R27 Classic headliner removal?

[4umfreak]

When we bought our 2011 R27, the aft section of the port-side headliner had been replaced by the previous owner. The material was mismatched and the installation wasn't great.
I'd like to replace it all to fix a few issues and so that it uses the same material for all three (forward, aft port & aft starboard) sections.

How in the world do you remove the headliner above the head. I haven't peeled the trim off yet, but initial inspection suggests that it's one large piece, similar to the port side but the head walls are attached to the ceiling panel. I poked around with a zip tie & was blocked at many points around the walls. It doesn't appear to be simply a "tight fit".

If anyone has experience changing out the aft headliner on the starboard side, I'd be grateful for your wisdom.

Cheers,
-M

 

[4umfreak]

Ok, I finally finished it!

To remove the starboard side headliner, remove the trim. I used a thin blade knife and 1" chisel to not damage the teak. The brad nails pulled right through the trim and were easy to remove from the 5/8" plywood walls.
From here you can see the six screws shot downward through the entryway shelf and headliner, into the end grain of the plywood wall. Six loose scraps of teak maintain the spacing up to the headliner and will fall out. Save them for going back in with a new liner.

Remove the six screws and the shelf angle brackets to pull out the whole shelf.
Remove and disconnect the head light fixture, two hatch trim rings and the speaker, if you have one.
At this point the panel should slide away from the wall and come right out.

It may be a bit hard to remove as the original installation included bits of monkey fur wedged above the forward wall. I assume this was to push the liner down onto the wall, but it didn't seem necessary and I did not reuse it during installation.

The corner trim (to the left in the above picture) sat a little tall and was digging into my old liner. After removing the old headliner, I cut it flush with the walls, using an oscillating saw, so it wouldn't damage the new liner during installation.

Installation was just the reverse of the above steps. I reattached the trim using #6 x 1" screws because I had them nearby and this will allow me to easily remove it in the future if I ever need to.

I love the finished result. The vinyl is bright and clean and doesn't look like it's not from the factory.
Hopefully this is helpful to someone else who needs to do this job.

 

[CaspersCruiser]

No question your post will help others. Thanks for taking the time to create it.

 

[NorthernFocus]

Is the liner material glued to the overhead around the hatches or is it just held in place by the trim ring?

 

[4umfreak]

Is the liner material glued to the overhead around the hatches or is it just held in place by the trim ring?

The trim ring is all that holds it in place.

If you want to check on the condition of the caulk around your hatches, this is a nice non-destructive way to get a feeling for the condition of your headliner.
Remove ~12 screws, pry out the trim ring, and gently peel back the vinyl.

If you have leaks it will be wet!
If you had leaks (or it hasn't rained lately!), it will be black or very dirty!