Headliners, Rear Seats, C panels, & replacement...EUREKA.
#1
12-10-2015, 02:42 PM
Headliners, Rear Seats, C panels, & replacement...EUREKA.
Eureka!!
In trying a DIY headliner replacement on 2004 XJ8 I had to deal, as everyoneelse does, with a not very descriptive svc. Manual whose illustrations andinstructions lead to too much head scratching’s for my taste.
Like everyone else I ran into a real hurdle when it came time to remove therear seat cushions so I could get at the C panel so I could lower the headlinerand biscuit. While that seemed to be a very long way around a very small barn(after all the C panel isn’t much of a piece now is it?) it appeared I had noother way. After reading and rereading the svc manual and trying to figure outhow to release the rear seat cushions I realized that it made no difference howthe bottom was attached because I couldn’t get my hand or fingers anywhere nearfar enough under it to get at the releases, which I never found in any case.
I took a long hard look at the C panels, checked to see where they wereattached and decided to try something different. I removed enough of the doorseal to be able to clear the front edge of the C panel and was able without anydifficulty to free the bottom portion from the steel C pillar. I worked the bottom edge loose first as it was the easiest to get at and it came loose with a firm pull straight out parallel with the door opening. I then worked myfingers under the top edge on either side of the center of it about where Ifigured the upper connecting point was and gave it a firm, sharp (not superman like)pull straight out. Voila!
You'll have to take some care for the next part since the C panel isconnected to the body by a plastic retaining strap that keeps it from beingthrown around the interior when the side curtain airbags deploy. In fact youmay be able to lower the headliner assembly even if you don’t disconnect the Cpanel but I wanted to make it as easy as possible since I’m my only assistant.
The strap that holds it is connected differently at both ends so look carefullyat the pictures and decide which you want to work on. The first one I did Ipulled out from the roof side after managing to twist it 90 degrees and the second one came loose from the where itwas connected to the C panel and is, I suspect, the less potentiallydestructive way to go. You would need to replace these straps if you break oneon removal as you don’t want a panel adding to your troubles in case of anairbag deployment in an accident. Once the C panels are free they will slidedown the seatbelt and lay on the seat cushion out of your way.
Once I figured out how to do this it took me no more than 10 minutes to getboth panels loose and laying on the seat cushion giving me free access to theheadliner. No fighting with the seat cushions, their connectors or anyelectrical wiring or connections. Putting them back in should be a simplereversal of taking them out with some care taken in sliding the lower portionbetween the seat back cushion and C pillars themselves.
I hope you can make some sense of my pictures and if not and you have other questions message me.
In trying a DIY headliner replacement on 2004 XJ8 I had to deal, as everyoneelse does, with a not very descriptive svc. Manual whose illustrations andinstructions lead to too much head scratching’s for my taste.
Like everyone else I ran into a real hurdle when it came time to remove therear seat cushions so I could get at the C panel so I could lower the headlinerand biscuit. While that seemed to be a very long way around a very small barn(after all the C panel isn’t much of a piece now is it?) it appeared I had noother way. After reading and rereading the svc manual and trying to figure outhow to release the rear seat cushions I realized that it made no difference howthe bottom was attached because I couldn’t get my hand or fingers anywhere nearfar enough under it to get at the releases, which I never found in any case.
I took a long hard look at the C panels, checked to see where they wereattached and decided to try something different. I removed enough of the doorseal to be able to clear the front edge of the C panel and was able without anydifficulty to free the bottom portion from the steel C pillar. I worked the bottom edge loose first as it was the easiest to get at and it came loose with a firm pull straight out parallel with the door opening. I then worked myfingers under the top edge on either side of the center of it about where Ifigured the upper connecting point was and gave it a firm, sharp (not superman like)pull straight out. Voila!
You'll have to take some care for the next part since the C panel isconnected to the body by a plastic retaining strap that keeps it from beingthrown around the interior when the side curtain airbags deploy. In fact youmay be able to lower the headliner assembly even if you don’t disconnect the Cpanel but I wanted to make it as easy as possible since I’m my only assistant.
The strap that holds it is connected differently at both ends so look carefullyat the pictures and decide which you want to work on. The first one I did Ipulled out from the roof side after managing to twist it 90 degrees and the second one came loose from the where itwas connected to the C panel and is, I suspect, the less potentiallydestructive way to go. You would need to replace these straps if you break oneon removal as you don’t want a panel adding to your troubles in case of anairbag deployment in an accident. Once the C panels are free they will slidedown the seatbelt and lay on the seat cushion out of your way.
Once I figured out how to do this it took me no more than 10 minutes to getboth panels loose and laying on the seat cushion giving me free access to theheadliner. No fighting with the seat cushions, their connectors or anyelectrical wiring or connections. Putting them back in should be a simplereversal of taking them out with some care taken in sliding the lower portionbetween the seat back cushion and C pillars themselves.
I hope you can make some sense of my pictures and if not and you have other questions message me.
#2
12-10-2015, 03:03 PM
Sorry..pictures didn't load on the first attempt
For some reason I can't figure out the images won't upload. I've cropped them until the largest one is only 1.62 MB so that's not the problem so I'll go back to the drawing board.
You don't have to go by the svc. manual is what I was getting at and I did it the way I tried to describe.
You don't have to go by the svc. manual is what I was getting at and I did it the way I tried to describe.
#3
12-10-2015, 09:15 PM
Finally...here are the pictures
I finally got these uploaded by doing them one at a time instead of trying to do a batch upload. Sorry I couldn't get them directly in the original post.,
You may already know this but when your hover your mouse over each picture it will tell you what it is.
The fourth picture from the left in the top row should really say "slot for safety strap on steel C pillar". If you twist that end of the safety strap 90 degrees it will make it somewhat easier to yank it loose without tearing it up, but I think sliding the square end loose where it's connected to the C pillar panel is the better bet.
You can see that square end in the middle picture in the second row and it slides into a retaining receiver at the base of the long plastic fastener at the top of the panel.
All clear as mud....right?
You may already know this but when your hover your mouse over each picture it will tell you what it is.
The fourth picture from the left in the top row should really say "slot for safety strap on steel C pillar". If you twist that end of the safety strap 90 degrees it will make it somewhat easier to yank it loose without tearing it up, but I think sliding the square end loose where it's connected to the C pillar panel is the better bet.
You can see that square end in the middle picture in the second row and it slides into a retaining receiver at the base of the long plastic fastener at the top of the panel.
All clear as mud....right?
#4
12-11-2015, 07:47 AM
Senior Member
