This months "The Family Handyman" talks about a DIY roll-on bed liner. The main ingredient is something they call a Herculiner Kit, which is a one gallon container of coating for a 6 foot bed. Cost is approx $120.00. What the article stresses is...preparation, preparation, preparation.

The also say, the more you apply the thicker it will be.

Now with all you DIY's out there, has anyone done this and what type of success have you had?

95, F-150, Flareside, V6 with 36K

 

I did it with my old 94 Ranger and it turned out pretty decent. It was all about the preparation though. It is by no means as tough as some of the professional ones, and will not put up with a lot of beating. I strapped in a propane tank and it cut through to the bed after a couple of days when I forgot about it. If you want it to beat on it extensively, save your money and get a professional one instead.

 

I used Herculiner on my truck a few months ago and it looks great. I did take a chunk out of it when I was loading some fridges and stoves but the spot where i took the chunk out of was really smooth. I don't think that I scuffed it enough.

Really good slip resistance only ever had one thing slide while driving.

 

As well as being sturdy, it also makes a beat up bed look pretty decent. I also had a spot tear but as stated earlier, this spot too was smooth metal (In the cab, heh).

Preperation is the key and be sure to scuff up everything to be painted.

Before:
Edit: The link won't work for some reason so Copy and Paste..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...%20Odds/Other%


After:


I will be doing the exterior in Durbak..

Zane

 

The value in Herculiner is skid resistance. Beyond that, it offers rub and peel resistance about the same as the factory paint. Dent resistance is zero. If you are trying to fix a bed that just looks beat up, it does a nice job - like any paint would. If you want bed protection... you're wasting $120 and a lot of your own time.

 

My neighbor did his ford ranger and it is pealing, probably bad prep work on his part. Also, in that article it shows him painting over the bed bolts, I would recommend you remove or tape them. Do not paint over any bolts or screws that you might have to remove some day down the road.

 

if you plan on putting another bedliner later, or repainting it, you will regret it. other than that, i would just listen to people that have had them, i have only scraped a few out, to put another bedliner in it, and all i can say is that part of the job sucks... and takes quite a few hours! my .02 cents

 

Herculiner is a good enough product, but like you said, preparation is everything... just like Line-X or Rhino.

I put a herculine all over or a utility trailer that I haul with my tractor (not a riding lawn mower) or with my quad. I haul wood, rock, metal, cow *****, hay, fertilizer, car parts, etc. that I haul around this 10 acres of mine and not a single problem. It has held up well to all of this and constant weather exposure. This trailer sees more action than my truck so I new the Herculiner lasts.

I helped my buddy added it to his 03' Dodge Ram Quad Cab. Several trips hauling a Harley to Sturgis, a complete lawn landscape job, hauling his kids dirtbikes, and working construction (e.g. hauling lumber, tools, etc.) and not a single problem, and it look as good as day 1.

I say go for it. $120 is a far-cry less than $400 which is what Line-X costs.

 

how many gallons did you get for $120. Line-X sprays 4.5 gallons in one truck bed. I think it cost $100 to $120 for one gallon of the DIY. So it is more expensive, plus the time and labor you have in it. Just my thought.

 

Sorry, but solvent based products like the DIY bedliners are not even in the same ballpark as the professional stuff as far as durability.