430 Headliner Foam

What about 3m 38808 ?

 

DAP Weldwood is pretty much the go to, but the stuff in the spray can is not like the kind upholstery shops buy to use out of a spray system. Permatex also sells one at local autoparts stores that's pretty good. The 3M headliner adhesive mentioned above is an equivalent. Most should stand up to the heat. Actually, the foam will give out faster than these adhesives so best to make sure you select a good base.

 

Lots of choices on the foam with a material backing. Google it. Which one is best? I used Dap Weldwood adhesive as others have mentioned.

 

Definitely 3M super 90

 

I am currently working on the same problem. I have the ability to use my English wheel to form an aluminum backer (about .060) that will fit nicely up under the surrounding headliner trim panels. Once covered I will be able to fit it without removing any of the trim panels. I recommend a good old fashion contact cement. I get mine from a furniture/building supply company. If it is not caustic and stink; it's not the good stuff .
And of course, I will never have the problem of a falling headliner again.

The key is to get all the old foam off of the roof. To replace that foam I use what is called in my business Landau foam. It is a closed cell foam and forms to curves very nicely and is primarily used under cars with a vinyl roof. It is cheap and available from Automotive upholstery suppliers. You can get 1/8", 1/4" and even 3/8". It is sold by the yard and is about 50" wide IIRC. It will glue to the roof panel like nothing else and it stays put. Also you can glue vinyl or leather to it as well.

 

I used the 1/8" foam because I was adding thickness with the aluminum panel. You can probably use the same but maybe you can get the 3/16" which I think is also available. Of course you can get the 1/8" stuff and do two layers. I've often done that. I think it is "imported" stuff so sometimes I get it and it is slightly thicker or thinner at millimeter measurements. You can glue them together with the contact cement-- and trust me, they will not separate.

Probably need only a yard but it is so cheap I'd get a couple of yards in case you make a mistake. I think it's only about $10 a yard (at the width of about 50") so plenty to work with.

Depending on the color of your headliner, I'd probably get a new piece of yardage to glue to. If not, be sure to wire brush all the old foam residue off of the back you want to reuse-- as well as the roof panel. A clean surface is paramount to a successful job that stays put. Not to mention you will most likely see irregularities in the new vinyl or reused piece if not completely cleaned of the former foam and glue.

 

Just a few tips...

1. If you're using a fabric backed foam, put the fabric side towards the roof. It will make for easy removal later and will hold the contours better.
2. Spray the glue from a reasonable distance so it's not saturating the foam. You want the foam side to be almost dry before applying so do that first. If it's wet or still tacky, the foam cells have a greater chance of collapsing and sticking together causing an irregular appearance. Never use your fingers or small objects to apply material to open cell foam on the larger flat areas. Instead, use your palm or large flat tools to avoid indentations.
3. Both sides do not need to be tacky for most of these adhesives to work correctly. The foam side can be mostly dry which will decrease your chances of cell collapse. The fabric/liner/leather side should be the tacky side when doing a foam headliner.

 

Those are very good tips. I used the Dap and did not feel like messing with the spray gun so lightly applied it with a brush. Mistake. That is not the way to do it because it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to lay down the leather on the foam with out creating depressions. The rattle can spray would probably work real well.

Forming the backing with aluminum? Sometrhing wrong with the original baseboard? Maybe 430 is not the same as 360?

 

I never use the foam backed material (also called sew foam) for headliners. It will fail again and it is a pain to work with.

Albright Supply has the landau foam but may only sell to businesses (IDK).

however also here:

https://www.yourautotrim.com/1thscfo.html?utm_source=1thscfo&utm_medium=shopping%2Bengine&utm_campaign=googleproducts&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhpeBqeXVhAMViqVaBR2YcwGzEAQYBSABEgJ2o_D_BwE

 

My 360 has the headliner foam glued to the roof. No panel. Kind of a PIA to get that roof completely clean of foam residue. The aluminum panel is a permanent fix.

 

Trying to wrap my head around your solution as I need to fix my saggy headliner. So you're gluing new foam to a clean roof, then you have an aluminum panel with the cosmetic layer glued to it (is there another layer of foam here?), and that is glued to the foam that has been glued to the roof, or does it rely on the arched aluminum panel creating a press fit between the trim panels and roof to hold it in place?

 

Your last sentence: Yes
The aluminum panel is wheeled and fitted to the roof of the car (using the outside of the roof of the car as a buck). It then is covered with the landau foam and then wrapped with the material-- in my case vinyl. The panel is then inserted up into the roof complete and is held in place as a formed panel by the perimeter trim panels. Very lightweight and will stay put nicely.
I have a Pulmax machine, English Wheel, and other metal shaping equipment and have done metal work for years. This solution is relatively simple for me-- and permanent.

 

Thanks. If you haven't already put yours back together, any interest in making a duplicate panel to sell to me?

 

Just a word of warning, landau foam is a closed cell foam that doesn’t always like to be suspended. Gluing it is more difficult than an open cell foam and the bond can be easily broken. Yes, some sew foams are cheap and fall apart, but the good ones are perfectly fine. The scrim layer is typically flame laminated and doesn’t come apart. Open cell foam is typically what is used in factory headliners. Whatever the pink brand is seems to be decent. American Foam I think was the manufacturer for that although it’s not listed.

Yourautotrim, miamicorp, albrights, GAHH are all decent places to get foam

Definitely DO NOT brush on glue for a headliner.

 

The foam is glued to the aluminum then covered and wrapped with the vinyl or leather (which is also glued to the foam). I've done a few like this and I never had it "fall". Using good contact cement (like that used in furniture when covering with a laminate) is the only stuff that I count on. Believe me, I wish I could "separate" the foam from the panel at times when I mis-position it. No way. You get one shot.
And yes, absolutely, you cannot brush the glue on with much success. To add, 3M spray 77 adhesive is not the way to go. It has failed for me many times (in my early years of this business). I chalk it up to not being able to take the heat of the sun heating up the roof panel or other interior pieces.

PS: Albright is who I deal with. Good people, good company.

 

Possible. But at this time I'm so busy with our new home and at my business I've had to park my own headliner project at the bottom of the list.

I will certainly post pics of the process when I get back at it though.

 

Seems like 98 is the way to go

Figured I attach this just a reference.. but nothing like people experience doing this a few times

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