Clips for front headliner trim breaking on install

[Drkuhar]

Looking for possibilities, when i did the headliner in my cutlass the front trim snapped right up. On this monte carlo i am on my 3rd set of clips as they are breaking the center out on install.. these came from ebay first from big restoration company then different sellers, in case it was a bad batch issue.

When lining up with the slots and pushing in most of them never even get seated before the center snaps off. If it gets in without snapping when i push it up tight
It breaks.

Could new headliner be to thick. Something in the roof slots, any ideas before ordering set 4. This trim came out of another monte and does have a little bend in it but it was installed in the other car

 

[Max Headroom]

Looking for possibilities, when i did the headliner in my cutlass the front trim snapped right up. On this monte carlo i am on my 3rd set of clips as they are breaking the center out on install.. these came from ebay first from big restoration company then different sellers, in case it was a bad batch issue.

When lining up with the slots and pushing in most of them never even get seated before the center snaps off. If it gets in without snapping when i push it up tight
It breaks.

Could new headliner be to thick. Something in the roof slots, any ideas before ordering set 4. This trim came out of another monte and does have a little bend in it but it was installed in the other car

A couplel of thoughts:

• Did you start clipping the headliner in from the very back? This will sometime put the liner in a bind at the front and cause issues with the clips. I have only done one headliner on a G-Body (a long long time ago, in a galaxy far away) and I remember having to start over twice because the liner wouldn't stretch far enough to clip in. I called a top guy and he said to start in the middle and work to the front and then to the back and not to fasten in the sides until last.
• With respect to the clips breaking, be sure that the parts of the clip that hold on to the "bracket" fit correctly. If not, you might be able to file them for a better fitment.

Just a thought.

 

[buick7332]

Do you have the right clips? The front and rear are different. The rear looks like an arrow head. This is the proper clip for the front that I bought from Mike's Monte's for my Grand Prix.

 

[Ribbedroof]

Had the same issue with some old GM clips. Have to make sure the clips are correctly aligned with the slots and use gentle even pressure to install. A quick push will break them. YMMV

 

[Drkuhar]

I have the correct clips. I put the visor up in the back first and worked forward. The visor holes line up. The dome light is up . The headliner edge is right on the edge where the metal bracing turns up to access the slots.
I have a friend bringing a different front trim piece to try in case the little bend on mine is causing it.

Going to order another set of clips and blow out all the slots with high pressure in case there is something in there and try the other trim piece

 

[Drkuhar]

So the other trim piece popped right up. It has one low area where it had been pried down but it wont be noticeable one the visors are on.

After comparing the two trim pieces it seems the first one has a roll to it. Like it was twisted just enough that at a quick glance it looked fine but made the clips not line up and snapped them off when forcing it up

 

[Ribbedroof]

Good to hear that you got it worked out