PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - W111 Fintail Headliner Replacement Tips Needed

Squiggle Dog · #13 02-09-2012, 05:27 PM

I have the headliner in place. I pulled the sides (bow listings) as tight as I felt they could go without the headliner tearing. Most of the wrinkles are gone and I have a feeling they might relax with time.

Unfortunately, some of the other wrinkles worry me. When I did the area around the front windshield, it was difficult to get the material tight, even with cutting flex lines on the other side of the pinch weld. It seems as though the material should have more side-to-side tension, however I can not pull more tension on each side without causing wrinkles by the bows and the material around the bows is pulled tight.

So, I pulled the headliner tight around the windshield pinch weld and tried to make sure it didn't bunch up. As you can see, it's wrinkly up front because it seems there is not enough tension there. But, I don't see a way that I can pull any more tension up there without causing more wrinkles. I know the visors and rear view mirror will hide this area, but I prefer to do things well.

Also, I have wrinkles at the rear where the last bow perches on the retaining hooks. I pulled the material tight on the sides, so it doesn't appear that it's bunched up, but I am wondering if maybe I stretched the material when I was pulling it back to get the last bow on the hooks. Might these wrinkles relax or steam out, or is there a safe way I can shrink the sagging areas?

The C-pillars were difficult to do. I had to cut a few flex lines to get the material to lay flat on the curves. Despite pulling the material tight, they have wrinkles in them, most noticeably at the bottoms. I am hoping these wrinkles will come out.

Does anyone with experience in headliner installation have any advice? I have pulled sections down and retacked them in efforts to make it look perfect, but this is the best I am able to do. I am really, really hoping that using a handheld steamer will remove the wrinkles and that the headliner may shrink and smooth out with time. Still, I would have preferred to do a wrinkle-free installation.

This is rather a difficult job and I am doubting my ability to correctly install it. It looks better than what was in there, and maybe it will have to do, but I sure was hoping to make it look as good as the factory did. I just don't have the knowledge or experience to do a great job, and since this is someone else's car, it makes me nervous. Working in the rain ads to the challenge.

Up next... windshield seals...