I just bought a 1993 F150 supercab 4x4 shortbed. I need a bedliner and know nothing about my options. Could someone explain the benefits of a prefab dropin vs a spray application. Would like to hear approximate costs I should expect to pay and good sources to consider for both. Thanx...steve

 

Well first off spray in will put a coat right against your truck bed, thus avioding any possibilities of rust, iI dont know if you have taken a good look under someones prefabed liner before but it can get pretty nasty.
And it also comes down to what look you prefer, the spray in will form to all of the shapes that are curves, and dents that you currently can see, where as the prefabbed will just lay over the top.
Also you have 3 options for spray in, SPEEDliner,Ryno,and Line-X. THe Rino and Line form to a really hard plastic and unfortunatler over time have been known to loose its shiny black finsih and can fad to grey.
THe SPEED liner forms into a rubber surface, and holds its color.
There are a few prefabbed companies also but as far as I know their liners are all similar products.
SPray in is going to run you around 300 for jsut the bed, and if you want any of the rails doen it will be another 1oo bucks.
I think prefabed liners are around 250, but am not to sure about that figure, I am sure that some one here can tell you what thsoe are running-
EM

 

For normal use, not hauling concrete or steel beams, I'd recomend a bedrug. The quality one by Wise Industries. Never heard a bad word about them, and I love mine. You can get them for $300. sometimes less. I got a new one on Ebay for $200.

 

I agree that the bedrug was my first and so far favorite mod.

good luck....

 

Hi Guys

Just passing this along www.bedlinerfacts.com

Interesting reading.


Good luck...OT

 

I just checked out your website referral. What an awesome site! Thank you.

 

I initially had a Ford bedliner in my 2000 SD. After about 2 2/2 years, I decided to have a spray-in put in. I got a Rhino Linings liner done! I couldn't believ how much dirt and schmutz was under my drop in! I will always do a Rhino Linings in my trucks.

 

I had a Ford drop in liner, installed at my dealer when my ordered truck came in. I switched it out when it was in 2 1/2 years, for a Rhino Lininigs spray in. I could NOT believe tha ammount of crud UNDER the Ford bedliner! I will NEVER have a drop-in in my trucks again, EVER! I LOVE the Rhino, nothing slides in the bed!! I LOVE the Rhino Linings, and would not hesitate to get it again!

 

I have the Ford liner installed at the dealer, with the Ford logo embossed in the front of the liner. Cost me 225.00 installed, and it looks better than any spray-in I've ever seen.

Spray on liners will scratch and look ugly after awhile.

If you are worried about the bed getting dirt, rust, whatever under the liner, just pop it out once a year and take a look. My liner has been in for 6 months, and has no dirt or rust underneath. The ford liner fits under the side rails, and the dirt stays out.
Anyway time will tell. just my .02.

 

I got the spray-in and would recommend some kind of protection for a new truck.

If I bought a ten year old truck, the most I'd spend is $20 for a sheet of pressure treated plywood and then only if I really needed it.

 

I'll throw in my few penny's here.

The way I would look at it is like this:

If you do NOT plan on owning the truck for more then 3-5 years I would go with a drop in. Reason, if you do get a spray on and happen to have some damage to it (dent, scratch etc) it is very hard to fix and make look good. Another reason is if it happens to fade it "may" reduce the resale or trade in value.

If your drop in looks pretty shoot before your ready to sale or trade in you have two options. One, you can take it out and if the bed is in good condition, no scratches or rust just leave it out and the truck looks well maintained. Two, if the bed does look kind of bad, scratches a little rust etc, then just put a new drop-in bed liner and again the truck looks well cared for.

As far as spray-in bed liners, I have heard a lot of good things about them but the site that "Old Timer" links to make for some very interesting and good reading before making a decision. I currently have the drop-in bed liner through my Ford dealer.

The bed rug sounds like another real good option with the exception of I do NOT know if it will allow moisture underneath it. It would be worse to have moisture under a bed rug then a drop in. The reason "I" believe that is the drop in does have some room where as the water could possible evaporate where as a bed rug may hold the moisture next to the bed and “maybe” making it more possible for rust to form.

Again, I don’t know about the bed rugs but am personally thinking about getting one. I am “pretty sure” I will keep this truck I have until paid off and then after. If so what I am planning on doing is maybe using something like a spray-on to lightly cover the bed to prevent against rust and then installing a bed rug on top of that. Kind of the best of both worlds, the bed protected by some type of “light” coating (not a regular spray-on) and then the bed rug.

It is basically to each their own. Just think to yourself if you were buying a used truck and it did have a spray-on that was faded or damaged would you buy it? If so would you pay the fair market value or try to talk them down to replace the damaged spray-on.

Not knocking the spray-on as I said I have read many good post about them and personally think they are very nice looking, but that is me, if I sale my truck the guy buying it, or who may be interested may not share my likes. If they don’t like my drop-in its simple, take it out and chuck it.

 

Just go with the bed-rug. Your truck well look alot nicer.

 

I just read the linked site and it was pretty funny.
I don't care what anyone gets for their bed but, at least I now I know what Limbaughs writers do on the weekend.

BEDLINERFACTS
Drop-In = "Thick, strong..."
Spray_In = "...a paint-like formula...the installer must grind-off..."

Spray-In = "requires the installer to destroy the bed...."
Spray-In =" Was your installer Picasso?" ("was your daddy Einstein?")
And I love the bar graphs without explaining what the numbers actually are.

Thank God the people who put that out have moved on now and are working for the Government 'Homeland Security Dept"
telling us what we can do with duct tape.

 

The bed rug will allow water to come in under it but it drains out just like it would with a drop in liner. The thing about a bed rug is that even though it looks form fitted to your bed it is held in place with the use of heavy duty velcro.

I think everyone who hasn't had one assumes the bedrug to be carpet like you would drop on the floor in your house, but it's made for boats. So I have had my bedrug go through a carwash uncovered and it is dry and looking like new in a couple of hours.

The advanatges that I see is that with a spray in you can still scratch or ding up your bed. It serves more as a rust protector whereas with the bedrug you have a lot more protection plus if you had to move stuff around that you don't want scratched or if you kids just want to sit in the bed of your truck at the park the bedrug is a lot more comfortable.

I know that the spray in folk love their choice but for me the bedrug is just a lot better choice.