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Headliner Question...

5-90

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Hammerspace
For those of you who have done the job, and decided to use polyester (fibreglas) resin to make the board stiffer and easier to handle, I have only one question:

How much do you need?

I can source the stuff in quart cans (still costs too damn much,) and I don't really want to overbuy, since I don't have a lot of other use for the stuff. How much did you use per side, and how much in total? I've followed most of the threads on the subject, and this never seemed to come up...

5-90
 
You've seen my famous Headliner page?

http://homepage.mac.com/johnvito/PhotoAlbum37.html

I used two cans of fiberglass resin for a single side...but my first batch quickly hardened after eight minutes...I lost about half of the can. But also I think it could have used one more coat as two coats didn’t fill in all the nooks and crannies....So I would estimate about 2 1/2 cans per side. Resin is measured by weight...each can is 2 pounds 3 oz.

If I had to do it again I would use fiberglass fabric for added strength as I have a sunroof - so it might soak up a little more resin. Also I think with fiberglass fabric would help cover the nooks and crannies.

I only coated the beauty side...I’m not sure it would be necessary to coat the back side. Might make the back surface too hard and create noise against the roof.
 
tear out headliner and rhino coat the roof! Any bedliner coating would be cool. I have never done it though, BUT I think it would cool and should help insulate. Agree? Disagree?
 
Damn, I wish I would have seen that before I did mine. With that backer, I don't see how you can clean it up without tearing it up. Fiberglass resin appears to be the answer! Next time.
 
Johnny V - did you notice any difference in interior sound when you redid your headliner like that?

I'm currently soundproofing my jeep, and figured I'd do the headliner while it was out.

I initially considered redoing the headliner with the stone accents spray like in that writeup, but the more I thought about it, the more I began to wonder how the resin would affect the sound qualitites - e.g. reflecting all the cabin sound whereas the foam would absorb it.

I've pretty much decided to use fabric and foam in my reinstall to avoid this, but thought I'd ask for anyone else who is considering doing this.
 
dj's 2000 xj said:
tear out headliner and rhino coat the roof! Any bedliner coating would be cool. I have never done it though, BUT I think it would cool and should help insulate. Agree? Disagree?

I was thinking/wondering about adding some sound/heat mat to the roof underside before replacing the headliner. Do you think theres room to do that above the headliner? I havent pulled mine out yet but theres no material at all left on it. The backing board seems to be in good shape.

Thanks,
Ken
 
OK - "quart size" can. I didn't check the weight on the label.

So, I'll likely be wanting at least two when I do hers, and more for mine - but I'd been thinking about putting fibreglas on the upside, and maybe laying in a bit of metal sheet for reinforcement, so I can attach lightweight stuff to the headliner where I can get at it easily. I haven't decided yet.

Hers is just falling down - me, I'm getting rid of a sunroof once I have a filler panel to patch it with (Phil? You listening? :jester: ) I'm just tired of the damn sunroof leaking - it rains inside my rig more than it does outside - and I've used about six tubes of RTV Black trying to goop it shut... I'm just tired of the thing.

Thus, this question.

5-90
 
Doing some sound insulation while you are in there is a good idea. My friend and I pulled my headliner back in 98, or so and sprayed the roof with Rockford Fosgate Noise Killer. We also ran silicone along the cross-mambers and wherever we thought vibration may cause a rattle. We also sprayed expanding foam in the holes we found. I know people say that crap traps moisture, but if moisture gets in there, I have bigger problems.

The problem with the spray noise dampener is the possibility of getting it all over the interior of your ride. We spent a couple of hours masking and covering everything with plastic.

The Dynamat or a similar product would fit just fine, if I am thinking correctly. You wouldn't have to mess with covering everything up, either.
 
klonestar said:
I was thinking/wondering about adding some sound/heat mat to the roof underside before replacing the headliner. Do you think theres room to do that above the headliner? I havent pulled mine out yet but theres no material at all left on it. The backing board seems to be in good shape.
Thanks,
Ken
Plenty of room.
This is Damplifier from secondskinaudio. Single layer is about 1.6 mm. I've also got it on the floor. I'll be spraying Firewall (a paint with ceramic filler) on top of it. If you are looking for thermal insulation as well as/instead of sound insulation, you should go with Firewall. Cascade makes a similar product called TG-1.

I don't know that I would suggest using a fiberglass/ceramic mat if that's what you were thinking. There is definitely room up there, though, at least a quarter of an inch. If you look at the depth of the crossmembers there - that's how much room you have.



dj's 2000 xj said:
tear out headliner and rhino coat the roof! Any bedliner coating would be cool. I have never done it though, BUT I think it would cool and should help insulate. Agree? Disagree?
Personally I wouldn't do it. Bedliner is expensive, and wouldn't offer any soundprrofing or thermal insulation worth noting... and if your roof is getting submerged, you probably have bigger problems than a wet headliner.

Not that I'm convinced soundproofing or thermal insulation on the roof is necessary, period, but if that's the reason for it, then you would be better picking a sound or thermal insulating material. My $.02
 
Last edited:
lilredwagn said:
Johnny V - did you notice any difference in interior sound when you redid your headliner like that?
...I initially considered redoing the headliner with the stone accents spray like in that writeup, but the more I thought about it, the more I began to wonder how the resin would affect the sound qualitites - e.g. reflecting all the cabin sound whereas the foam would absorb it.
...I've pretty much decided to use fabric and foam in my reinstall to avoid this, but thought I'd ask for anyone else who is considering doing this.
Good question.

If there is a difference in sound quality I haven’t noticed it. I used to mix sound for bands in a previous life so I have a fairly good ear. I’m completely happy with the sound and my new sound bar. (My claim to fame...I mixed sound for Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes)

The idea using resin was from this forum but that was for preparation for fabric covering....I just added paint instead as I don’t want to have to take the headliner off for another 16 years. Even if you are going to cover in fabric I’d still recommend fiberglass and resin.
 
5-90 said:
....I'm getting rid of a sunroof once I have a filler panel to patch it with (Phil? You listening? :jester: ) I'm just tired of the damn sunroof leaking - it rains inside my rig more than it does outside - and I've used about six tubes of RTV Black trying to goop it shut... I'm just tired of the thing.
5-90

I RTVed the crap out of my sunroof and the friggin thing still leaks...don't know what else to do but blow it up!
 
klonestar said:
I was thinking/wondering about adding some sound/heat mat to the roof underside before replacing the headliner. Do you think theres room to do that above the headliner? I havent pulled mine out yet but theres no material at all left on it. The backing board seems to be in good shape.

Thanks,
Ken

As you can see there is space to add soundproofing and/or insulation. Fill in the valleys but don't cover up the braces.
 
OT, I sealed up my sunroof with a light layer of red RTV. Smooted it down into the crack betwwen the sheetmetal and the outside of my sunroof. I think the key was pushing it down into the gasket.
I used red because it matched my paint fairly well. I'd love to find a gasket, but when you walk into a dealer and ak for a sunroof gasket for an 87 Comanche they laugh at you.
 
I made something similar to a surgical retractor out of sheet aluminum, lifted the seal, and applied RTV black underneath the lip.

Inside, I sealed it with 1/2" door rod (closed-cell foam insulation) and loads of RTV - but I've since developed cracks in the roof panel, and I can't do much about those without help (read: material to replace that.)

The cracks are above my head - but I get leaks on both sides. The only reason the sunroof is there is because I bought the truck that way - and it's an aftermarket sunroof, so a "flat panel" patch just won't fly for me.

So, look around for someone doing a "chop job" somewhere near you, and see if their roof is straight. Snag it if it is.

5-90
 
I'm waterproofing my jeep (except the seats) I herculined and now I started on the headliner by removing the speaker bar, applying the resin and painting it with a textured non-skid paint (its "battleship" grey and for marine use). $25 for a can at the west marine store but I only used a bit. I still need to reinstall the speaker bar. I think it took less than 1 cup of resin to put 2 coats on the speaker bar. Good luck with your project.
 
klonestar said:
I was thinking/wondering about adding some sound/heat mat to the roof underside before replacing the headliner. Do you think theres room to do that above the headliner? I havent pulled mine out yet but theres no material at all left on it. The backing board seems to be in good shape.

Thanks,
Ken
I added the thicker sound insulation under my headliner. It's similar to the padding attached to the carpet but also has the aluminum backing for heat rejection. I used spray adhesive to hold it up. That stuff works great.
While I was at it I grabbed a newer headliner and overhead console from the boneyard from an '01. The 98-01 headliners have the speaker pods molded into the headliner vs the separate soundbar of the 94-97 XJ's.
The newer headliner will also fit the older XJs. Here's one in a pre'90 (no rear shoulder belts)

xjheadliner98inpre97.jpg
 
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