Hi all, just came back from a county fair and was talking to both Line-X and Arma Coatings dealers about their products. I have sample of each and saw bed spray with each and they look almost identical. The Arma Coating guy said that Line-X is a spin off of their product. If you look at the surfaces, again, almost identical.

Anyone out there have any experience with the Arma Coating liners? I have heard a lot about the Line-X but not the Arma.

I am also considering getting the nerf bars, brush guards, rocker panels, and roll bars coated. Anyone done this and how does it hold up?

Thanks. About 4 more weeks (I hope until I get my truck)

hut

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Order - 2001 XLT, Flareside, 4x4, loaded, offroad package, 4.6 with standard transmissom, island blue,
Going to install Superchip and K & N filter for now, has factory bars (tubular), adding Mannis (sp?) Brush Guard, Westin Rear Light Brush Guards, Lunds Interceptor Bug Shield, inside mount vent visors (not from Vent Visor), Rhino Coating the bed, maybe a Grizzly Roll Bar depending on whether truck will fit in the garage.

 

africanhunt,

Sorry, I've never heard of 'Arma Coating.' I had a Line-X installed and like it very much. It's some very tough stuff and does not scratch.

Keep in mind that ANY spray-in liner won't protect the bed from dents. I use my truck for light hauling so a spray-in works well for me. If you plan on heavy hauling and literally throwing stuff into the back of your truck, consider a plastic drop-in liner.

Any spray-in liner is only as good as the installer. Be sure they know what they're doing and have a spray-in done at a reputable shop.

What's an Arma Coating liner cost?? This is what my $350. Line-X looks like:
Personally, I wouldn't coat the nerf bars, brush guards, rocker panels, and roll bars...just my opinion.

 

The Arma Coating cost the same as the Line-x and both look the same. One dealer had nothing bad to say about the other. The Arma guy just said they were the first and that Line-X was created by a guy that left Arma years ago. Arma Coating has been in business since 1983. I looked a beds sprayed by both gentlemen and both looked great. I have samples of both materials and they look identical. They both go on at 2500psi and are hot when they do. I tried all of the Line-X tests on both and they held up equally well to the abuse. The one difference I did notice was that the Arma Coating is a little more fexible than the Line-X. Another difference is in the bed prep. The Arma Coating dealer only takes off the clear coat where the Line-X guy scuffs all the paint. The Arma Coating guy will hand write and sign a lifetime warranty, the Line-X you just get a standard warranty that comes from Line-X.

I don't know, I guess it is a coin toss. The two dealers are both about an hour away. I am looking at my truck as mostly a show truck (some minor hauling of mulch and the like once or twice a year and the occasional piece of furnature) not a work truck so I am not worried about dent resistance. I eliminated Rhino since I do not like it's appearance. Too thick and does not follow the bed contours.

Oh yeah, one other difference between the two is the Arma Coating guy does not cover the bed bolts, he take out all the bolts on the bed and tailgate, sprays the bed and puts the bolts back in so if the bed ever needs to be removed, you can easily get to the bolts. Line-X covers them up and you would have to grind the material off of each one if you ever needed access. I kind of liked the idea of not covering the bolts.

BTW, why do you no recommend the spraying of the bars, rocker panels etc.? Is there a specific reason for this.

Thanks,

hut

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Order - 2001 XLT, Flareside, 4x4, loaded, offroad package, 4.6 with standard transmissom, island blue,
Going to install Superchip and K & N filter for now, has factory bars (tubular), adding Mannis (sp?) Brush Guard, Westin Rear Light Brush Guards, Lunds Interceptor Bug Shield, inside mount vent visors (not from Vent Visor), Rhino Coating the bed, maybe a Grizzly Roll Bar depending on whether truck will fit in the garage.

 

Prep may be different from dealer to dealer, but with my Line-X application, all bolts were taken out prior to application. You have to take out the bolts on the tailgate to de-attach the access plate to handle assy. The plate is sprayed separate of the tailgate and re-attached with unprayed bolts. Bed bolts are also re-attached, as are tie-downs. Most will pretty much mask and install to owner's requests. Likewise, never heard of Arma Coatings and have never seen it installed.

 

My Line-X applicator took the bed bolts out as well as the bolts holding the access panel on. He used a cordless impact driver by DeWalt, first one I'd ever seen. Taking them out must be a personal preference.

BTW, He did leave two of the bedbolts in until he pulled the truck into the spraybooth. Also, mine came with a lifetime warranty. I've never heard of the Arma-coatings place, but if they are the only ones that will do it the way you want, I'd say go for it.

No alignment problems with my bed afterwards either.

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all4chem@aol.com
Y2K XLT Supercab Flareside, Oxford White, Medium Graphite, Captains Chairs, 6-Disc, 5.4L, 3.55LS, Tow Pkg, Block Heater, Sliding Glass, Remote and Keyless Entry, 5-Spoke Al Wheels, P235/70R-16 OWL Tires, Clear Corner Lenses, Eaglite Plasma Headlights, Al Striker Plates for the rear doors, Oxford White Lund Interceptor, Line-X Liner, and White Faced Gauges.
Ordered: 01-17-00
Built: 02-23-00
Delivered: 03-13-00




[This message has been edited by all4chem (edited 09-04-2000).]

 

Here is the web site for Arma Coatings so you can check it out if you want. My Line-X dealer will not remove the bolts, period, which leads me to Arma. I rubbed the two together very hard and neither came off on the other (different colors so it would be easy to see), I slammed them both with a hammer, even after in the freezer 5 hours and neither cracked. I cut both and you cannot tell where the crack is and the surface is virtually identical. They are not the same product however. I was assured of that by both dealers but neither dealer had anything bad to say about the other. Like someone said in another post, it is really who puts it on that makes the difference.

www. armacoatings.com

hut

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Order - 2001 XLT, Flareside, 4x4, loaded, offroad package, 4.6 with standard transmissom, island blue,
Going to install Superchip and K & N filter for now, has factory bars (tubular), adding Mannis (sp?) Brush Guard, Westin Rear Light Brush Guards, Lunds Interceptor Bug Shield, inside mount vent visors (not from Vent Visor), Rhino Coating the bed, maybe a Grizzly Roll Bar depending on whether truck will fit in the garage.

 

My bed bolts are sprayed...don't do that.

 

Remove all the bolts, even the ones on your tailgate before the liner gets sprayed. This is a sign of a lazy installer....
I just had a Line-X done last week (bolts removed), it's great so far and I've abused over the weekend. The only negitive I could see was that since it is much rougher than the plastic drop in liners , I scrathed some paint off a piece of furniture that I dragged across the bed. I plan on getting a rubber mat to protect the stuff I put in the bed....Sorry can't help you with the Arma coating.

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Mike Mueller
Antioch, CA
'01 SuperCrew Lariat 5.4L
(White,Gray Int, 3.55 LS Diff, Line-X)
'70 914
'95 GT RTS-1

 

Remove all the bolts, even the ones on your tailgate before the liner gets sprayed. This is a sign of a lazy installer....
I just had a Line-X done last week (bolts removed), it's great so far and I've abused over the weekend. The only negitive I could see was that since it is much rougher than the plastic drop in liners , I scrathed some paint off a piece of furniture that I dragged across the bed. I plan on getting a rubber mat to protect the stuff I put in the bed....Sorry can't help you with the Arma coating.

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Mike Mueller
Antioch, CA
'01 SuperCrew Lariat 5.4L
(White,Gray Int, 3.55 LS Diff, Line-X)
'70 914
'95 GT RTS-1