Replacing your car's carpet is a great way to bring back some of the showroom freshness to a tired interior. With a little planning, organization, and the right tools, it's a job that one or two people can easily finish in a day.
First, buy carpet for your truck. There are a variety of dealers and vendors who will sell you carpet that fits your particular model of truck. Select the color you want, then pick a day for your installation. When it's time to begin, unroll the carpet and let it sit our for several hours or a day or so. This eliminates wrinkles that the carpet may have from having been rolled up or folded in a box.
Remove the front seats. These are usually attached with a series of bolts accessible from underneath the car. If there is dirt or rust on the bolts, treat with a lubricant like WD-40 before you attempt to remove them. Remove the nuts attaching the seats and lift them out. Be sure to keep the bolts and other fasteners you remove during the day organized so reassembly is hassle-free.
Remove the rear seat if you have an extended cab. Usually the rear seat cushion pulls off with a sharp tug, exposing any other bolts and fasteners you'll need to remove. With the seats out, unbolt the seat-belt anchors and remove them. Usually you'll need to use a Torx bit to remove these.
Take out interior trim. Sill plates that extend along the door are usually fastened with Phillips screws and are easily removed. Most interior panels, like kick panels, pull off with a sharp tug, or you may need to get behind them with an awl or flat putty knife and pry them out. Be sure to keep any fasteners together so you don't lose them. If your truck has a center console, this is time to remove it. You'll usually find tabs for fasteners around the base of the console.
Once everything has been removed and the carpet is clear of obstructions, pull it out, working from the edge to the center. Lay the old carpet on top of the new to make sure you've got the correct orientation and size for the new piece. Lay the new carpet on the floor, centering it carefully, then punch holes for bolts and attachment points using your awl and utility knife. Once all the holes have been made, replace all of the components you've removed, working in reverse order. As a final step trim any excess before replacing trim panels and door sills. Be sure to tighten all bolts securely, especially those for the seats and seat belts.
