever falls off the ceiling and therefore there is little demand for a special product that helps you fix the ceiling (so who would bother to make one).

Post by **Dogbreath** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 11:16 pm

The reason it droops down is because if you keep the windows open all the time the constant air pressure pushing backwards pulls it off the glue.

I don't really know how to fix it, though just pulling it off and then supergluing it back on seems feasible.

Edit: Just say JMS's post, yeah, if you have the money and care about making your car look really nice, take it in to get it fixed-they probably make special car celing glue that you can buy at a hardware store.

FLoz6 · Post by **FLoz6** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 8:08 pm

As I have chatted around, someone suggest upholstery screws... ya know, little corkscrew like things that don't fall out. My ceiling will look like a freakin pincushion, but what the hell.

GAMER · Post by **GAMER** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 12:12 am

FIRSTLY - there are WOMEN out there who like cars too. Don't address your topic just to men or you may not get the answer you are looking for.

SECONDLY - get a new car. If it's old enough for the ceiling stuff to fall off (it's designed to stay on for the life of the car) then your car is pretty old and probably has other problems too.

THRIDLY - if you don't have enough money for a new car the glue or screw solutions sound like a good start.

FOURTHLY - if you think screws will make it look like a pincussion then just rip it all off and leave it...after all who cares?

FINALLY - good luck.

GAMER

BillyBob · Post by **BillyBob** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 2:36 am

If you and a friend are willing to kill a day to replace the headliner, I have the answer for you. Do read this through before acting on anything.

First off, figure out how to get the headliner down. Usually there are screws in the molding around the ceiling. If there are no screws, the headliner is held up by a clip system (the mounting system used for my car is a pain in the ass to deal with).

Check the yellow pages or Yahoo to find an automotive upholstery store near you. Once you have it located, call their number to make sure they indeed ARE in business and they carry headliner fabrics. Some places will do it for you, but these are professionals, and they do cost a few (read: you'll probably be paying out the ass) but hey, we're men! We do things ourselves!

Before you leave for the place, take the visor down (if it matches the headliner, that is), but DON'T REMOVE THE MOUNTING BRACKET for said visor. With GM, there is a screw holding the visor to the mounting bracket. Use the passenger's side to give YOU the visor against the sun. After all, you are the driver, right?

If the visor does not match, cut a piece of fabric from the current headliner. I did not do this little "sample excavation," because my visor and ceiling used matching color fabrics.

Take said sample (visor or the headliner fabric you had to cut; nine times out of ten you have the visor) to the auto fabric store and get a color match. When you have it matched up, buy enough fabric to cover the ceiling of your car, plus two feet extra. Never go with an exact measurement(sp?). Buy the adhesive the fabric store reccommends, and get advice on how to take off the remaining fiber. (Don't kid yourself, there will be crap sticking to the headliner.)

You still with me, good.

When "Headliner Day" comes up, you and your buddy need to take the molding down from around the headliner, but do these steps first.

Get a pen and paper to take notes about the orientation and order items are removed from the car. Getting everything written down will save a world of frustration (trust me, my experience is the best teacher and your entertainment). At this point, you may also want a permanent marker (Sharpies would be the best for this situation)
Take the bubble down from the center of the car. No light bubble is good. The bubble probably has a plastic shield protecting a mounting screw or two. Be sure to take caution, as the light is live. (Yes, I did blast myself with the stupid ceiling light)
Remove any other lighting fixtures from the ceiling. My brother's car has map lights in the front, as well as a compass.
[Take a tool that will fit the rear-view mirror's mounting screw and take the rear-view mirror down. Don't want to run the risk of breaking that!
Remove the visors from their brackets, then remove the brackets themselves. Take note of the orientation, and/or write FRONT on the front of the bracket. Take note of what side the bracket came from.
For the love of God, keep track of every screw you remove. You need to use those to put everything back up; losing something will leave you humiliated and needlessly running up to the hardware store to waste money on something you should have kept track of.

Now comes the fun part. Start removing trim pieces from the roof of the car to get the headliner down. Have your buddy in the back seat doing the same. If you break a clip, oh, well.You can buy a new one, or see if you can do without. This is inevitable, so no whining.

Things will get to the point where you have to catch the headliner and its fabric (which you can go ahead and dispose of), guide the wires (if any) through their holes in the ceiling you now hold. Do NOT bend the piece of material that is the headliner. (OK, maybe just a little.) That would mean another run to the auto interior store.

Try and guide the headliner out through one of the front doors. Don't worry, it should fit. After all, how did the manufacturer get the ceiling installed?

All the fiber that is still sticking to the headliner has to come off. I'm confident you remember what the guy at the auto interior store said about removal. Cleanup is easier if the headliner is turned to be like a bowl holding something.

Once all the crap is off. lay the new fabric over the headliner, color side up. This is the dry fit. The fabric should cover the headliner board easily.

Read the instructions on the adhesive. As the rules to the forums say, ignorance is not an excuse.

Peel back a little more than half of the fabric from the headliner and apply the adhesive. This is the point of no return. If it's a contact cement, let the cemnt cure for a bit. CAREFULLY roll the fabric onto the adhesive, being aware of where trouble spots may arise. If a crease appears, tough shit. You're going to have to cope, unless you want to try again. (Who in God's name would want to do that?)

Do the same for the other side.

Trim the excess, leaving some fabric along the edges (two or three inches should be good) for remounting purposes.

If the adhesive was in an aresol can, throw it out, now. It is no longer any good to you. The adhesive will cure and harden on you if you save it for later.

Cut/poke the holes through the fabric, so your ceiling attatchments can be remounted (ceiling bubble, map light, and visors). Take the headliner back to the car and remount it. Now remount everything else (don't forget the rear-view mirror) and congratulate yourself on a job well done. Go out and have a beer or something.

FLoz6 · Post by **FLoz6** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 7:42 pm

ooo thank you BillyBob. I am going to get right to that here in a few days when I'm off work.
As for GAMER: I myself am a female. I understand that women don't usually give a rat's ass about cars or anything related to cars. And you gave me no useful information. It is just not feasible for me to go out and buy a car, as that is an issue with most normal people. My car is in wonderful condition, besides the headliner.
So relating back to my previous subject- you as a woman gave me absolutely no help. This is why I geared my question towards the male figures of this world!
Once again, thanks BillyBob.

Thunderdog · Post by **Thunderdog** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 9:04 pm

GAMER wrote:FIRSTLY - there are WOMEN out there who like cars too. Don't address your topic just to men or you may not get the answer you are looking for.

I think we have ourselves a femnist. =(

FLoz6 · Post by **FLoz6** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 9:41 pm

Apparently so

Post by **Dogbreath** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 11:38 pm

Well, Gamer, I can for one honestly say I wish more females knew more about cars. At present I currently waste far too much time working on my sister's car. Changing oil, putting on new breaks, installing headlights, oil filters, windshield washer fluid, washing off all the bird poo... easy shit that any semi-intelligent person should be able to do on their own. :Angry:

BillyBob · Post by **BillyBob** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 2:56 am

Come on, Dogbreath, don't you think you're being a little harsh? Not every girl is interested in breaking a nail todo some automotive work. Cut the ladies some slack, whydontcha?

Post by **Dogbreath** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 3:32 pm

But I had to get my nails re-manicured after the last time!!

Er, nevermind.

Actually, I don't mind doing autowork. However I was trying to refute Gamer's "women know a lot about cars too" post by saying that if they do know a lot about cars, why do they make men do all the work related to them?

FLoz6 · Post by **FLoz6** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 4:01 pm

I do the work on my car, and I am a 20 year old gal. Now, I might ask for help, such as changing the oil, etc, but that's not all too bad. And my family is one of those families that are do-it-yourselfers, so I am learning lots and lots...
BTW I think its funny that my original post has turned into somewhat of a sexist argument. Good times!

Post by **Dogbreath** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:32 pm

Here, we count threads by how many threads *don't* get hijacked half way through.

denrix · Post by **denrix** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:33 pm

my threads never get hijacked. look at Jesses weblog. she has captured the imagination of all of you.

Post by **Dogbreath** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:37 pm

Or just our curiousity.

...Does she have a pic?

GAMER · Post by **GAMER** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 7:07 am

not saying i or many other women out there know LOTS about cars, but maybe...MAYBE the answer you were looking for was known by a women. i agree whole-heartedly that alot of women (not all) know little or nothing about cars...

GAMER

Post by **Wally** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 6:25 pm

denrix wrote:my threads never get hijacked. look at Jesses weblog. she has captured the imagination of all of you.

Pffffffttttt.....
Who would hijack your threads anyway? All they are is about your immature moments and stuff.

I know a heap of woman that know about cars and fix them (including moter bikes)