To Keep The Underlay?

[Obey_R 23]

Need to get a lot of welding done next month so it makes sense to strip the carpet and underlay out at the same time to get any little spots done should there be any and clean the carpet etc. Only I don't want to take the carpet out and ruin the underlay at the same time...

 

Does it generally come out as a whole? If it does get broken up etc, is it easy enough to replicate something with normal carpet underlay or what?

 

I've done a search and read a few on what to replace it with, but not if I'm likely to get it out unscathed!

 

 

Thanks,

Ross.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Obey_R

[Baz 421]

It's in two sections, front and rear, and generally they all fall apart when you take them out anyway. Most of the time i don't bother putting them back in for that reason.

[Atari Boy 11]

When I took my carpet up, the underlay was pretty shot. The main areas the suffered were under the driver and front passanger feet areas. I did not keep the underlay as it's a track car but I suspect that you could replace the worn areas (that were very crumbled and brittle) with a felt based new underlay and keep the other areas as it is all moulded to the right shape.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Atari Boy

[Obey_R 23]

I'm in two minds whether to keep it or not, but it is gonig to be an everyday car so I don't want to leave it out and find it's a just too loud for day to day driving.

 

How loud do you find it, Atari boy?

[JRL 14 1 Cars]

Try it without as it can be heavy and smelly from absorbing water. if its too noisy buy some new from frosts auto restoration

http://www.frost.co.uk/result_search.asp

[Obey_R 23]

Thanks, might well give it a go.

 

Does the carpet go back in okay, as the underlay is quite thick... The carpet doesn't have excess movement anywhere?

[Atari Boy 11]

How loud do you find it, Atari boy?

 

Probably not easy to compare as I have no rear seats and have a cage etc, but not too bad, I do have the whole of the rear carpeted as well but no underlay there either.

[Ben_M 1]

I just put normal carpet underlay under my carpet. It works fine and it alot lighter! As for the carpet fitting without the underlay...it may start to move around.

 

Give it a try buddy.

 

Ps If you do try it report back your findings. It maybe someting I try this summer.

[Atari Boy 11]

One other thing to bear in mind is that I found that the lower centre console and hand brake surround did not fit as neatly without and underlay.

[Alan77 78 1 Cars]

I used this stuff:

 

Coverdale Latex Backed Felt

 

Used the old rotten underlay as a template and cut out new parts.

3m squared will be more than enough, less than £30 IIRC.

Definately worth doing if it's your daily car and the carpet fits back over perfectly.

[Obey_R 23]

Thanks for all the input - I'll get something back under there for sure.

 

Whilst on topic, is it hard to remove the carpet? I understand most of it is just tucked under but do you have to remove the lower central consol or again, so is just slide out from underneath?

 

 

Ross.

[Anthony 1,003]

Whilst on topic, is it hard to remove the carpet? I understand most of it is just tucked under but do you have to remove the lower central consol or again, so is just slide out from underneath?

You'll need to remove the lower center console, the handbrake surround, lower seatbelt rails and the seats (obviously) but then it comes out easily enough.

[richsmells 2]

Pretty easy to remove as above. No doubt it'll be stinky, brittle and heavy if water's been anywhere near it. I'd replace with some underlay mentioned above. The previous owner of my old car removed the underlay, and re-fitted the carpet. Without the bulk of the underlay, the carpet sagged a little at the sides of the door, so you couldn't clip it down and looked a bit untidy.

Edited June 14, 2010 by richsmells

[Baz 421]

I've been running my blue 1.6 as essentially a daily driver with no underlay fr over 2 years, the exhaust system although standard is actually quite loud (93db static a metre away from the exh. at 4k or so) and i find it absolutely fine, and still pretty civilised for european trips etc.

 

You'll need to remove the lower center console, the handbrake surround, lower seatbelt rails and the seats (obviously) but then it comes out easily enough.

 

You don't have to, but it is easier. Bit of a fiddle and you have to tear it apart etc if not.

[GLPoomobile 958]

When I removed the underlay from my last 1.6 I replaced it with some stuff from Car Builder Solutions that cost about £20 for the roll IIRC. Was about 1cm thick. I did the whole floor in a single piece and just cut it to shape as I went.

 

If I was doing it again I think I would use one of the felt based products from Second Skin. They look pretty good.

[Obey_R 23]

Thanks for all the comments, seats are coming out for a clean and recover anwyay, handbrake surround is already off to I'll just take the centre coloumn out and do it properly.

 

I'm hoping - as the carpet hasn't had any damp patches that I've seen, that it will be okay to draw around, or even put back in?

 

Thanks,

Ross.