Head liner drooping

[Tom_G]

Aloha all!
While hardly a problem unique to Rangers, the headliner in my '99 is coming progressively less and less attached to the ceiling. It hasn't gotten to the point of blocking my vision or brushing against my head yet, and I'd like to be proactive and take corrective action before that happens. Any suggestions that actually work? I've tried various techniques with cars past, all to varying degrees of not-success. My favorite failure was to use hundreds of thumb tacks, which were supposed to accomplish the dual functions of reattaching the head liner and providing some additional decoration. They also fell out over time, mining the floor and seats with caltrops!

Mahalo!

 

[Josh B]

I think the best option is to get a new liner cloth and some spray on adhesive and drop the thing and reline it.
There's been several posts about it here and on utube.
I found a good adhesive at walmart hobby area but you have to read the labels real close, they say on them whether or not to use for headliners.

 

[Curious Hound]

On my Ranger, I just took it to a shop and had it done professionally. The spray-on adhesive is tricky and it's easy to end up with a mess if you're uncoordinated like me.

On the other hand, my F250 crew cab needs to have it done. As a temporary measure I ripped all the cloth off and scraped/vacuumed as much of the deteriorating foam.off as possible. To me, it looks more pleasant than the filthy flopping cloth that was hanging there. Not sure how I'm going to recover that one. Might try it myself.

 

[bilbo]

I'd try to take the whole thing out and replace the fabric. I was able to get the foam-backed cloth from a local fabric store. After the trim pieces were removed, the backer board dropped down easily and being a single cab getting it out and back in wasn't too bad. Like JoshB said get some spray adhesive and just follow the directions. I have to do this in my F250 soon.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Don;t know if you stumbled across this thread yet? https://www.therangerstation.com/fo...6-ranger-build-ish.194683/page-2#post-1860732

I tried reaching out to @RustyShackleford94 and guessing he doesn't hang out here much anymore.

Anyway, have embarked on the same exact project. Have everything I need except the fabric. That's on order and awaiting arrival. Maybe we can swap notes.

 

[RonD]

If it's just coming off in a few(or one) spot you can use a "Glue Applicator Syringe" to apply fabric adhesive behind the liner
Have done that on a few headliners in vehicles, virtually invisible holes. use glue sparingly so you don't get a "wet spot" showing thru
Better to apply small amounts in several spots, which is how its held in place to begin with

The weight of falling headliner is why it starts to pull headliner around it down
So "nip it in the bud" if possible

 

[Fast Eddie]

I found a good adhesive at walmart hobby area but you have to read the labels real close, they say on them whether or not to use for headliners.

Thank you for this. I just checked the back of my can and it NOT recommended for headliners - Gorilla Glue at that, and I got it at walmart. Can you share what you used? Is it holding up well? TIA.

 

[Fast Eddie]

If it's just coming off in a few(or one) spot you can use a "Glue Applicator Syringe" to apply fabric adhesive behind the liner
Have done that on a few headliners in vehicles, virtually invisible holes. use glue sparingly so you don't get a "wet spot" showing thru
Better to apply small amounts in several spots, which is how its held in place to begin with

The weight of falling headliner is why it starts to pull headliner around it down
So "nip it in the bud" if possible

Too late for me but will definitely try to remember. I'm sure it won;t take too many Florida summers before it starts to happen again.

 

[Josh B]

Thank you for this. I just checked the back of my can and it NOT recommended for headliners - Gorilla Glue at that, and I got it at walmart. Can you share what you used? Is it holding up well? TIA.

They had both types there and the labels told the story.
I believe the one needed is the most expensive one by a couple bucks maybe
I do not recall specific names or brands, sorry
They were all together in the sewing=hobby area

 

[RonD]

Had a friend that bought a car with headliner coming down
Replacing it was quite expensive, but relative, he had more time than money, lol

He used a metal mesh he cut to fit one area of headliner then propped it up to hold headliner in place and then proceeded to use the Glue Applicator Syringe method all over that area
Let it dry then moved to next area, probably took him 2 or 3 days, it looked fine when he was done, well way better, lol
Not sure how long it lasted because he sold the car, it was just a "flip", but he drove it for a few months after so lasted at least that long

 

[franklin2]

I have done about 10 of these things in various cars and trucks. If you want the original look, I recommend you hunt around for a local upholstry shop, and ask them if you bring the headliner cleaned off to them, how much would they charge to glue the new fabric on. I found a shop that would do it for $75. Normally it's about $300 to do the whole job.

The reason I take it a shop is the glue. I tried the kits they sell in the store, the glue did not hold. I tried contact adhesive, on the Fords they usually use cardboard and it works ok, but GM used styrofoam, and the contact adhesive in the store will melt it. The upholstry shop has the best glue for this job, so I do all the hard work and then let them supply the fabric and glue it on.

Another option that works well for me if you do not need the original look, and you have a cardboard headliner, is to go to Walmart or a fabric store and buy some vinyl with the white fuzz on the back of it. You can use the strong 3M spray contact adhesive, and coat both pieces and then glue it in place.

 

[Tom_G]

Months later, here's what I'm going to try:

Amazon.com

 

[Brain75]

piece of advice on the spray adhesive, do it outside over a tarp stuff is impossible to remove if you overspray.

 

[Brain75]

whoah, wait... the PO of mine did a much less damaging thing than those. that will leave big holes in the board, you want as tiny a hole as possible so that when you do pull it and do it right you don't have a trashed board to start with..

pix can be deceiving, but those looked like big screws... compare them to something like this which I think is a lot thinner wire:

Amazon.com: Amazing Drapery Hardware Car Headliner Pins Set of 12 - Upholstery Headliner Repair Automotive Fabric Fasteners Screws : Automotive

Buy Amazing Drapery Hardware Car Headliner Pins Set of 12 - Upholstery Headliner Repair Automotive Fabric Fasteners Screws: Clips - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

PO of mine "most likely" got something like that from NAPA, that is what is closest and his first go to store.

 

[franklin2]

Holes and big cracks and broken pieces really do not matter. If you go with the original style fabric, it has a foam layer on the back and hides many imperfections. That is actually what goes bad, the foam behind the fabric rots out and lets the fabric drop.

You can have the headliner board actually break off, it usually happens around the sunvisors, and the whole corner will break off. You can just use duct tape, or any kind of tape to temporarily hold it back together, and when the headliner is glued back on it will permanently hold it together and let you re-install it back in the truck.

If you ever worked on very many interiors, you already know they are sort of thrown together with clips, staples, plastic and cardboard. Not much precision to it.