Pick-up Truck Bedliners

[scruffy]

hmmmmmm, seems like I said that way back up there! Oh well.

 

[cowboydoc]

Sorry if you already said that Scruffy. Like most people anymore there are just too many posts to read them all!!!!

 

[Egon]

Scruffy:

Such is life. But everyone to his own.
Think I'll paint the inside of my box this summer.

Egon

 

[scruffy]

Personally, I ain't doin' nuttin' to the inside of that box until the pickup is ready for going down the road...probably won't then either! /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif Each one of those scratches, dings, and dents are a badge of honor for labor done by the truck.
Just a hint though, to protect your rear window, and front bed wall, put a metal crush box (toolbox) across the bed, that way, if a load slides forward, it will hit the toolbox and bend it up a little or a lot...depending (smile), but it will straighten out!

 

[cp1969]

The only time I've ever been glad I have a bed liner is when hauling brush. Put one long limb on the bottom, load it up, and when you get ready to unload, the whole mess slides right out with very little effort.

The rest of the time it's a worthless pain in the rear. I wouldn't ever buy one again, nor would I use one of the spray coatings.

 

[Egon]

Scruffy:

Too late. Had to make hasty stop with a pallet [ 3800# ] of concrete paving blocks in the rear. Bent the box a touch. The paint will go on as a camper sits on a plywood sheet in the back almost year round now and it can rust some underneath the plywood. Otherwise it would be retain the factory paint. I'll do that when I paint the underside of the truck next summer.
This one has to last as retirement income is not the greatest.

Egon

 

[scruffy]

Egon, sorry to hear about your oops in your p/u bed. I learned that lesson years ago, and its a whole lot easier, not to mention cheaper to replace a crushed toolbox than pull the bed, straighten it, and the cab. The current p/u is workin' on its 3rd toolbox and its been slimmed down in the middle once by two 330' foot rolls of 48" field fencing slamming into it. Little pounding, and paint, it was back in business!
Don't know 'bout the retirement income, but mine took a very heavy hit last year, and probably the rest of it this year. /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif Oh well, I'm only 56, so got a few more years to work! Oh yeah, Disability ain't any great shakes either./w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

 

[rancar]

Well Gentlemen. Since starting this thread I'm been educated to say the least. First I was thinking about a regular Duraliner or Pendaliner, then that spray on stuff. Now you guys are convincing me that the only real way to be a man and to have a real man's working truck is to beat the b'jeebers out of it with all kinds of dents, scratches, and nicks. And in a couple of years I'm going to stand back and look at my new truck that looks like it's been through a world war with a TBN coffee mug in my hand (hoping they come out soon) and be thankful that I've become a real man thanks to my fellow TBNers. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

 

[scruffy]

You can keep the exterior body and interior in great shape. It really does not hurt the value if the interior of the bed is scratched up and have dings in it. those can be easily covered with the spray liner when you feel ready to get rid of the truck...if you want to go to the trouble.
My 95 RAM looks great on the exterior, and in the cab, but I can't lay the same claim to the interior of the bed. Of course, with 95G on it (pushin' 96), it's earned a ding or two!

 

[rancar]

Thanks Bob. I'll remember that. Still haven't decided but will consider all the thoughts expressed in this thread.

 

[MChalkley]

RobertN - What kind of Lance camper did you have, and what did you do with it? I'm sorta kinda on the verge of looking for one. I'd be willing to bet my old beat up '93 Dodge will take it.

On the bedliner issue, my Dodge has had a drop-in liner since it was new. It's hard to imagine that there would have been more damage to the bed without the liner than the rust caused with it. I'm getting ready to fix all the dents, dents, rust, etc. When I do, it'll have a Line-X liner in it. I don't know anything about the spray-ins from an experience standpoint, but a body shop owner I really, really trust and like says he's seen all of them over a number of years and thinks the Line-X is the most durable (weather- and time-wise), best protection, and stands abuse best. I don't know if he's right or not, but he's proven to be a good place to start in the past. I do have one opinion based on lots of experience: It will not have another drop-in liner. Unless it's on top of the spray-in one to let things slide easier, and I doubt I'll do that.

 

[RobertN]

I had a Lance 9.5' 400 series self contained unit. It would have fit your truck. Problem is, these new ones taper in closer in the back, and also have a vertical support that protrudes into the bed(the tailgates backs up to it). So, the bed was too narrow between the rail tops to clear the grey water tank(on the side of the camper, kinda fits above the wheelwell). The shower stall itself stuck out too far on the right side, hitting the support rib that sits right behind the tailgate.

Chevy changed thier bed too; it has a similar issue to the Dodge. Ford has a taller cab, so older campers need a 2x4 under them to clear...

 

[Bayrat]

I'm with you Paul! Been away for awhile and catchin' up. I bought a breathable bed paint protector mat for $35. Next in goes the Mopar (Made by Duraliner) bedliner with a built in anti-skid material. The bedliner had a cut in it, so they sold it to me for $100. Total cost for keeping my truck in new condition and not destroying the metal, $150.oo /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif. I ordered a Covercraft Tonneau to make it more usefull as well. I don't bother with the elaborate sliding or locking panels. If someone wants to get in it, they do. With the canvas, you lose a tarp, with the other products, the crooks tear up your vehicle prying it open /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif. I also put rubber mats over the cloth ones that come with it, that is due to the winter weather here that soaks anything that has just carpet to the bone and leaves heavy salt stains that never come out. Usually takes until early summer to dry out. I take care of all of my property that way. I paid 30k for a truck, so why ruin it when a couple hundred bucks will keep it nice. I suppose when I re-roofed the house, I could have used just the tar paper /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif, but no, adding shingles makes the place look better /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif!

 

[pennwalk]

I have always liked bedliners just looks nicer to me and makes me feel easier throwing stuff in the back. I ran into a guy at the shore that ran a fish store. He had the bed striped and fiberglassed. Claimed you could hit it with a hammer and not hurt it. Guess trucks at the beach rust out pretty quick too. I have been wondering about all the folks I see running around town with trucks that look better than new. They can't be using them. I know the Government is worried about forign oil dependence. Maybe they should make anyone who's truck doesn't have a scratch get a Volkswagen. Those trucks suck down an awful lot of forign oil to just use for joy riding. (This ought to get this thread perking again)/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Chris

 

[RobertN]

Oh, you are 100% right. There are sooooooo many trucks bought these days that will never do anything but haul groceries. They are just cool, macho, big daddy awesome. And, they eat up a lot of gas.... hauling nuthin but air.

There are a lot of us that do use our trucks, but I think we have been in the minority for a number of years now.

 

[looch]

I have a pick-up truck and a Volkswagen - where does that leave me?/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Bayrat]

That is very true, many people do use them mainly for commuting, but it sure is nice to be able to pick up that new mattress or lawn mower on the way home. Or to stop at the lumber company for 10' decking and not pay for a delivery. Hauls my 30' boat to the shore once a year (another waste of natural resources), but I enjoy it. I like the crash resistance of a pickup as opposed to a VW as well. But I pay for it in gas, no doubt /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif!