Flooring removal/carpet installation...any helpful advice?

Discussion on body issues/mods, appearance, interior/trim, and detailing (i.e. how to keep your car looking showroom new, or a reasonable facsimile thereof...).
phastlt1
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:30 pm

Flooring removal/carpet installation...any helpful advice?

Post by phastlt1 »

Ok, so I'm the "lucky" buyer for the used carpet that was recently on ebay. I didn't realize what a pain this was going to be. For the last hour and a half I've been on a marathon interior removal, and now I'm at a stopping point. It appears to properly remove my old rubber flooring, and install the carpet, the entire dash assembly must be removed.

Has anyone else attempted this? Is there an easier way. How retarded would it be to cut out areas and gorilla glue stuff back together in places that are not real noticeable.

If I knew what I was getting into, I would have never bought the carpet. At this point, I've not destroyed anything, so if I give up, I can just give the car a killer detailing as I re-assemble. But I sure would love to get this carpet in....so any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated...thanks all!
smwalker
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Re: Flooring removal/carpet installation...any helpful advic

Post by smwalker »

I think I know what you are talking about as they put the carpet in then put the dash on top of it in a lot of cars these days.

What you can do is in areas the will not be seen is cut a slit in the carpet to get it around the dash items then sew some Velcro tabs onto each cut end to sort of hold them back together once they are installed. Any upholstery shop could do it for you. Then again you may even want to spring for having them do the whole job since you got most of the work out of the way. They can steam it and get it all to lay real smooth. They may even add some batting and insulation to get a good fit in the corners and such.
Just a thought.
Steve Walker
Azusa, CA
'11 PPV 9C3 Huron White
phastlt1
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:30 pm

Re: Flooring removal/carpet installation...any helpful advic

Post by phastlt1 »

I know it will fit well, the carpet is molded and is pretty much holding the shape of the floor pan just sitting on the garage floor. The Velcro trick is a good idea, I may go that route. The bad part is that I will have to cut out my rubber flooring as well. I miss the good old days when you could just remove your seats and door sill molding to r/r carpet...
smwalker
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Re: Flooring removal/carpet installation...any helpful advic

Post by smwalker »

Do you see a way of unbolting what is touching the floor and in the way and maybe just raising up the dash 1/2 a inch to clear the carpet? Maybe with a bottle jack on part of the structure of the dash?


Or is there just too much touching the floor?
Steve Walker
Azusa, CA
'11 PPV 9C3 Huron White
smwalker
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Re: Flooring removal/carpet installation...any helpful advic

Post by smwalker »

Or looking at it wonder if you could cut where the yellow lines are then do some long tie wraps (red) between the two pieces to keep them tight to the tunnel. Could even do some metal punch in eyelets to make it look clean. sort of like lacing up shoes. Think that would all be hidden behind the center / side console yes?
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Steve Walker
Azusa, CA
'11 PPV 9C3 Huron White
phastlt1
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:30 pm

Re: Flooring removal/carpet installation...any helpful advic

Post by phastlt1 »

I am going to check that out when I get a chance. Darkness was setting in, that's why I had to stop. Either tomorrow or the next day I'll see if that's an option. Also will have to remove the shifter bezel. In order to do that, I will need to remove the shifter know (which I have no idea on how to do it). I may see an easier way around the dash when I remove the radio trim bezel.

This is turning out to be much more than I'd bargained for....I can't imagine if I paid the big bucks for a new one, and then being stuck with this situation...I just can't wait for it to be installed. I'm over armour-alling the floor.

Thanks for the visual idea you posted...It is a good idea as well. I was thinking something more simple, such as one slit per closed loop (for lack of a better description) and then using some adhesive. There is probably enough trim to keep everything else snug.

Hopefully tomorrow evening I'll have enough time to research this...I will get quite a bit of hands on research when carefully removing the existing flooring. I appreciate the ideas...thanks
smwalker
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Re: Flooring removal/carpet installation...any helpful advic

Post by smwalker »

Just looked at the Field service manual and they also require cutting of the carpet to remove it. In fact it seems to indicate that there is a perforation in the carpet where it can be torn easily:

1. Disconnect the battery ground cable from the battery.
carpet1.JPG
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2. Remove the retaining clips (3) from the front floor carpet assembly (1)
carpet2.JPG
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3. From inside the left-hand footwell, grasp the edge of the hole in the front carpet assembly around the evaporator drain hose (1) and carefully tear open along the perforated line (2)

4. Slide the remaining flap of carpet out from under the (HVAC) unit (3)

5. Carefully remove the front floor carpet.
Steve Walker
Azusa, CA
'11 PPV 9C3 Huron White
smwalker
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Re: Flooring removal/carpet installation...any helpful advic

Post by smwalker »

Real surprise is that pick a part seemed to get it out of there without tearing it. They must have removed the entire dash on the donor car.
Steve Walker
Azusa, CA
'11 PPV 9C3 Huron White
smwalker
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Re: Flooring removal/carpet installation...any helpful advic

Post by smwalker »

carpet4.JPG
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Steve Walker
Azusa, CA
'11 PPV 9C3 Huron White
phastlt1
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:30 pm

Re: Flooring removal/carpet installation...any helpful advic

Post by phastlt1 »

Awesome, thank you so much! That is a huge help. And yes, the dash for that car is also on ebay, so I'm sure that's how they removed the carpet...
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