Carpet Install

I recently got a new vehicle. Gutting the cab, I found tons of dirt and junk from the liner not covering the floor properly. So, to fix this shrank mat, I purchased some carpet from Bronco Graveyard. The carpet was custom made in Alabama, then drop shipped to my door. Which is currently in Tennessee, where I have set up a remote MidnightMods camp. The Carpet is vinyl and very nice quality. I was quite bummed to find out that it was not pre cut, but I made due.  Lets start the work!

Here you can see the carpet folded out. It is actually a molded carpet, even though you cannot tell from this picture. It looks as if it was press fitted and heated. Just my assumption.

 

 

 

This is what I had in the truck, and I did not need to leave it in there, but I did. First I modified it some before reinstalling it and modifying it some more. I left this matt in there still due to the sound deadening effects it would help with. Pulling it out, I found out it was still holding water as well, from the PO, even though I let it dry in the Tennessee sun for a few days.

I pulled off the backing, due to it being wet, and because it would just be far to tall under the carpet at that point, cause the carpet had padding as well. You can see it looks wet again. Yuch!!! I had some issues around the Throttle, so I cut it and made it sit better before installing the carpet.

Sorry, it focused on the white part up front, I was in a hurry. My bad on that one. The carpet is actually a bit large, but my goal was to cut as little as possible. The shifters were not cut out, this posed some challenge to me. Cannot mess up, cause.. well, it’s not easily fixable!

Make sure you use some GOOD scissors when you do this. I got my blade shears out to use. Boy are they dull now. =(

I got the shifter cut out and installed the shifter and boot, and went to work on the four wheel drive shifter. This was to help keep the carpet in place. Make sure you constantly check the location of the carpet. It should fit evenly around, and try and tuck it up under the dash as far as you can, there is plenty to go around.

With the four wheel drive shifter on, I went to work under the drivers side dash. You can get it stuffed behind this panel with minimal cutting. I had to make a cut in the back for a piece back there, and cut off about an inch part way down, cause it was just to long to fit back there. It looks great, no? next, I installed the seat belts, and then I installed the bench seat. The reason I did this was to help keep the carpet from moving around when I did the rear corners.

 

You can see there is lots of excess behind the seat. I elected to stuff this under the back drop and behind the rear quarters. I removed them and stuffed. The only place I cut the carpet here was for the seat belt, and then did my best to stuff it in the corner to not interfere with anything.

The edges overhung a bit, so I tucked them into the wire channel and applied the rocker panel covers. This will allow me to adjust later if I have too. I left some slack in towards the floor as well, I did not pull them tight, just to allow the center hump some material to settle with.

That looks good, lets add in the floor mat, and take it for a spin!

The main problem I had was cutting the holes out. That was the biggest pain. Getting the rear corners stuffed good was a pain also, the trim does not actually fit back in there as easy, due to more material being underneath it now. I’m sure it will eventually settle in. I had a lot of fun with this and now my truck looks great inside, and I’m not afraid of dirt getting under the carpet like it would have with the tough mat that was installed, which had gaps and holes in it.