Tips For Fixing A Sagging Headliner?

[Musky_Madness]

My 97 F150 headliner is starting to let loose on the passenger side. There is a rectangle shape that is starting to develop roughly 8 inches long by 4 inches wide. I went to the local auto parts shop this AM and found a Heavy Duty Headliner/Fabric Adhesive Spray made by Permatex. I got home and started assessing the situation and am unsure if that is the correct product. The young lads at the store didn't have any helpful hints and added they've never used the product. I did a test spray and looks like great stuff shooting out of it and I really don't care to have my gray headliner turn yellow in that corner. I've read on the web that fabric glue will work and hold better than the actual headliner adhesive. Any other suggestions or experience?

[Gus]

Headliner can be a pain. What usually happens is the foam core just keeps crumbling apart and the newly glued fabric just pulls free again and again and again. The only way I've found to really help is to either replace the entire headliner, or pin it up so at least it's out of your hair. Auto parts stores usually sell "saggy stoppers" which are basically a thumbtack with a screw shaped pin instead of straight. These can twist into the headliner and usually hold. Hold better than glue anyway. Looks like hell still, but it keeps it out of your hair. The only other thing that I know of that works is total replacement. It's been a number of years since I had to do this but that's all that worked for me in the past. Couldn't hurt to try the fabric glue, but if the core is foam like in my experiences, it will likely pull free again. It's usually the foam that is deteriorating rather than the fabric.

[Hafnutz]

Once it starts to fall away from the foam backing it's about done for. Best to remove the whole panel and replace the fabric. Not too hard to do. You can replace it with just about any heavy fabric. Upholstery supply stores may have the correct foam backed fabric also. Just spray on the glue and work the fabric into place, fold the edges over. You can glue the edges onto the backside with hot glue, trim it up and reinstall.

[Surface Tension]

Spray contact cement.

Apply to both surfaces, let dry to touch then stick together. Rush it and it won't stick.

[Scott K]

Get a used one from a junk yard and replace it, they are easy to do.

[IFallsRon]

I used T-pins from the office store.