The Upholstery Forum

My headliner vinyl will not catch on the teeth or spikes on the metal strip above the doors on my 59 El Camino.
I have bent the end of my stuff tool into a U shape so I can pull the vinyl down onto the spikes. Still no luck.
Are there any other tricks?

Can you post pictures? Sounds like either you need to replace the teeth strip or they are installed incorrectly. It shouldn't be that difficult.

I feel like the tooth strips may not be tight enough and bent to be bent in slightly. Or possibly the actual teeth need to be bent back out slightly.

Also personally I dont like the style of tucking too you are using. Its quite possible that tucking tool is to thick and is bending the teeth back as you are tucking the headliner in place.

I typically use this style of tucking tool for jobs like that. https://www.albrightssupply.com/tucking ... tool-v7709

By tight enough, do you mean the teeth should be close to touching the roof metal? I can get my finger between mine.

Maybe I am looking at this wrong. When you pull tension on the headliner, what holds it in place? Is it glue on the front side of the tuck strip and the teeth on the back side just hold the extra material up out of the way when done? I've been assuming the teeth need to penetrate the vinyl to hold tension.

@John, that looks like Enduratex vinyl not sure what the weight of the material he has chose to use is but it may be too heavy in the first place.

It's from headlinermart.com, presewn.

@Elky , what part of the world are you in?

Northwest. North Idaho.

@Elky , I do not know anybody down that way or else would try and get you help. I seriously would try this with a couple of other materials and see if the teeth bite into the fabric.