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Headliner sagging

45K views 25 replies 18 participants last post by  mistypotato 
#1 ·
98 Plymouth,the headliner is sagging but not all,only some spots what should I do to stick it back in?I do not want to use the pins,I used them on my 91 Dodge before,they failed out and drop on the seats one morning when I go to work I sat on one of them......you know what happen to my..b..u...t:eek: right?please help,thanks
 
#2 ·
You know, i've never done it but I've always wanted to try spray adhesive(aerosol).Seems like it would work good...not sure though.
 
#3 ·
Gotta watch out with spray or paste trim adhesives.They can soak into the foam of the headliner,stain it black and make a big noticeable hard spot.Headliners fail due to leaving windows rolled up in the summer when temps can reach 120 in a greenhouse such as a minivan,the glue dries out and they stretch and sag.Headliners can cost nearly $1000 at the dealer to buy.Headliners have been a perrenial problem ever since they went to "mouse fur" for the cheapo material. (your 72 Duster never had a headliner sag did it? Nope,they made them decent back then).
 
#5 ·
hi i had this problem with my 1999 t&c- the foam between the fiberglass and liner material -starts to crumble-you CANNOT REGLUE IT- i went that route - crumbling prevents you from cleaning the surface off in the car--i solved my problem-got large T PINS at my local hobby shop-only place i ever found to stock them -and just pin the linner back up-i never had one of these pins come out-it beats spending 1000 dollars to have the headliner replaced-on a van worth-2-4000 dollars - my van has spent it life in florida -so the cause could very well be the heat that causes this problem
 
#7 ·
so,there's nothing I can do to fix the headliner when it is sagging unless I use the pins to stick it back up right?:jpshakehe,I guess because of the weather too hot in FL here
 
#8 ·
When the headliner in my '87 Chrysler similarly failed, I cut 4 measured lengths from a spring steel plumbing "rooter", & stuck the ends into the plastic molding around the windows. The spring steel nicely conformed to roof curve. While the interior now resembled that of a '50's convertible, the result kept me from being blinded by flapping cloth.

Ron.
 
#9 ·
Theres some web sites out there that have the right proceedure to fix this. It says to only use spray adhesive for headliners. It's available from Wal-Mart in the automotive section. Comes in a Black can I think 8086 is the part number. If your headliner is looking shabby anyway, the fabric for this is like $40 from some of the online trim/upholstry sellers. Looks like it'll take the better part of a day to fix it nice.
 
#10 ·
My brother (on autos) takes the headliner (carboard) out, removes the cloth, measures the length and picks up matching cloth from a local fabric store. He then uses spray adhesive on the cardboard surface (generously) and then with the help of someone, spreads the new cloth over the cardboard surface and then carefully presses it onto the surface, while someone holds it over the cardboard. You have to make sure you don't get any wrinkles in it when you lay it out. He gives it several hours to dry, then cuts the holes for the lighting and wiring to stick through. Then, he slides it back into the vehicle and secures it. Looks good as new. I don't know if he's ever done anything as large as a mini-van, though.

Let me know how it turns out on such a large surface. Mine is getting to the point it needs work, too. Though, I've not considered doing it without some help (which I don't have available).
 
#11 ·
I had the headliners in my old 83 LTD and 84 Caravan sag down both had been smoked heavily in by the previous owners. I thought the nicotine broke down the foam, never had a problem with any others. And I live in Canada
 
#15 ·
the spray adhesive does not work well, unless you scrape off all of the foam that is on the headliner... the glue sticks to the foam, and then as the foam continues to deteriorate, the problem continues...

tacks dont work either, as they fall loose, yeah...

so, go to your locally owned and operated hardware store (like an Ace or Tru-Value) and ask to look at the plastic 'pins' that might do the job... there are several different sizes and styles... they cost a few cents apiece... they look like plastic tacks, with different diameter heads, and the shafts have barbs which keep them from dropping out...

use a power drill, carefully, to drill a hole through the cloth and the headliner... press the plastic 'tack' to seat it into the headliner, and you may have a couple of sags... it may not be pretty, but it will work...

regards...

dnorm
 
#18 ·
I've done quite a few (into the hundreds) headliners since I decided to teach myself some upholstery skills.

If you want to fix it correctly, you get some new 1/16" foam (comes in rolls, about $20 last I bought some) and a new piece of fabric (can't really get it from Wally World, since their stuff is bulk and 1 yard wide) that you like.

Remove your headliner, and carefully strip the cloth from it (really shouldn't take too much to do this)

Get something with some texture to the face that is hard... like a block of wood... and start rubbing off the foam, do your best to get it all down to cardboard (again, shouldn't be too hard)

Get a few cans of 3M spray adhesive (hi-tack stuff) and spray the form (the cardboard) liberally with it, then press the new foam on, being careful not to stretch it at all.

While you're waiting for that to dry, tightly roll up your fabric so that you can unroll it across the liner from front to back.

After about an hour, you can spray some adhesive on the new foam's face, again, liberally.

Place your fabric and press firmly , then slowly roll it out, making sure to remove any air bubbles as they form. (you won't really be able to do it later). Once you've smoothed out the fabric, without stretching it, leave it dry for another hour or so, then re-install it in the van.

Headliners are really easy. Door panels can be a challenge. :p
 
#19 ·
As Christ said use the black can 3M #08088 General Trim Adhesive. try not to use anything else, i used permatex (orange can) and it is suck, just waste your money. be patient with helps from friends or family member and do a small section at a time
cut extra 5 to 6 inched on each side, be generous on the fabric especially at 4 corners where it changes shape from flat surface to the round.
 
#20 ·
There's a balkamp part out there for this. It it's a plastic disk about an inch in diameter. It's flat on one side and has a coarsely threaded pin on the other. Not certain how it would work, but, it seemed like a good idea to me. I've seen them in the "help" section of the parts stores. (You know, the same place they keep the window and door handles, and oil filler caps)
 
#22 ·
You can buy headliner material with the foam already on it. Makes the job so much easier. Han**** fabric carries it around here. Call a fabric store and ask if they carry headliner material.
 
#24 ·
A headliner shop told me that they sometimes can successfully repair a sag by carefully applying gentle heat to the sagging area using a hair dryer.

The idea is to sufficiently warm the adhesive between the headliner and the board enough to soften it up. Then, gently pressing the headliner against the board with a towel while it cools to permanently set the headliner back in place.

He warned to be careful not to let it get too hot too fast though or it could damage the foam backing or the headliner itself.

Anyone tried this?


Another good technique (if the sag is near the edge..is to remove the trim near the sag, let the headliner down a bit, warm the headliner in that area gently, separate the headliner from the board enough to spray some good quality adhesive at the sagging area then press the headliner back into place.
 
#25 ·
Having recovered a few headliners, I think I can safely state that other than pulling the headliner out and recovering it, any other "fix" will only be temporary. The problem is that the foam dries out and turns to dust. If you try to reglue the cloth, there is nothing for it to really stick to. To get the idea, try pouring some common baking flour on a flat surface such as a cutting board, then see if you can glue a piece of cloth to it.

Since we have minivans, it's relatively easy to remove and recover the headliner board, and the materials are not too expensive. Pity some of the modern sedan owners that have to remove the windshield to get the headliner board in and out!
I strongly recommend that you use only the 3M adhesive mentioned above and nothing else! I tried a specially formulated headliner adhesive sold by a commercial auto upholstery concern, and had to redo the job in six months!

One of the hardest parts of the job is getting the board completely clean. It may require a lot of scrubbing with solvent to get it thoroughly clean. Old foam stuck to the board will compromise the job.
Glue outward from the middle in sections, rolling each section down as you glue it. You'll need a helper to hold the undone area off the board. Wax paper "slip sheets" are a good idea here. Follow 3M's instructions exactly. Use plenty of adhesive, but don't saturate through the material--it will show. A minivan headliner may require two cans. Trim up the edges with scissors after the glue is dry. To open up holes for visors etc., I heat up a nail, held with pliers, with a butane torch and melt the excess material away. It's easier than trying to cut a hole with a knife or scissors. Keep a some water handy--the adhesive can be very flammable!
If you break a corner off the board, don't worry--it's easily repaired. Just put the section back in place and lay fiberglass cloth over it. Use two or three layers of clear five minute epoxy, saturating through the fiberglas with the first layer, then adding more epoxy over it, for strength. If it's a little too thick in spots, grind it down some, when dry. The repair will be stronger than the rest of board.
 
#26 ·
paart...

Agreed....

My previous post was assuming a freshly installed headliner with a few sags where the glue didn't hold....as I had with my new headliner recently.

You're right...it would not work on an aging headliner.
 
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