Headliner fixing for LED aluminium profile

[moodsterT6]

Hi,

Any ideas what type of fixing I could use to mount some aluminium profile for LED lights? It’s a T6 Caravelle, the headliner seems to be a type of fabric / foam board.

I was thinking of making some small holes using a heated up punch tool to seal the fabric, then perhaps use a cavity fixing of some kind.

Any ideas please?

Cheers.

 

[n10n]

I struggled with the same problem - how to attach recessed led profiles to the soft headliner. I didn’t come up with anything brilliant so in the end I just cut the headliner with stanley knife and glued the aluminium profiles in - overnight drying with weighs on the profile to get it stick as deep as possible. They’ve been on couple of years now and holding on fine

 

[moodsterT6]

I struggled with the same problem - how to attach recessed led profiles to the soft headliner. I didn’t come up with anything brilliant so in the end I just cut the headliner with stanley knife and glued the aluminium profiles in - overnight drying with weighs on the profile to get it stick as deep as possible. They’ve been on couple of years now and holding on fine

View attachment 193321

Nice! Looks awesome. I’ve ordered black aluminium profile and plan to mount it parallel to the door seal (which is also black). Not sure I’m brave enough to cut the liner like you did, I’ll just try and surface mount them. Cheers.

 

[n10n]

Not sure I’m brave enough to cut the liner like you did, I’ll just try and surface mount them. Cheers.

That was the scary part for sure. The liner is so soft it was quite difficult to get a straight cut or even to draw proper guidelines

 

[moodsterT6]

I did this a couple of years back:

Caravelle head liner light removal

Hi, I’d like to fit some LED lights into the factory light fittings on my T6 Caravelle. I just want to add some additional bulbs into the diffusers then run a cable down the B Pillar to my Leisure battery under the seat. The original bulbs will stay in place so the lights work with car doors...

www.t6forum.com

but the led bulbs have started flickering when they have been on for a while. No way I’m taking them all down again, hence moving to led strip lights above each of the sliding doors.

 

[n10n]

Haha I have reverse order: I just installed led bulbs to the OEM lights last week, it wasn’t that bad. The trick is to get the whole 1m roof light unit on the bench, that is with both lights and vents. It comes off from headliner easily without tools and then the clips can be accessed much better from the rear side of the unit

 

[moodsterT6]

Haha I have reverse order: I just installed led bulbs to the OEM lights last week, it wasn’t that bad. The trick is to get the whole 1m roof light unit on the bench, that is with both lights and vents. It comes off from headliner easily without tools and then the clips can be accessed much better from the rear side of the unit

That’s what I originally wanted to do, how did you pull the whole unit down, just with a bit of force? I tried and gave up hence why I removed each light unit separately

 

[n10n]

That’s what I originally wanted to do, how did you pull the whole unit down, just with a bit of force? I tried and gave up hence why I removed each light unit separately

Yes, just push your fingers into the liner a bit to get a good grab and pull straight down from the end of the unit. At least mine were not very tight, they came off really easy compared to many other things in the van.

 

[n10n]

Back to your original question:

With surface mount you could probably glue/bond two flat headed screws to your profile back side, something like these: https://www.amazon.de/Ultra-Super-Allen-Screw-Stainless/dp/B081JHC5BH

Then just make holes for them in the headliner, I think a spike through will open it up enough to push the screws through.

On the backside of the headliner washer and a wingnut with a dab of screwlock, you dont want these very tight as it will compress the headliner.

Since you’ll be installing on top of doors you probably can bend the headliner down enough to get the wingnuts in place without actually dropping the headliner - watch for creasing though, try this out and make sure you get enough space before poking any holes to the headliner.

And above is obviously just an idea how I might do it, not tested

Edit: and in case you wonder why I glued mine instead of fixing like above it was due to installation to where the aircon channels cover the headliner completely. The channel system can’t be separated and no way to get hands in.

 

[moodsterT6]

Thank you for the suggestion, much appreciated

Back to your original question:

With surface mount you could probably glue/bond two flat headed screws to your profile back side, something like these: https://www.amazon.de/Ultra-Super-Allen-Screw-Stainless/dp/B081JHC5BH

Then just make holes for them in the headliner, I think a spike through will open it up enough to push the screws through.

On the backside of the headliner washer and a wingnut with a dab of screwlock, you dont want these very tight as it will compress the headliner.

Since you’ll be installing on top of doors you probably can bend the headliner down enough to get the wingnuts in place without actually dropping the headliner - watch for creasing though, try this out and make sure you get enough space before poking any holes to the headliner.

And above is obviously just an idea how I might do it, not tested

Edit: and in case you wonder why I glued mine instead of fixing like above it was due to installation to where the aircon channels cover the headliner completely. The channel system can’t be separated and no way to get hands in.

View attachment 193347

 

[moodsterT6]

@n10n Used something similar to you’re suggestion, M4 bolt passed through small holes made in the headliner. Used a large diameter rubber washer, spring washer and a nut. Only needed to poke a hole straight through the headliner with a small bradawl. I only did this in the centre of the aluminium profile as the ends tuck nicely into the B and C pillar trim panels. Thanks for your Help

 

[moodsterT6]

Also added some lights into the tailgate similar to what you did, took me a while to fish the cable through the tailgate though!

 

[n10n]

@n10n Used something similar to you’re suggestion, M4 bolt passed through small holes made in the headliner. Used a large diameter rubber washer, spring washer and a nut. Only needed to poke a hole straight through the headliner with a small bradawl. I only did this in the centre of the aluminium profile as the ends tuck nicely into the B and C pillar trim panels. Thanks for your Help

That looks sweet, well done!

 

[n10n]

Excuse my nosiness but what are these these things attached to the ceiling?

Nice interior also otherwise!

 

[moodsterT6]

Excuse my nosiness but what are these these things attached to the ceiling?

Nice interior also otherwise!

View attachment 193617

I use RAM mount attachments on the VW dog guard / bulkhead connections built into the roof. I then connect monitors / iPads / 12v fans etc to the mounts.

In use the van mostly as a mobile office. The desk you can see is height adjustable and can be used outside as a standing desk too. Works very well for me.

Cheers.

 

[roadtripper]

Those RAM mount attachments are amazing

I've been thinking of using those mounting points in our Caravelle for similar things, so far found some cabinet joiner fittings that sort of work but clamping a bit of wood onto them was not really the look I wanted. Would you mind letting me know what the fitting is that goes into the roof mounting point - there are so many options I can't figure it out.

Also a big fan of your thread on adding secondary lights as I want to do something similar. I'm guessing from this thread if you did it again you'd use the strip above the door approach and not bother trying to open up the OEM lights? The LED strip you use seems to be two colour - which one did you go for?

 

[paddy26]

The desk you can see is height adjustable and can be used outside as a standing desk too. Works very well for me.

Cheers.

View attachment 193625

Is this a lagun style table leg? Is the rail bracket diy? Any pics of the part of the bracket that attaches to the rail?

I was going to make a bracket to attach to the Cali bench seat but this rail option is more flexible.

 

[moodsterT6]

Those RAM mount attachments are amazing

I've been thinking of using those mounting points in our Caravelle for similar things, so far found some cabinet joiner fittings that sort of work but clamping a bit of wood onto them was not really the look I wanted. Would you mind letting me know what the fitting is that goes into the roof mounting point - there are so many options I can't figure it out.

Also a big fan of your thread on adding secondary lights as I want to do something similar. I'm guessing from this thread if you did it again you'd use the strip above the door approach and not bother trying to open up the OEM lights? The LED strip you use seems to be two colour - which one did you go for?

Hi,

The one I used was the RAM-B-126C:


Its fitted with a M8 bolt slid into the roof mount then tightened with a nut.

With regards to the lights, I would not fit LED lights into the OEM roof lights again, too much effort and I much prefer the RGBW LED tape I fitted with the aluminium profile above the doors. I can have any colour I want and it lights up pretty much the whole van.

Cheers,

Nick

 

[moodsterT6]

Is this a lagun style table leg? Is the rail bracket diy? Any pics of the part of the bracket that attaches to the rail?

I was going to make a bracket to attach to the Cali bench seat but this rail option is more flexible.

Hi,

yes it’s a Lagun mount fitted to a custom fabricated L bracket that a local welder made for me. Here is the sketch I provided to the fabricator’s: