Headliner questions...

[BullDogSix]

I know several of you guys have replaced your headliners...so how much fabric did it require? Overall length and width needed would be great too.

Thanks.

[hermanpj]

I had it done professionally for $75 once i had removed the old fabric, scraped off the remaining foam, and fixed tears in the fiberglass/foam board.

so dont know the dimensions, but did want to pass that on to you: once you do all the hard work, getting a pro to do the job to make it look pretty is relatively cheap.

[BullDogSix]

Thanks Pat,

I am going to go with a "micro suede" fabric like Alcantara that I can get through work for a great price. Just need to know how wide to be looking for and a general length as I am not near to the Rangie at the moment. If I had to guess does 56" sound like it would work?...and how about 96 total length? Your guess?...

-Andy

[OkieRover]

I did that to mine a long time ago. I wrote it up for my website.

[hermanpj]

check out Okie's site. i think he gives the dimensions. i did watch as the pro did this and only thing i'd say is allow for extra. e.g. allow for a few extra inches all the way around. okie would know how much extra.

You'll also need an extra section to cover the sunroof panel as well - dont try to actually re-use the piece that gets cut out.

compare the alcantara stuff to the weight of the original stuff. If its heavier or much thicker you might have to rethink using it. several places i talked to explained to me that heavier materials were not possible in this application either due to the flimsy headliner board or due to the tendency of thicker fabrics to separate from their foam backing.

Good luck!

[BullDogSix]

Thanks Paul.

Great site Okie.

The micro suede I'll be using is a little thicker than what's normally used, however I did read some info on a UK site that said alot of sagging headliner issues were due to poor adhesives used back then. They suggested using a good industrial glue and to also seal the headliner board with a couple coats of sealer in order to provide a good grip for the glue.

[hermanpj]

actually the problem i saw and my friends have talked about is not the glue per se. Its that in humidity the foam rots. so what you typically see is - even with our lightweight factory headliners - the fabric separating from the foam, and reallly most/all of the foam still happily stuck to the headliner board.

I'd use a spray adhesive that specifically lists being formulated for adhering headliners.

[BullDogSix]

Hmmm...is the headliner fabric foam backed?? If so then I should not have that problem as the micro suede is the same material throughout.

[hermanpj]

yep. most headliners are a fabric outer with a thin foam backing.

[HeadlinerExpress]

BULLDOGSIX

Hmmm...is the headliner fabric foam backed?? If so then I should not have that problem as the micro suede is the same material throughout

Snip//////

The 1/8th inch factory foam backing is designed to remove any imperfections in the headliner board and give the cloth a clean even flow through out the vehicle, its not designed to be a insulator either.

The problem you will likely run into using micro suede is that “some micro suede materials” are not flexible enough to make the contours around the front of your headliner board and grab handles areas without cutting and stitching to make the curves.

The elastic part of having a foam backing allows the cloth material or even the micro suede to remain some what flexible, its not the cloth so much that is flexible as it is the foam backing that allows the material to flex or make curves, with out the foam backing your limited on making contours of any kind.

Also with out the foam backing depending on the type of spray adhesives, dryers in air lines or aerosol spray cans and weather conditions be aware of the high humid days where you shoot more water than adhesives.

You could have some bleeding through the exposed side from to much moisture from mother nature, make sure your working in a good dry environment to allow the spray adhesives to tack up properly. If your material had foam backing the foam backing would exurb the adhesive not the micro suede with out the foam backing.

[BullDogSix]

Thanks Headliner Express...good advice.

I plan on prepping the surface of the headliner board very carefully to get rid of any imperfections (as much as I can anyway) and then seal it really well. I will also test the micro suede material for bleed thru and adhesion before I commit. I've narrowed it down to 2 different fabrics, both of which have a backing of some other material which I hope will minimize bleed thru...it also seems to offer an amount of "stretchability" which should also help. If this works good I'll post up pics and links to materials.

[HeadlinerExpress]

BULLDOGSIX-Asked:

..so how much fabric did it require? Overall length and width needed would be great too.
SNIP///

1987-1995 Range Rover County/Classic
1995-2002 Range Rovers (P38)
2003 to 2008 Range Rovers / Sport Supercharger

Requires: 4 Yards of material which is enough to recover your Headliner Board & Sunroof Panel

Requires: 60 inch in width.

60 inches in width is enough to roll the edges behind the Headliner Board from side to side as well as Front to Back to give support to the Finished Product.

Unlike the Original Headliner Material in which the Manufacture CUT at the EDGE of the Front Window and on both sides of the L/R Rear Window Wings of the Headliner Board.

(Between the Backrest of the Back Seat & the Rear (5th) Door or Hatch.

These areas are effected by the (UV-Ultra Violet) Rays from the Sun and Dry Out First The Foam Backing and the Headliner Material Fall's because of lack of Support not wrapped on the back side of the Headliner Board exposed to the (UV)

If your considering going to ALCANTARA or any other Ultra Suede make sure your purchasing the "Panel Weight Material" this product is designed for Headliners and Door Panels and in most cases is only 59 inches wide, to Shot for a Range Rover but the correct Weight for a Headliner Replacement, the Suede Material will have to be Custom fitted to your Headliner Board because its not Wide enough to cover the width of your Board.

Make sure your not sold the "Cover Wight Material" for your Headliner as this material is Heavier and designed for Seat Upholstery and to Heavy to use as Headliner Material and is only 56 inches wide.

Let me know if i can help answer any other Questions. Bill