I want to install a bed liner and I was wondering about those do it your-self ktis you can buy at pepboys or autozone for $100. I know you have to sand the bed down which isn't a problem. Do you just have to roll it on with the roller that comes in the kit? Or do you think your better off taking it somewhere to have some spray it on? What would the charge?

 

I have heard really good and really bad things about diy bed liner. have also heard some problems with the expensive spray ons and how some of the warranties are a headache to deal with. There are pro's and cons to both.

I think its all in the prep. Some people get upset and blame it on whoever makes the liner, and they didn't do any prep.

Line-x wanted close to $600 to do my 6.5' bed and wouldn't give me a warranty due to some surface rust- even if I had it sand blasted or painted, whatever. They also said my 98 was to old to remove the bed bolts. Maybe the franchise near you is better?

If you're going to spend the big bucks on a spray in I would definitely go with Line-x over anything else.

This spring I have decided that I'm going to save some money and do it myself- can't do any damage. I am going to do a roll on, most likely Duplicolor Bed Armor. Either way I don't get a warranty so why not save some money and know the prep's been done right. They didn't sound like it was something they spent a lot of time on.

By the way if you do go on to do a diy kit, don't use the scotch bright pad they come with and don't forget to use wax and grease remover/ prep spray. The people that follow those instructions typically don't have anything to complain about a year later.

Hope I have somewhat been able to help you.

Good luck

 

I am a perfect case study on someone who didn't prep correctly. After a few months if started flaking off in sections. I actually picked up a used OEM drop-in liner to hide it from myself (oh the shame...).

Bust seriously I have heard good things from those who have done it correctly. It was one of the first things that I did to my truck and I'm sure if I good do it again I'd do a much better job; but as they say "C'est la vie."

That being said I (personally) don't think that the DIY roll on kits are anywhere near the quality of a professionally applied spray on.

All in all I Agree with wilderthing. If you have the time and patients to do it right then try it. If you don't want some degree of risk then take it somewhere.

 

You have to treat it just as you would if you were painting something. If you do not take the time to correctly prep the surface you are spraying there will be issues.

And they were right about the bed bolt issue. They usually get so rusted out you end up damaging the bolt/nut upon removal and sometimes even have to grind off the bolt head just to remove them. I think its def. better to remove the bolts if you can. That way if any work ever need to be done or the bed needs to be set back you dont destroy the bedliner and bolts in the proccess.

I have no personal experience but I cant imagine that you can get close to the quality of a proffesional bedliner with a DIY kit. Not saying you cant do a good job. I look at it like a paint job. Sure you can get the duplicolor and paint some flares for your truck and they will look good if you do a good job. But if you spent the money to have them sprayed at a shop you get a much better more high quality finish.

 

My bed bolts are new since I just had a body lift done. I think later down the road I may just have a shop do it. I can get some pretty good deals in town. Thanks for all the good info. I haven't heard anything really bad about DIY kits until now.

 

I dont think there is anything really BAD about the DIY kits. I think most of the time when things go bad it is more user error than product failure. But its like the old saying "you get what you pay for". You just cant expect something that cost a fraction of what a spray on liner cost to be comparable. I have seen some spray on liners done by shops that were very poor in quality. Some to the point of huge chucks of liner lifting from the bed floor.

Whatever you do research the shop. Try to see if you can look at some of the work they do.