Truck Bed Liners

[jrs1958]

I’ve bought a pickup truck to tow my mate and I’ve come to the task of buying a bed liner for the bed. Anybody have any opinions on who makes a good bed liner that will handle northern climates?

[JW]

I had good luck with the bedliners that I had as far as fit goes, but I didn't like how the bedliners wore the paint off all the surfaces inside the bed. So after having a few bedliners, for one truck I bought a real thick rubber mat for the bed and left the sides of the box alone. The thick rubber mat didn't scratch the bed NEARLY as much as a full plastic bedliner did. But the mat didn't protect the wheel well openings from damage.
So my next truck will have the best of both worlds! A thick spray-in bedliner ! Ultimate protection for your bed. I was looking at a new Toyota truck a few weeks ago, and the factory is now starting to spray in liners! If Toyota is doing it, then it must be right.

[dlcss396]

Spray in the only way to go- as i stated in another post we use it on snowplows here in buffalo-- I recommended it for a guy for his trailer- they can do smooth or textured and even colors now! I was thinking on doing my whole truck- 79 chevy- a little rusty!! cost is a consideration though!

[jgreen]

Spray on ONLY, you couldnt give me drop in plastic liner, the only thing they are good for is if you want something to slide around in your box! http://checkmate-boats.com/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif

[Brian]

I have carpet in the back of my truck, but as far as a good work truck liner I would go with a spray in liner, they seem to be the best because they don't ware the paint off the bed, so it won't rust over time.

[BBB]

I used the drop in bedliner in a truck that was USED daily in the construction field. I never had a problem with it. After a few years I took it out to see what the bed looked like. It was a little scratched but had no rust, or dents. Plus you could wash it and it would looks like new again. The spray in ones usually end up fading and you can dent the bed easier, when loading something heavy, easier than a plastice drop in, not to mention they have to sand the bed before they spray it, so they actually put more scratches preping the spray in bed then years of use of a plastic one rubbing the paint. The only thing I would do is also buy a cheap bed mat. This way if you are hauling something you don't want to slide you can have it on the mat, and if you have something heavy that you would like to be able to slide in the bed for easier loading and unloading you can take the rubber mnat out. They actauuly sell a plastic mat that has a sandpaper feel now so your stuff will slide but not as easy. So the plastic looks better longer, is stronger, and is less than half the price of a spray in, thats counting if you buy a rubber mat to also have in there for the loads you don't want to slide. I work at a place that installs both, and wouldn't waste the money on a spay in, even if costs less, which of course it doesn't!

[mistertoadie]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">If Toyota is doing it, then it must be right. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
c'mon now, not to be argumentative, but Toyota hasn't had the best track record when it comes to making a bed last. All this "reputation of quality and longevity" that Toyota has is kind of a puzzle to me. I see alot more older american vehicles still runnin' strong and holding together than Asian vehicles. I'm not convinced that they are more reliable or better built at all.

['91 Starliner]

http://www.checkmate-boats.com/graemlins/thumb.gifI've had a Dura liner (plastic drop in liner in my F250 SD Diesel now since '99. I am a heavy equipment operator (owner operator) I through a ton of crap in that bed liner. Looks like new. Bed underneath has minimal scratches. 1500 lb pallets of sod, Loads of wood, Sand, Mulch, you name it it's probably been in there. I know if I had a Spray liner it would have been chipped, dented, or faded by now. I can't see why someone would spend the extra money on a spray liner. They also make a pad to put between the liner and bed to protect the paint, I didn't use it and I take good care of my truck looks very new. My .02

[brian s]

im on my fifth truck and for the first time i did a spray in and i love it! do a spray in liner http://www.checkmate-boats.com/graemlins/thumb.gif

[gtrumpet]

be carefull with the plastic bed liners, the one I had in my chevy kept all the moisture and not to mention rain that went down the backside of the tailgate inside the tailgate, and rotted it out from the inside out. http://www.checkmate-boats.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif