Bedliners: drop-in or spray-in???

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Pete,

If it were me on a new truck I planned to keep for quite some time I think I'd spend the extra money on the spray on liner. I've seen a lot of truck with liners after a lot of years use and based on that I'd say the spray on is going to be your best bet.

You did hit on the one area where drop ins may be better and that's dent prevention with a very large or heavy item. For something like a load of stone you shouldn't notice any difference. For an engine block dropped from a yard or so above the bed floor you're less likely to dent your bed with a slide in liner.

I'd still go with the spray on based on what I've seen. Besides, it offers better "paw traction" than the slide ins do. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Good luck with whatever you decide. I hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Michael_S]

I have the spray in bed liner. Don't like it much. If you plan on hauling anything other than groceries, go with the drop in, and like others have said, put a cheap rubber mat on top to stop items from slipping around.
Our spray in liner has been repaired 5 times in 6 years, and needs it again. They just do not hold up to the "abuse" of actual use.
Side note: last time I took it in for repairs, I ask if it should be more durable. The dealer looked at me with a straight face and said, "you haul things around back there, what do you expect, it's really not made for that."

 

[jpr62902]

I have a drop-in liner and love it. I'm not concerned about moisture between the liner and the truck since I also have a tonneau cover to keep the bed dry. If I need to haul material, the cover comes off in two minutes. Just another $.02 worth.

 

[JTD]

I prefer the drop-in liners for pickups also. I do have a sprayed-in liner in my dump trailer. So far its been OK. Slight hang up on dumping but it still works fine. The only problem I've encountered is when hauling a load of junk metal/barb wire fencing. It cuts the liner and can tear is somewhat. This can be repaired.

 

[8561]

I have a spray in liner in my 2003 GMC. The truck is only 3 months old - so far so good. I prefer it to the drop in's simply because of the sliding around. I have used the rubber mats in previous trucks with some good luck as well. One thing I will mention is that I went with a Line-X. My dealer was able to hook me up with either Line-X or Rhino Linings. He said the Line-X was much better, stronger, looked nicer, faded less and steered me in that direction. I don't want to start a flame war between the two brands, only repeating what my GMC dealer said. I will say that he had used trucks with both and the used truck with Line-X did look better. Good Luck.

 

[BigDave]

I had a spray in bed liner put in about 5 years ago. I'm pretty satisfied, although my truck is weekend warroir and not an everyday worker. I have had loads of dirt and other big stuff. The only damage has come from using a shovel on the dirt, I managed to lift some of the liner off an exposed bolt in the bed. A drop in liner would have fared better in this case. I've had Torneau cover for the past 3 years, so I would say it only see's 1 month a year of direct weather when I have the cover off.

BTW, my very first bed liner of sorts was just piece of painted plywood; that worked half way decently.

 

[MossRoad]

I have a drop in in my old '85 Chevy pickup. It works great. Loads slide in and out easily. You can unload gravel very easily and clean up with a pushbroom. The tie down holes are still usable, as the liner is screwed to the inside edge. My in-laws also have a drop in liner but didn't like the slick surface, so they threw in a rubber mat. They remove the mat for hauling stuff that will have to be unloaded easily, like firewood and rocks and leave the liner in for everything else, like the dog. Dogs don't like the slick surface of the drop in. I would think you could find some horse stall mats and cut them to fit the drop in liner. Then you would have the best of both worlds.

 

[bgott]

I had a drop in in my S-10 and I hated it. I have a Line-X spray in in my Dodge and I love it. I dented the bed with both of them, scrap metal and logs can do that. I had them install the Line-X to get the deal when I bought the Dodge, the S-10 came with the drop in. The drop in was a no skid and it didn't work. I loaded a fold down engine hoist by myself in the drop in and a sharp edge peeled it like an orange. I have knocked divots out of the Line-X, mostly on the edges of the tailgate.If you are going to use your truck you are going to screw up the paint in the bed with either liner, you might want to look at a rubber mat and then use a drop in to cover any boogers when you go to trade it in.

 

[heehaw]

i hear a lot of complaints about the way the bed gets scratched up, under the drop in liner...but thats the first thing they do with the spray in liner....scratch up the entire bed...around here the spray in liner is over $400...a pretty decent do it youself kit is about $75...and 2 hours work..
i bought a new GMC in july..went with a drop in liner, because it was cheap..then put a rubber mat on top of the liner....but am still looking for something i like to put on the rails..
heehaw

 

[BB_TX]

I have a spray-in and am really happy with it. I really didn't like the look of most of the drop-ins I saw. If you decide to go with a spray-in, ask to see some of their work before you buy. From what I have heard/read, there is quite a bit of difference in quality from different installers. I had the dealer put mine in when I bought the truck. I don't know who they had do it for them, but they did a great job. It is a minimum of 1/4" thick and TOUGH. I don't abuse it, but I have hauled a lot of different stuff in the bed and I have no obvious cuts/scratches/gouges/dents or other damage. It will last longer than my truck will.