Headliner wrinkles

[Dukeboy]

I just installed the headliner in my charger and it looks pretty good. I pulled it as tight as my bloody fingers would pull, but I still have some wrinkles in it from when it was in the box. Is there anything I can do to get these out? Hairdryer? Steam? Any help would be appreciated.

Neal

[HANDM]

I have the same trouble. I tried to use a hairdryer on a few spots with no effect. Even worse at the rear window. The way the trim goes on is just a pain in the ass. 

[tan top]

the wrinkles drove me nutts first time i done a  headliner  ,  so before i even attempt to fit ,  get it out the box & iron it a few times from the back  , obviously keep the iron moving ! ,
also before fitting  , leave it in the sun for a few hours

once you  start & get it all hocked up on the bowes etc etc ,  clip one side ! temporally working in one section at a time (between bows ) heat it up with a hair dryer  & push the head liner up & at the same time wipe (streach ) the headliner right to the side edge ,  then pull it tight , don't go mad , & then then temporally clip it in place , then move on to next section ,  do  done one side , go to the other !!  then you might need  go back &  re-work  some sections , as streaching  once section between bows , alters the next one  !  , plan on a good days work !  

[jaak]

I agree with Tan Top. I've installed 2 headliners now, the first (in my '73) was Ok but you could still see the lines where it was folded in the box (installed over 2 years ago), every where I read says wrinkles disappear after a couple of weeks in the hot sun....thats bullshit. Now just installed my second one a couple of weeks ago (in my '69) the first thing I done was Iron it (on the backside, not the side you see in the car) And it looks a lot better than my first attempt.

But to answer your original question.....after the headliner is installed and glued in, it will look the same regardless of what you try to do.

Jason

[DJReynolds]

Once it is installed your better off using steam to get them out. Hair dryer or heat gun can put too much heat to it if you are not careful.

[Dukeboy]

Did you try using steam, and it worked?

Neal

[DJReynolds]

Did you try using steam, and it worked?

Neal

Steam is all I ever used to get out box wrinkles. That is the way I learned back in 1970, and that is what I did until I retired a few years ago.

[Patronus]

I rented a wallpaper steamer from Home Depot for $20
One person steams/empties water from the tray, one person stretches the liner

[HANDM]

I had my headliner perfect with no wrinkles anywhere even at the sail panels, as soon as I snapped on the roof rail trim, BAM! instant wrinkles and all the yanking on the long material did nothing excepf F it up worse.

Same thing with the package tray and rear window trim, started perfect, ended up looking like a ten year old did it.

I need to seriously re-evaluate how to get it right 

[Patronus]

Hindsight maybe, but I opened the crimping on the clips that center the rail trim. Opening them up let the rail "clip" better. I glued the outside 1/4" of the drip rail and the headliner and then pulled and glued the liner on without any clips.