Independent Product Review : LaSalle Defender 90 Standard Headlining & Thermal-Acoustic insulation
Headlining seems to be something of a weak point when it comes to Land Rover design, at least where the Defender and older Series models are concerned. Construction methods can vary, but most of them utilise a simple compressed card backing and vinyl outer surface. These sandwich a thin layer of foam and it’s this part that degrades over time. When it does, a de-lamination of the materials in question inevitably results in the dreaded sag effect.
So, once you’ve got it, what do you do about it?
Well, there aren’t that many choices, as I found out recently when the headlining on my Defender 300tdi hardtop finally gave up the ghost.
The budget option is to carefully strip out and repair what you already have. Depending on the severity of the problem, this is a temporary solution at best. You could always fit a brand new replacement from Land Rover, but that’s going to cost a small fortune. A more sensible idea is to try and source a secondhand lining. The problem with this approach is that the good ones are few and far between and always fetch premium prices. It’s also tricky to locate one that hasn’t been messed around with for speakers, alarms and the like. And even if you do find the right example, how long before it succumbs to the same faults inherent within the basic design?
Fortunately, there is another option and I think it’s the most practical of the lot.
LaSalle headlinings are moulded from GRP, that’s glass reinforced plastic, a rigid composite material that is extremely tough, unaffected by water and a superb insulator. And it won’t sag. Ever.
The LaSalle options list is extensive, covering a variety of vehicle models and configurations, including Series, Defender and Range Rover. My own requirements were for a full headlining to fit a Defender 90 hardtop, alpine window cut outs not required. That’s not even on the menu with standard Land Rover spec.
Customers get a choice of design detailing such as speaker and radio housings, as well as additional alpine trim. Standard finish is a lightly textured grey or tan, hardwearing, attractive and practical, and it’s also possible to specify a custom colour if you don’t mind a surcharge.
Fitting is straightforward enough as long as you have an extra pair of hands to help out. All LaSalle headlinings come pre-drilled and attach to the roof gutters, cross member and central ribs. Once you’re happy with the positioning, the final securing is done with the bag of plastic drive rivets supplied. Also in the kit are the bolts you need for refitting the sun visors. Take your time and you shouldn’t have any problems.
Another step well worth considering while the Landy roof is exposed concerns insulation. Or, more accurately, the lack of it. LaSalle now offer a product called Acousti-therm, a special open cell foam faced with reinforced aluminium foil that comes in sheet form 12mm thick. The offside has a self-adhesive peel-away backing, so fitting to flat panels like the Defender’s roof and sides is a doddle.
The advantages are significant. One of the reasons why the standard Land Rover headlining fails over time is the condensation which constantly forms on the underside of the roof. Using Acousti-therm beneath the new headlining gets rid of that problem and also offers tremendous improvements in both sound and heat insulation. If you’re going to do the job in the first place, you may as well do it properly for a few extra quid. In my opinion, it’s money well spent.
And that just about sums up the whole experience. Changing the headlining on a Defender isn’t a particularly difficult job, but it is time consuming and can be fiddly. It therefore makes sense to do it just the once and do it right. And the only way you can guarantee that happening is by going with LaSalle.