I need to resecure the vinyl headliner in several spots and I am open to suggestions. I’m thinking about screwing stainless steel screws with decorative covers in the same tan color throughout the ceiling but obviously I’m hesitant to do that. Foretravel told me that a 3/4″ screw would not be long enough to do any damage. I’ve heard that taking it to lose and spraying headliner glue is at best a temporary fix. I’d love to hear from anyone who has done this job. Dwayne Keith 1992 U240
My headliner was vinyl, joined in the middle with a joiner strip down the middle. I came to the coach one day, and the entire headliner had sagged down (except the bedroom) the length of the coach. This is a pretty common occurrence that usually will not include anything more than the failure of the adhesive holding the foam to the ceiling. As I recall, the headliner is glued to foam, which is in turn glued to the ceiling. Either the foam disintegrates over time, or the adhesive fails between the foam and the ceiling, or both. Probably (and I say probably, so check it out careful) not a leak or delamination, since this condition was common to many of these coaches. Tim Fiedler 2000 U-320 4010
Takedown the vinyl headliner by snapping off button snaps and strip. Do reglue and with new 1/2 ” foam, spray the glue onto the ceiling and put up foam and then glue liner to foam and reattach to center. Very easy, Have done a lot of that in autos. If you do not feel comfortable doing that then take it to and auto upholstery shop. The job would take about three Hrs and Meteral Easy. John 1992 U 280
On my 85 ORED, the vinyl headliner fell down in spots. I went to an upholstery shop and got snap-type button covers. I screwed the snaps to the ceiling in a pattern and then snapped the vinyl covered buttons on. When finished it looked like a custom button pattern headliner. BTW, If stretched and it has the strip down the center you can remove the strip, stretch it tight and then staple it up to remove slack. Gary B
On my ’92 U300 I had the same headliner problem. I also bought the buttons you speak of and spaced them evenly throughout the ceiling. I started by putting strips of 1″X2″ wood around the cabin top in the cabinets. I then pulled the center strip in the ceiling down and pulled the vinyl toward the center using an air staple/brad nailer to attach it directly to the fiberglass ceiling. Next came the screws and cover buttons you refer to, which I bought from the factory along with the screws that have the square drive socket which you see throughout the rig. Hope this gives you some ideas.
What I did in the closets and cabinets: Bought strips of 1X2’s at Lowes. Painted them a dark brown. Pushed them up against the corner of the cabinets and closets pulling the offending headliner up against the wall. Drilled a hole then drove in a long screw which FT use on everything it seems. I bought them at FT but I’ve seen them at Wal-Mart. Sold as deck screws. Dennis Davis 1999 36′ 270
Our ’89 has the vinyl ceiling also. It was hanging down. I removed the center strip, removed all the staples down the center, pulled the vinyl from each side toward the center, restapled down the center (keep the staples close to center or they will show after you replace the center strip) and bought a bunch of the snap-on buttons from FOT to match the existing ones. I put one row down each side of the center strip, halfway to the cabinets. I then took the center strip apart, scrapped off the sticky, tacky old foam and glue, reglued 1/2″ thick foam–1″ wider than the luan board, and then restapled the vinyl. Make doubly sure you line the holes in the vinyl with the holes in the luan. It is a lot easier to replace the center strip if holes are in line. The vinyl ceiling mat’l has remained tight now for three years.
Apparently the mat’l has finished stretching after all these years.
The old foam/glue is quite sticky and likes to get on everything so put a floor covering down. Nitehawk 1989 Grand Villa 36′ ORED