Headliner Woes

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

RustCollector

Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2020
Posts
31
Reaction score
22
Location
Phoenix, AZ
First Name
Kevin
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
Suburban 1500 4x4
Engine Size
5.7 TBI
11 years ago I bought an ABS headliner from LMC Truck for my '88 Suburban. "Guaranteed not to sag!" it said in the catalog... uh huh.

So 6 months later my new $500 headliner was touching the top of my head. Apparently it should have said "guaranteed not to sag... as long as you don't park it outside in the summer in Arizona."

Fast forward to now, I just bought the same headliner, uncovered, from Rock Auto. It's literally all I can seem to find.

My PLAN was to fiberglass the SOB to bolster it, then upholster it after after mounting my AC and drop down TV. BUT, as I'm shopping for fiberglass mat/resin I'm not only taken back by how bloody expensive it's gotten, but I'm having doubts both that it will work and that it's the right approach.

Thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions?
 

Itali83

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2015
Posts
575
Reaction score
1,075
Location
Maine
First Name
Ben
Truck Year
1982, 1987, 1987
Truck Model
K10, 'burban C10, Jimmy
Engine Size
350, 6.2, 350
Is it the fabric that’s sagging or the actual cardboard backing? My headliner was sagging in my 87 and I just recovered it myself with new headliner fabric. The cardboard was in great shape. Yes I’m in Maine and not down south but the truck is originally from down south until last year. It’s a pain but just get the fabric and redo it yourself. It’s very easy especially with our two piece headliners.

Ben
 

RustCollector

Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2020
Posts
31
Reaction score
22
Location
Phoenix, AZ
First Name
Kevin
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
Suburban 1500 4x4
Engine Size
5.7 TBI
Is it the fabric that’s sagging or the actual cardboard backing?

So the original press board/cardboard headliner was disintegrated, cracked, and broken in many pieces, which is what prompted the original ABS replacement. The ABS units replace the cardboard with ABS sheets that I assume are vacuum formed.

What happened to the ABS liner is that the plastic softened in the AZ heat while parked (170F+ is not unheard of) and just bowed down... by a lot! The fabric did separate, but the melted plastic is the main problem.
 

Itali83

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2015
Posts
575
Reaction score
1,075
Location
Maine
First Name
Ben
Truck Year
1982, 1987, 1987
Truck Model
K10, 'burban C10, Jimmy
Engine Size
350, 6.2, 350
So the original press board/cardboard headliner was disintegrated, cracked, and broken in many pieces, which is what prompted the original ABS replacement. The ABS units replace the cardboard with ABS sheets that I assume are vacuum formed.

What happened to the ABS liner is that the plastic softened in the AZ heat while parked (170F+ is not unheard of) and just bowed down... by a lot! The fabric did separate, but the melted plastic is the main problem.

ok gotcha. That’s a bummer. I guess I’d make some strips like the one that divides the front and rear section, and at each cross brace in the roof, I’d screw to that. It’d look decent and keep the headliner up.
 

Itali83

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2015
Posts
575
Reaction score
1,075
Location
Maine
First Name
Ben
Truck Year
1982, 1987, 1987
Truck Model
K10, 'burban C10, Jimmy
Engine Size
350, 6.2, 350
Put a console from an 89-91 suburban and that’ll hold up the front section. Then just add a cross in the rear maybe.
ben
 

eskimomann209

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2019
Posts
1,849
Reaction score
1,998
Location
Modesto
First Name
Marcus
Truck Year
1973
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
5.3
Wonder if adding some lizard skin or some type of heat barrier would help keep that big ass top from absorbing all that heat.
 

shiftpro

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Posts
4,855
Reaction score
6,085
Location
BC Canada
First Name
shiftpro
Truck Year
73-87
Truck Model
1500, 2500, 3500
Engine Size
350, 383, 454, 496!
Wonder if adding some lizard skin or some type of heat barrier would help keep that big ass top from absorbing all that heat.
No it wouldn't do anything! Nice try though... it would allow the interior to get a bit cooler while driving with the AC on.... or warmer in the winter!
 

shiftpro

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Posts
4,855
Reaction score
6,085
Location
BC Canada
First Name
shiftpro
Truck Year
73-87
Truck Model
1500, 2500, 3500
Engine Size
350, 383, 454, 496!
as I'm shopping for fiberglass mat/resin I'm not only taken back by how bloody expensive it's gotten,

It doesn't help you don't live on a coast, but if you source fiberglass through the boat industry in 5 gallon buckets it's the best price. Not like the the auto industry.. still pricey but won't kill ya. But I like the idea. Just resin with lots of hardener...
 

RustCollector

Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2020
Posts
31
Reaction score
22
Location
Phoenix, AZ
First Name
Kevin
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
Suburban 1500 4x4
Engine Size
5.7 TBI
It doesn't help you don't live on a coast, but if you source fiberglass through the boat industry in 5 gallon buckets it's the best price. Not like the the auto industry.. still pricey but won't kill ya. But I like the idea. Just resin with lots of hardener...

From what I've found, i'm looking at about $50 PER LAYER of matting to cover it. How many layers are sufficient? That I don't know. That's kind of where some of my doubts are coming from. If I need 4+ layers it's just gotten into stupid cost territory. My fiberglass experience isn't extensive, but at least 2-4 has been my experience to date for good rigidity.

I considered just using an epoxy resin sans mat, but I'm not sure that would be sufficient considering the area, weight, and the fact that the ABS base is useless at temp.
 

shiftpro

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Posts
4,855
Reaction score
6,085
Location
BC Canada
First Name
shiftpro
Truck Year
73-87
Truck Model
1500, 2500, 3500
Engine Size
350, 383, 454, 496!
From what I've found, i'm looking at about $50 PER LAYER of matting to cover it. How many layers are sufficient? That I don't know. That's kind of where some of my doubts are coming from. If I need 4+ layers it's just gotten into stupid cost territory. My fiberglass experience isn't extensive, but at least 2-4 has been my experience to date for good rigidity.

I considered just using an epoxy resin sans mat, but I'm not sure that would be sufficient considering the area, weight, and the fact that the ABS base is useless at temp.

i was thinking of just resin with hardener. If it soaks in, even a little, that should be all you need. Might need to prop up the liner with sticks so it's not sagging when you hit it. And lots of hardener so it... hardens... quickly and all the way through.
 

Big Chip

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Posts
4,656
Reaction score
6,728
Location
Michigan
First Name
Kevin
Truck Year
1979
Truck Model
C35
Engine Size
454
Can you fiberglass cross bows to the top of the headliner? I'm thinking something the the batten strips in a sail or something along those lines going side to side.

Something like this with some spring to it:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/114166101149?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-213727-13078-0&mkcid=2&itemid=114166101149&targetid=4580496732614417&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=&poi=&campaignid=418233788&mkgroupid=1230353745471221&rlsatarget=pla-4580496732614417&abcId=9300542&merchantid=51291&msclkid=3e27baeefa4214e28feadbfb45e4cc92

Edit: not sure why the link looks like this but it works.
 

AuroraGirl

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2019
Posts
9,121
Reaction score
6,037
Location
Northern Wisconsin
First Name
Taylor
Truck Year
1978, 1980
Truck Model
K10, K25
Engine Size
400(?), 350
No it wouldn't do anything! Nice try though... it would allow the interior to get a bit cooler while driving with the AC on.... or warmer in the winter!
does he garage the truck? starting out from a shelter would prob make it worth a try but thats only the start
 

Raider L

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2020
Posts
1,892
Reaction score
994
Location
Shreveport, LA
First Name
William
Truck Year
1974
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
355
@RustCollector, *see the site he's referring to.

@Big Chip
,
That's not a bad idea! You could sew it into the material like ribs and cut them a bit long then put them into the edge above the door and they would bow up and hold themselves in. It would never come loose!
 

Chris Gibson

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2020
Posts
2
Reaction score
0
Location
Spokane, WA
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
Silverado 20
Engine Size
350
11 years ago I bought an ABS headliner from LMC Truck for my '88 Suburban. "Guaranteed not to sag!" it said in the catalog... uh huh.

So 6 months later my new $500 headliner was touching the top of my head. Apparently it should have said "guaranteed not to sag... as long as you don't park it outside in the summer in Arizona."

Fast forward to now, I just bought the same headliner, uncovered, from Rock Auto. It's literally all I can seem to find.

My PLAN was to fiberglass the SOB to bolster it, then upholster it after after mounting my AC and drop down TV. BUT, as I'm shopping for fiberglass mat/resin I'm not only taken back by how bloody expensive it's gotten, but I'm having doubts both that it will work and that it's the right approach.

Thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions?
You might look at Lock-Tite PL375. It's construction adhesive that sticks to just about anything and holds really well. I've used it to adhere exterior rigid foam to concrete foundations (one of the things it's design for). Another product that may prevent you ever removing the headliner without destroying it is 3M VHB (Very High Bond) adhesive tape.
 

RustCollector

Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2020
Posts
31
Reaction score
22
Location
Phoenix, AZ
First Name
Kevin
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
Suburban 1500 4x4
Engine Size
5.7 TBI
You might look at Lock-Tite PL375. It's construction adhesive that sticks to just about anything and holds really well. I've used it to adhere exterior rigid foam to concrete foundations (one of the things it's design for). Another product that may prevent you ever removing the headliner without destroying it is 3M VHB (Very High Bond) adhesive tape.

Service temp on the 375 is only 160F. I actually know it won't work because I used it once upon a time to hang foam insulation from a shed roof and it let go second week of july. But glueing the pig in is an interesting thought. I'm sure i can find an adhesive that would hold up.

If nothing else, since i'm starting with raw ABS and covering it myself, I may be able to run screws into the cross members on the roof. Probably wouldn't be much more effort than glassing.

I'll have to ponder on those options....
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
41,847
Posts
903,385
Members
33,362
Latest member
Dhatch84
Top