Crew-Cab/Suburban Interior Trim Question

[SCOTI]

There’s not much to this but I figured I would ask this just too possibly benefit from others experience. Is there an ‘order’ for installing the headliner/pillar trim on crew-cabs & burbs? My trim has been freshly painted & it’s time to re-install. I’d prefer to install everything w/o scratching things up in the process & can’t remember what order I removed the pieces.

Anyone installed their trim recently (or done it enough times that they know) that knows which pieces to start with & which to end with?

[walkerb]

sub'd

I gotta put my crew interior and knowledge is the key

[1968vetL-71]

If you look at your trim pieces, you can see where the corner ones are slotted for a screw. This is where the longer pieces fit just over them at that point.

Each corner piece first.
Long front windshield piece.
Long rear window piece.
Each long side piece. ( You need to install the large vertical B pillar trim first. This piece goes all way too carpet and has the hole for seatbelt. ) The Long side piece overlaps this. There is two different versions of how this is done but still achieved.
Last you can install the small rear side cover pieces ( slightly curved about 4" long), these are between the rear corner and Long side pieces. These are crew cab specific, and are slightly different than a suburban.

The dome light housing has too be fitted through the hole as the headliner is going up. I secured this right after each corner piece. Keeps the middle from sagging down.

I know this was recently visited about how too get the headliner in or out with out damage. I did this on both occasions through the rear window. I wasn't going too take a chance on slightly (taco-ing) my new headliner. Its well worth the time and effort tho. Hope this helps.

[SCOTI]

I did the install last night. This was my process....

I had my headliner installed previously w/a buddys help as I feel it's a 2 person job to keep it from creasing and/or getting dirty from trying to wrestle it into position solo. I did not have my seats installed. I used the center dome light, rear dome light, & 2 temporary cardboard plugs w/screws through them where the visors go to support the headliner.

Rear corner pieces first.
Rear glass trim.
Center/side pillar lower panels.
Center/side upper trim panels.
The rear door to corner transition pieces.
The front corner pieces.
Front windshield trim.

I installed the rear stuff tight. I did the side lower panels tight but the upper pieces loose. This allowed me to slip the front corner pieces into place, then the front windshield piece, & then tighten them all up after.

[Chevy3+3]

So were you able to get the headliner in/out through the door openings with the seats out? Do both seats need to be removed or just one? Any onfo would be appreciated. When I swap my NV4500 into my crew I plan on replacing the carpet and the seats would be removed. I figured that would be a good time to do the headliner also even though its not in terrible shape.

My headliner almost feels like there is no backerboard behind the fabric. Like the fabric is attached to the metal directly???

[SCOTI]

I wasn't sure before attempting as I had read people were/weren't successful @ removal w/the seats in place. So I had the front bench seat removed when I pulled my headliner out. We did pull it out through the pass front door & it required bending the board slightly to extract it. The rear seat was still in place.

But.... I was pulling the bench out anyway as I was changing over to burb buckets which required locating & installing in the correct inside brackets. So it wasn't extra work for me. I do feel that it made the job much easier. Knowing what it took to get it out w/o the seat in the way, it would have been more of a challenge w/the seat installed (& removing the front seat was fairly quick/easy work).

The hardest part of my headliner install was not thinking far enough ahead. I had to repair several spots of my original headliner 'shell' after removing the orignal material & it's remnants from the shell. I repaired 3 split areas w/duck tape on the roof side of the shell (sun visor spots & @ rear center). We then covered that w/a layer of sacraficial headliner material, foam, & the interior material. We made provisions for the center dome light but my intent all along was adding a rear cab dome light as well. Cutting through all those layers for a small (< 3x3"sq) area was a major PITA. It turned out very nice & looks OE though so it was worth it.

[joe231]

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by joe231

Taking a pic of the headliner & interior trim is difficult to do in-doors w/poor lighting. I have tried but it just looks like any other suburban/CC interior pics taken w/a cell phone. I'll put some up once the truck gets moved around into some sunlight.

[joe231]

[ZacharyDouglas1992]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I did the install last night. This was my process....

I had my headliner installed previously w/a buddys help as I feel it's a 2 person job to keep it from creasing and/or getting dirty from trying to wrestle it into position solo. I did not have my seats installed. I used the center dome light, rear dome light, & 2 temporary cardboard plugs w/screws through them where the visors go to support the headliner.

Rear corner pieces first.
Rear glass trim.
Center/side pillar lower panels.
Center/side upper trim panels.
The rear door to corner transition pieces.
The front corner pieces.
Front windshield trim.

I installed the rear stuff tight. I did the side lower panels tight but the upper pieces loose. This allowed me to slip the front corner pieces into place, then the front windshield piece, & then tighten them all up after.

This is the best way to do it. However, when I did mine I did not have a second pair of hands, so for the sake of you out there who wont have any help...

I installed the front windshield panel first (with just two screws half tight, to hold the front of the headliner like a second pair of hands).

Then I did the dome light housing to hold the middle.

After that, followed the OP's process from back to front.

You'll just have the extra step of removing the windshield panel to install it over the corner trim pieces correctly. But it helps you to do it solo and that why you only use two screws!

Oh and if you are doing this alone, definitely have the seats out.

[ryanmcb]

SCOTI,
I am also interested in what you used to re-cover your headliner. You seem like you want an OE look. I need to recover mine as well but I would like it to look like the original headliner. any direction would be nice. Thanks

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by ryanmcb

SCOTI,
I am also interested in what you used to re-cover your headliner. You seem like you want an OE look. I need to recover mine as well but I would like it to look like the original headliner. any direction would be nice. Thanks

My dually has a 'stock-ish' look but isn't using strictly OE materials.

I do my interiors w/ease in mind. I use SEM color coat dye/paint that's closest to what I want/need. Then I shot a small piece of the trim w/the paint. I used the painted piece to choose the main fabric color for the seating (usually vinyl for me) selecting material that's a good match. Once I knew that, I merely went through my local auto fabrics supply house & looked through their books & inventory of headliner fabric for something that's again a close/good match. So my headliner is just basic clotth material.

Then, I searched for seat insert material that helped tie the slight difference in the 2 material color choices. I wanted a hounds-tooth looking material but couldn't find one the right color for my app & went w/my 2nd choice of tweed.

We planned the stitching w/an eye toward a period correct layout (pleats) but altered the width for a 'simpler' appearance & my buddy put OT in on subtle seat foam re-shaping (I dislike the cushion shape of the 88-91 burb seats we used). He made them look like something previous models would have had.

So far, the close matching of materials has worked well together. The painted upper trim, closely matching headliner color w/the new replacement single cab dome lights look like crew-cabs should have come that way vs the off-white top half & conversion van dome lighting. I'm waiting on my LMC order to finish out the dash details now so it should be pic worthy in a week or 2.

[ryanmcb]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

My dually has a 'stock-ish' look but isn't using strictly OE materials.

I do my interiors w/ease in mind. I use SEM color coat dye/paint that's closest to what I want/need. Then I shot a small piece of the trim w/the paint. I used the painted piece to choose the main fabric color for the seating (usually vinyl for me) selecting material that's a good match. Once I knew that, I merely went through my local auto fabrics supply house & looked through their books & inventory of headliner fabric for something that's again a close/good match. So my headliner is just basic clotth material.

Then, I searched for seat insert material that helped tie the slight difference in the 2 material color choices. I wanted a hounds-tooth looking material but couldn't find one the right color for my app & went w/my 2nd choice of tweed.

We planned the stitching w/an eye toward a period correct layout (pleats) but altered the width for a 'simpler' appearance & my buddy put OT in on subtle seat foam re-shaping (I dislike the cushion shape of the 88-91 burb seats we used). He made them look like something previous models would have had.

So far, the close matching of materials has worked well together. The painted upper trim, closely matching headliner color w/the new replacement single cab dome lights look like crew-cabs should have come that way vs the off-white top half & conversion van dome lighting. I'm waiting on my LMC order to finish out the dash details now so it should be pic worthy in a week or 2.

thank you for the explanation. I am excited to see a picture of the interior upon completion.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by ryanmcb

thank you for the explanation. I am excited to see a picture of the interior upon completion.

My x-wife has some nice camera equipment. I'm going to try & persuade her to use her stuff & hopefully yield better quality vs my cell phone.