I was looking at the Spray in liners the other day and I still fail to see the value of them. Plus they are expensive.

The truck I was looking at had a line x and the sides and bottom were sprayed. The only thing I can see is it gives you grip, but a mat will do the same.

Plastic Verses Spray

Plastic -
Protects the bed from dents and scratches from rocks, bricks, tools, etc.
Can be removed when selling it
Has a grip surface (most of them)
Can be replaced when severely damaged


Spray -
Offers grip
No Dent Protection
Can not be removed
Spray on the sides does nothing

Maybe I am missing something but I do not see the value.
I have a Pendaliner drop in and I have hauled rocks and thrown heavy trash and parts in the back, denting the liner. Big 100 pound rocks, etc.

Getting a cap in the next week I removed the liner and it was brand spanking new under there. No dents, etc.

Not trying to bust on spray liners, just trying to get some info.

 

you really aren't going to get any more dent protection from a platic liner then you are for a spray in. if you toss something in the bed hard enough that it is going to dent the spray-in liner, it will do same thing to the plastic liner, and probably break it in the process. because the plastic liner is not as form fitting as the spray-in liner, you run the risk of getting moisture between the liner and the bed and causing rust.

now a mat is something different. you don't get sides from the mat, which is fine if you are careful and don't toss stuff in or haul anything (like dirt or stone) that would pile up beyond the bottom of the bed and could scratch the sides.

but the bottom line is get what you want and what you think will fulfill your needs.

-j

 

Wait about 5 years and then pull your plastic bed liner out. You will see the difference between spray on and plastic bed liners. Moisture gets up under there and stays. Btw Rhino lining guaranted for the life of the truck and mine like 1/4 inch think.

 

Maybe were talking about a cheap cheap plastic liner.

If you install a good plastic liner in a new bed it will not trap water since its ribbed and breathes. Also a new bed will be painted and water can not get under the paint unless you have a hole or something in it.

I just took one out after 3 years and looks like day one.

 

A plastic liner will rub the paint off of the high spots on the bed paint in less than 100 miles; I've seen many. He's talking about moisture trapped under the liner, between the bed and liner. This new "weather system" does increase bed rust; I've seen many rusted ones. Ribbed = yes. Breathes = not at all; plastic does not breathe. Your painted bed is galvanized, but it can rust like any similar body panel.

 

How does water get under a drop in liner? Water falls from sky and sits in the liner, but if the sides of it go under the rail, how does water get in? Maybe spraying from the back with the tailgate down? I understand the rubbing concerns, though.

I think what Lars is saying about breathing is that water can escape from the bad of the bed where the profile of the bedliner is ribbed. Obviously, plastic doesn't breathe, the design allows the bed underneather to "breathe".

IMHO, there are pros and cons for both spray and drop in liners. It depends the owner's uses and care.

I understand the theory for drop in bedliners, how hypothetically the bed could rust underneath, but I question the timeframe in which the rust occurs and becomes a problem.

I sold my last F-150 to my father in law. I bought it new in 1999 and the dealer installed a drop in plastic Duraliner. 10 days after delivery, I purchased a soft bed cover that for the majority of time stayed closed. Maybe I'll remove it on one visit for my own experiment.

 

I agree, there are positive aspects of plastic liners. They work very well if you use a foam bed protector under them. Yes, water gets under them by spraying the tailgate area down. It also runs under them at the tailgate area on the sides and bottom during rain, sprinklers, or whatever. Most F-150s are higher in the back, so, it always runs under it. Large amounts will drain in front with the bed's drain holes under the liner. The closed off, dark area under a liner has poor ventilation.

 

I took my plastic bedliner out because I didn't like it. I went to Line-X and had them sand the whole bed down and spray on a nice tough liner. I love it.

 

If it is open to air moisture will get underneath the bed liner.

 

You need to read this recent recall:

http://ebusiness.durakon.com/Pressre...e.aspx?PRID=39

 

Yep, yep...case in point...We bought my 2000 brand new, it had 8 miles on it when we picked it up and drove it around a little then home. First thing we did was take the factory plastic liner out, the truck had 100...maybe 125 miles on it by then and already there were significant rubbed spots in the new paint underneath. I'm sorry to say that no matter how high the quality of the liner is that you may buy, if it isn't glued down every inch of the way it is going to move and flex causing rubbing and eventually rusting. The rubber mats are great but there again, if you never remove it you could have an issue with moisture underneath it as well. I think the spray in's are the way to go.

 

Exactly ! I ordered this thing called a Paint Saver on my 2000 F-150 while the factory plastic liner was in for a couple of days. I took it out, similar story. This Paint Saver pad or hardwood floor underlayment is the real answer to eliminate this problem altogether.