Cummins 12-Valve Headliners Are Shoddy Quality

"M.T. Blake" (autohabit)
12/12/2019 at 15:05 • Filed to: twelve valve problems, cummins, dodge, ram, diesel, 4wd, diesels, headliner, interior, interiors, gauges, boost, egt

Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler are the worst at making headliners. The glue they used to hold fabric and foam together can best be described as snail snot. It is here today and gone tomorrow. After 23 years, this old work horse has a new toupee.

The stock color of a tan interior? No! Nasty old foam without its grey fabric! This stuff begins to snow as it slowly deteriorates.

At the time of my 1996 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins 4wd resurrection from its early grave, it had a few problems. One of the more annoying was the headliner fabric gently rubbing the top of my head as I drove. It was sagging down and looked like a bag of smashed apples. The glue failed causing the delamination of the foam and fabric.

Watching it fall apart was actually kinda fun. The square at center was where the 4wd instructions label was affixed.

I promptly created a hole in the sagging fabric and tore it from the remaining foam. The headliner remained fabric-less for the past two years until my good taste couldn’t stand it anymore. Replacing a headliner isn’t exactly difficult. It is time consuming and makes me yawn. It’s boring, I really didn’t want to do.

BUT! This is my twelve valve afterall. I am the second owner, the first being granddad. This was his baby. I must continue to polish this turd. It is a low mile (88,000 currently) and absolutely stock as it can be. With a little spit shining, and elbow grease (and considerable money) we can make her as nice again.

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The headliner material as sourced from eBay for approximately $70, and two cans of 3M Super 77 were used, with a third can of spray adhesive that I wanted to use up as well. This is a cheap project that will drastically improve the interior space.

A slow process to remove the foam. Don’t hit it too hard or you’ll remove the fiber from the board.

You may have see some people re-do their headliners in camo, or other non-factory patterns. I almost did this... except this truck is too stock to modify at this point. I wanted a clean, factory look, so I stuck with the OEM gray.

The trick to successfully replacing a headliner is don’t destroy it on the way out of the truck, keep it as clean as possible, let the spray adhesive dry, and for god sake don’t let it prematurely touch the material prior to addressing wrinkles.

I can smell this picture. The glue is nasty.

Last time I did a headliner was on my 99 Jeep Cherokee. I accidently got some of the old foam on the new material. Big problem. It’s like trying to remove dingleberries off your socks. It was miserable. I also didn’t let the glue dry long enough, leading to two dime sized spots where the glue bled through onto the fabric... I was furious. I was not about to let these problems arise again.

In and out this took about two hours, with no fire lit beneath me. I was unfortunate to have ONE WRINKLE. I could not get the material smooth around the rear of door to cab (b-pillar?) transition. I’ll be reminded of it every single time I see it...

Compare the visors to the new fabric. Dirty and old vs. clean and new. Rat-bastard wrinkle at top right.

Regardless... doesn’t this look better?! Makes the truck look a million times better. Now I need to replace the seat foam and fabric. A job that I will not be tackling myself. I don’t have the patience or time for it. A local shop gave me a cheap quote to do the labor, I’ll let them throw the wrenches this time.

Taking shape nicely!

On a side note, I was finally able to install the gauges. Picked these up used for $40, and bought the corresponding new sensors for $60. Isspro customer service is second to none. I had no idea what I needed but they were able to translate my grunts and howling into some relevant data.

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Things are coming along nicely. It needs a new radiator (leaks from time to time), the exhaust has a hole, the suspension is shot, and it is about as fast as a single mule cart loaded with logs. Other than that its a peachy machine.

Next up: Big boxes...

But what is in the other box...?!

DISCUSSION (28)

LastFirstMI is my name > M.T. Blake
12/12/2019 at 15:27

Very nice!

Jesus Arias > M.T. Blake
12/12/2019 at 15:38

I need to replace the headliner of my firebird it’s torn and sagging.

M.T. Blake > Jesus Arias
12/12/2019 at 15:58

Get ‘er done. You’ll be very happy once you do it!

Jesus Arias > M.T. Blake
12/12/2019 at 16:00

if it’s not pricey I will do it.

Long_Voyager94 > M.T. Blake
12/12/2019 at 16:05

Nice work!

Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler are the worst at making headliners.

250+k and 24 years on my van and it’s just now starting to droop in a couple spots, that’s better than a lot of vehicles less than 1/2 it’s age!

M.T. Blake > Long_Voyager94
12/12/2019 at 16:24

You’ve been lucky. My experiences are mostly Ram and Jeep related. Few have survived without headliner issues.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > M.T. Blake
12/12/2019 at 16:29

Missed opportunity to do a shag carpet headliner!

Kinja'd!!!

M.T. Blake > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
12/12/2019 at 16:33

STROKE THE FURRY WALL!!!

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > M.T. Blake
12/12/2019 at 16:38

“Now I need to replace the seat foam and fabric.”

Now you know what you need to do...

Kinja'd!!!

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > M.T. Blake
12/12/2019 at 16:43

Admire your patience on this one... I hate dealing with ugly, sagging headliners. You’d think after 120 years a better set of solution would have come along instead of “glue some fabric-covered foam to the roof”. Sigh.

Looks great. nice job!

Long_Voyager94 > M.T. Blake
12/12/2019 at 16:44

I wonder if it has anything to do with how they’re used.

Mine didn’t start sagging until the last couple humid summers that it sat closed up for days on end.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
12/12/2019 at 16:47

Sammyno55 > M.T. Blake
12/12/2019 at 17:07

I worked at an upholstery shop over the summer in high school. I ran errands and did headliners. We had a copper wire brush that looked like a oversized toilet brush and spray glue from a paint gun. All the 80s and 90s cars had headliners that sagged. I could do 5 or 6 a day, more if they were trucks. The material was so cheap in bulk and it was a huge profit center for the shop. Probably cost $10 in materials. They usually charged between $75 and $125 per vehicle .

M.T. Blake > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
12/12/2019 at 17:29

Bahahahahh!!! I’m not cool enough for those seats.

M.T. Blake > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
12/12/2019 at 17:31

You haven’t seen me lose my SH!% yet. I throw things. Wrenches. Four letter words spew from my mouth like refuse from a garbage truck.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > M.T. Blake
12/12/2019 at 17:33

Well then how about some mbtex instead?

Kinja'd!!!

M.T. Blake > Long_Voyager94
12/12/2019 at 17:33

The french fry odor, impacts from toys, and high velocity yelling in our minivan might keep our headliner together better than most. Of course the same things are happening at lower rates in my 4Runner... hmmm :D

M.T. Blake > Sammyno55
12/12/2019 at 17:36

You know I almost took it to a shop for those reasons. It’s cheap and they do so many they’re good at it. I’m an automotive masochist so I didn’t.

M.T. Blake > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
12/12/2019 at 17:36

I can smell that image. It smells like old money and standing on the necks of the peasants.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > M.T. Blake
12/12/2019 at 17:58

And wouldn’t you like to stand on the necks of some peasants?

M.T. Blake > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
12/12/2019 at 18:12

Lol. My family wouldn’t appreciate it. We came from nothing. We are peasants.

Sammyno55 > M.T. Blake
12/12/2019 at 18:50

It looks great! I don’t think a shop could have don e it better.

FoSTus > M.T. Blake
12/12/2019 at 20:51

To be fair, I believe a lot of cars in the 90's had issued with the headliner as they aged. For instance my families car growing up, a 91 Pontiac Transport had that issue. Hell, you would see those cars aged 10 years driving in Miami and they all had some sort of sag. Also, to be an annoying internet nitpicking commenter... The title is misleading, I understand what you mean but Cummins only manufactures the engine for the Dodge Ram truck, not the headliners...

M.T. Blake > FoSTus
12/12/2019 at 21:35

I will be sure and use you to edit my writing before posting. I’m sorry I let you down.

MultiplaOrgasms > M.T. Blake
12/13/2019 at 00:29

Ahh yes, the rare Cummins built 12 Valve Headliners.

Long_Voyager94 > M.T. Blake
12/13/2019 at 07:02

I’m so happy we keep food/toys out of our vehicles.

M.T. Blake > Long_Voyager94
12/13/2019 at 09:12

My 4Runner generally abides. The Sienna is the primary kid hauler. I thought long and hard about keeping it mint. It’s still nice but no longer mint. I realized Toyota buyers won’t care. They buy beat up Tacoma’s for thousands of dollars. The Sienna is no different. A good detailing and it would be close to mint again too.

M.T. Blake > MultiplaOrgasms
12/13/2019 at 09:16

It’s a fine wine. It will grow on you.

When I’ve written about my truck I’ve used something along the lines of my ‘Cummins 12 Valve’. Plus if you’ve found this article your a massive automotive nerd who brings up car topics at family dinners, at awkward exchanges with strangers, and you absolutely, positively KNOW WHAT I MEANT. The title needs no explanation for us car geeks and freaks.