Just bought a '95 XJ with the traditional sagging headliner. I would prefer to spend a hundred bucks on something useful, so how could I fix it without having a shop repair it?
I figured you fellas have probably run into this before and may have a easy remedy.

 

hello ddavey,

i had the same problem with my cherokee. i just bought a headliner repair kit from jcwhitney. only $45.99

http://www.jcwhitney.com/jcwhitney/category.jcw?nval=1101002659&statenval=0+200001163 +1995&shopid=100001&pageid=10&leftnavcat=true

 

dont buy the spray its a waste of money cuz if it gets hot enough itll just mess it up again ive had it happen to me but buy the gel itll stick better

 

http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/.../Headliner.htm

 

I've done similar ones, in the past. I'm assuming it has the fiber board backing.

We did it in my old Chrylser, by dropping the entire piece, putting in on a flat surface, removing the old material, and then carefully scraping the old adhesive off the backing until it's pretty clean.

I found some great foam-backed headliner material on ebay for the project, and we bought some contact cement (like the stuff you'd use in school, but maybe a better grade), and a small (3" wide or so), foam roller.

Rolled contact cement on to the backing, and worked out way from one end to the other, being careful to not get the cement on the colored nice side of the headliner, doing one section at a time.

Worked like a champ. 2.5 years later and it still looks great.

 

Just rip it out! Oh sorry, thats just the afterglow of ripping the fender flares off mine. I am not sure how the PO did the headline in mine but it is really sick looking. It is some kind of black fake leather stuff. Feels like he just stuck it straight to the metal with maybe just some foam backing or something.

If the PO had not done such a great job on the headliner. I would have already been working on ripping it out and just having the bare metal up there.

Personal Preference though.

 

My '96's dropped within 6 mos after I bought it from the original owner. I had some old wood lattice around and made 3 "bows" (been enough for now) to hold the headliner up. Each bow had to be cut to individual lengths to keep it tight though. I then painted them tan. So far,so good.

 

Thumb tacks $2.00 Has lasted me a while. I want to spend money on other things for my xj than some fabric. but thats just me.

 

just rip it out and truck bed line it. looks awesome

 

thought about ripping it out, but i am in Mississippi, and we have pretty cold winters, and very hot summers, and i think i want to keep that bit of insulation. its looking like i will be dropping the backing and redoing it myself.


the only problem now is, I am worried that with the headache of doing it, plus material cost, that i should save up and get it done by a shop. seems like its going to cost about 50 buck to do it myself. that plus several hours of my time makes it a gamble for me. i am very much a DIY type of guy, i just dont want to screw something like that up, and end up paying someone to fix it,

 

Tack it man, Where at in mississppi are you, i am from mississippi also.

 

Been in Oxford 16 years now. From Moss Point though.

 

I would reccomend doing it yourself. I did mine and from start to finish it took less than 2 hours and cost less than $50. That is including drying time and also doing the sound bar, btw.

It is easy to pull out, just make sure you get some good material, I used camo from the local fabric store. I have always used the 3M Super 77 spray adhesive. I used it on my 91 S10 about three years ago and it still looks brand new, no sagging at all and I used a heavy leather on it.

If you have any questions just shoot me a PM and I can walk you through it.

 

Ah, I am from Purvis, right out side of Hattiesburg but recruited out of Columbus back in 01'

 

I know some former Guardsmen from that area actually. You still serve?