To Bill Stauffer,

Thanks for offering help as I am sure this is a fairly common problem with LRs.

I'm in the Northeast ( NJ, Bergen county ), would you happen to know any contacts up here that do
leaks ( above the windshield ) and also do liners? Id be willing to travel about 1 hour to a good place. I have to fix my leaks first before getting the liner done.

Thanks in advance.
Ed

 

Uh, guys... hate to dampen the enthusiasm but you've unearthed a 2008 thread...

But... it just so happens that I have sitting in my house a roll of headliner material and glue that I ordered from Headliner Express several weeks ago. I'll try to document my how-to (it'll complement the painted headliner how-to that others have done) and post it. The really critical question is: will it look like crap when I'm done, or as good as factory?

I'm going to be traveling a lot in the near future, so it may be a while before I start/finish the project.

RedAustinIX (Ed)

 

that would be great if you could do that, it's alway helpful to learn by someone elses mistakes.
how much did Headliner Express get you for the kit?

 

I can't remember exactly - I paid whatever they were charging on their web site. I bought 2 cans of glue and the Discovery kit. I think it was about $120 or so. It's probably good that I offered to write it up, because that'll give me the kick-in-the-rear to get it done sooner

RedAustinIX (Ed)

 

Well folks, I have good news and bad news...

The good news is that today I finished installing my new headliner. The bad news is that I had my hands full getting it done, and didn't take the time to do a fancy write-up.

Nonetheless, I did learn some things along the way and will try to pass them along here:

1) I was very pleased with the quality of the headliner material and glue from headlinersexpress. From what I learned from my research, you definitely want to buy their glue. Other types don't hold up over time in the outside heat.
2) You'll need the pre-cut roll of headliner, and two cans of the glue.
3) Follow the same disassembly instructions shared in the painted headliner write-up. I do recommend removing the A and C-pillars (I think that's what they're called) and rubber window trim, as well as the plastic panels on opposite sides of the cargo area. This will enable very easy removal and re-insertion of the headliner with minimal damange to the newly recovered unit.
4) Clean the headliner with a soft nylon bristle brush. I was able to get mine very clean in this manner. Once finished, I cleaned off any remaining dust with a slightly dampened paper towel. In my opinion, I think wire brushes or power washing will damage the headliner.
5) Once you're ready to do the recovering, lay everything out and practice doing it without glue 3 to 4 times. Seriously, you need to practice it several times to get comfortable with it.
6) I recommend having a second person to help you hold the material up while you're working it into place. The glue is very sticky, and once it's stuck there's little chance to get it loose.
7) Fold the headliner back halfway, and start in the section of the map pockets. Spray about 25% of the panel with glue, wait a good 2-3 minutes for it to get tacky, and then slowly press the headliner into place. Make sure to wait for the glue to set-up, or you'll get weird spots (ask me how I know... ) Use a LOT of glue. 2 cans is plenty, and the more glue you spray, the less likelyhood of drooping headliner in the future.
8) Continue in sections. I did the main areas first, and saved all the edge work around the sides for later.
9) Once you're finished, check around for any areas on the edge that might need a smidgeon more glue and apply as needed. You might also want to cut holes in the sunroof areas and see if any more glue needs to be squirted into the lip of the sunroof part of the tray.
10) OK, you're done with gluing. Now you need to get a NEW razor blade (i.e. sharp) and a good pair of scissors (the kind you can cut wrapping paper with without it ripping). Carefully trim the edges. I'd recommend leaving 1/2" of material on all sides, because it can be tucked into the plastic trim when you remount the headliner. I didn't do it myself (another regret...) but I'd recommend trying to leave 2-3" of headliner material at the front, and fold it over for a clean look. I cut mine, and it doesn't like as nice as I would like.
11) Use your scissors and a sharp punch tool (or screwdriver) to cut Xs or punch holes in all the small areas. Make sure to find all of them, or you'll have difficulty during the installation. Again, you don't have to trim them perfectly, and you're better to err on the side of more material than less (you can always trim later if needed).
12) You're now ready to reinstall. It's pretty much the reverse of what you did to remove it. Make sure you keep your hands clean, especially when refitting the rubber window trim.

In short... there are two things I would do differently the next time:
1) Spray the glue on much thicker. I didn't spray it on very heavy at first, and I'm concerned that the middle section might not hold up over time. 2 cans is plenty, so go heavy with the glue!
2) I would leave the front part of the headliner long and fold it over for a cleaner look.

Q&A
How does it look versus painted?
I've never seen a painted headliner, but I have to believe that up close this looks much nicer (and softer to touch for those who have kids).

Should you take on this project?
I believe it's very difficult to get this project perfect on the first try. I really took my time, but still didn't get it perfect. I'd give the quality of my install a B- (maybe a B if it holds up over time). I doubt if anyone would notice that it's not a brand-new headliner, but if they really look at it they might be able to tell.

Feel free to ask more questions and I'm happy to help share my advice!
RedAustinIX (Ed)

 

Red-Thanks for the commentary. It really helps. I have the materials from HE for the D2 but I may end up painting the headliner for the D1. This is probably in the same skillset category as tinted windows...which I am going to try also.

 

Hey Bill - I've got to admit, I'm not too pleased with your business' level of customer service. I recently purchased the assembly guide rails (EGM100192) for a discovery II for $144.95 plus $13 shipping on your website that showed "in-stock" only to get an email stating they are out-of-stock. Next thing I see on your wesbite the very next day is the exact same part for $600 plus dollars! What gives - can't sell at your original advertised price? That's shady if you ask me... I was merely putting the pieces together to repair a Disco II sunroof and have to deal with this type of thing from an apparent "reputable" parts supplier for sunroofs and headliners. Very unfortunate.

 

For those of you who are interested in replacing a saggy headliner, unless you're planning to repair your sunroof, you're wasting time, money and effort.

For those of you who think plugged drain tube are a problem, you're also wasting your time. The drains are to catch water getting past the sunroof seal. In a properly working sunroof, that doesn't happen. If it does get past the seal, and you're parked on an upwards incline, the water runs out of the back of the tray onto the headliner.

Gasapple has the correct approach, but the problem is getting the parts. Replacing the rail assemblies with new will correct the problem, but unfortunately the problem will return at some point. I don't know if it's a year, 5 years, or 10 years, but my guess is that it doesn't last long.

Replacing the rail assemblies with used will probably not help. I've not gotten photos from 3 different assemblies being sold on Ebay and they're all 3 screwed up. That's on top of the three I have. One is from a 2003. You won't find used ones much newer than that.

 

Return and get a cheaper one....$103

EGM100192 :: All British Car Parts :: Motorcars Inventory Bargain Bin

 

Reputable and legit company/website?