Cab Headliner Replacement

[DavidH]

I've seen many buses with the same staining on the headliner including my own, hence the observation.
I'm not convinced that it's nicotine/smoke related as the staining is more prominent on the lower edges of the liner itself....where the lower edge is captured.
Looking at your pics it seems possible that the staining could be surface rust related from the retaining clips themselves....?

One trick I was told was to warm up the headliner with a heat gun as you stretch & capture the edges....once the material cools, it shrinks slightly helping prevent any annoying ripples....

Hi Mark,
Maybe the stain is the glue over time. 
Thanks for the heat gun clue! Worked well for a winter hood liner. I'd definitely do this in a summer 30 degree day with the bus outside in that sun. Would make the stretch easier!
Cheers

[DavidH]

i'd agree with the others that it's is either the glue or condensation or combination of both. Was there any sound deadening material stuck to the roof?

No sound deadening applied to standard Sopru fit outs. Lucky if it got half an 'engineering'!
Why don't hold the smokers responsible for the condensation to the roof lining for that is what happened in that era for me! Puff.... puff!:-)
Cheers

[Grantus]

No sound deadening applied to standard Sopru fit outs. Lucky if it got half an 'engineering'!
Why don't hold the smokers responsible for the condensation to the roof lining for that is what happened in that era for me! Puff.... puff!:-)
Cheers

Coz you probably had front 1/4 vent windows. And if open whilst you smoked, the extraction is incredibly efficient whilst the vehicle is in motion. 

[Wayne Murray]

I've seen a lot of cars over the years that have had brown stains in the headlining, some even have a mark that looks more like water line around the edges. Even mine had stains in the headlining which come from a non smoker owner.  Not saying smoke hasn't contributed to the cause. to me it's not the main reason it has done it?

[DavidH]

To progress this without the discussion about glue/whatever staining. Here's the rear catcher loaded. It's nice & even. Now we just chase to the front to get it even!
   
Front catcher retained    
You can see the work needed on the front left side. It's stressed as I am! Pilots side has come out perfect. This liner is not symmetrical! Laurens side less than perfect!
I paid $1,000 in '97 for the installed liner I just removed & thought it expensive. Now I know why it was so much. Chasing the edges takes time & skill. Your flat blade 8mm screwdriver will get a work out & you will learn how to tuck & fold that linings edges!
This panel has been folded in a square for 7 years. Perhaps should have laid in the sun for a day before I started! Then nailed into position!
Just did the front side catcher positions 2 catcher positions at a time with that heat gun!
Waiting for time/ summer/ heat/ stretch to progress to finish. 9/10 there!
Just those little corners to do next to sun visors. Prob the hardest as that part of the kombi has the greatest curve!
Cheers

[Oldman]

Keep going David, you’ll get there…….
Going slowly and not moving on until things are correct is the best way of ensuring a good outcome, I’ve found.

[Oldman]

Hey David, I'm curious as to why you have the sun visors in place before the liner is complete.......?
The one I've done - and I was guided by a Trimmer - was started at the rear, bows in, stretched to the front, contact glued in place with heaps of bulldog clips, then stretched from centre to outside on both sides, and the visors re-fitted afterwards .....easy enough to find the visor mounting holes by pressing on the liner and feeling with your fingers.
As I said, just curious and not a criticism.....

[DavidH]

Hi Mark,
The new liner came with the visor positions marked in pencil (&mirror, light &inner visor mounts). I mused over the way to go about it & went with the markings as I found no way to hold the bows in place without tension. Didn't think of the bulldog clips . T'was a tug of war getting over the rear catcher but 1 hour later I got there.
Front tidied up & ready for a windscreen.
   
Waiting for summer to finish above passengers side.
Cheers

[Oldman]

All good……I went the opposite way.
Captured the rear, then worked forwards....
Headliners, like kids, don’t come with an instruction manual …..

[DavidH]

All good……I went the opposite way.
Captured the rear, then worked forwards....
Headliners, like kids, don’t come with an instruction manual …..

 .
Thank you for giving another way to capture the front edge. I reckon the methodology is the same .

Capture front edge (by whatever method you like) so the bows stand up & then do rear trimmer, glue front edge & then work to the sides.

We're just adding to the archive  .

Cheers