bed liner

[akfordman]

Has anyone installed a plastic drop in bedliner in there slick? If so, what name brand. Cann't find one,looks like spray in is the only thing offered.

[DV65CustomCab]

Not true! I've had two in mine so far. Changed from over the rail to under so I could use a soft tonneau (another thing people "can't find" because catalogs don't list them).

Now, I have a long bed so I can't specifically tell you what will fit. My over the rail version was a "Tuff Liner" that came with the truck. It wasn't as fussy to fit because it didn't cling tightly to the bed on the insides. The fit issue will most likely be due to the stake pockets, which are not in the same exact places on the later models. I found that Fords up through the 1980s were virtually identical, though my under rail had to have a bit trimmed off to a) bypass the center stake pockets and b) fit under the side rail. I'd love to get comparison measurements for short beds through the years to add to my data, but the long beds were very similar throughout. Dodge trucks are close also. GM trucks are completely different. A tape measure and an afternoon in the local junkyard will teach you a lot.

[R Pope]

Ever pull a plastic liner out that had been in a truck for a few years? There's no floor left! Water gets under them and it stays wet, rusting the bejaysus out of the bed. If you really want to line it, go for the spray-in stuff. But remember that you won't be able to slide anything in the back easily! Everything has its pro's and con's, I guess.

[Gritsngumbo]

Conversely, if you put a "drop in" liner in, crap slides all over the place

[douglloyd]

In my green and white 1/2 ton longbed '66 (302/4spd) I did both.

First I cleaned up the rust and primed the inside of the bed, then applied one of those roll-on finishes. Black with a rough finish that probably is durable but can scratch. Then I found a place that often sells used plastic liners. These are takeoffs from their customers who want a sprayed-in bed and apparently have lots of money to spend! Too rich for my tastes! But they let me sort through their takeoffs until I found a pretty close match for $50. Yes things slide around but I can throw firewood and scrap steel in the back without damaging anything. Couple of months ago I found a cheap camper cap on the Knoxville craigslist. Keeps everything from blowing out and the bed stays dry. Now this bed will probably outlive us all.

Doug

[Uncle Skip]

There is one serious issue with drop in bed liners. If you put a plastic gas can in the back on top of a plastic drop in liner, it can cause an static electric build up, a spark and possible fire when you remove the metal gas filler handle or even lift the can out (full) of the bed.
The static buildup occurs when you fill the can with it still in the bed of the truck from the friction of the gasoline going into the plastic container - so always put the gas can on the ground and fill it, then put it back in the truck.
Never fill the gas can with it still in the truck.
In fact, that is a good idea even if you have a rubber floor liner or even a spray in liner (although the gas companies don't warn against the spray in liners) to always put it on the ground when you fill it.
http://www.techletter.com/Archive/Safet ... icles.html

[ICEMAN6166]

park with the front end of the truck slightly downhill

rains during the night, no drain holes for escape, freezes in the early morning hours, now theres a block of ice frozen in my bed.

been there done that

spray or brush on bedliner much better if you ask me.

[Johnny Canuck]

For a while Ford Pickups came with them installed..not sure if it was a factory thing or dealer installed.

it was the generation of trucks just prior to the big body style change of '97

Anyway, a local Electrical company my buddy works for, always bought Ford trucks for their co. They had a mountain of them box liners siting in their yard. As soon as winter hits, you throw a spool of wire in them and they split from stem to stern. Then they become like a lid, holding in the moisture underneath. So they'd take them out. Probably at least ten of them sitting there, every one split .
Then, when Toyota came out with the Tacoma, a truck which doesn't even have a steel box, just a thicker version of those same plastic box liners, I thought "What a wonderful Idea that is for a Canadian winter.


Of course, none of that matters In Oz. Worst could happen is an ice cold case of beer might crack it.

[DV65CustomCab]

So much hate for plastic bed liners, but I still like mine. Mostly because 1) I park my truck in a garage, 2) I've got a tonneau cover, 3) Under my liner I've got a pristine floor I'd like to keep that way, 4) the liner is cheap, easily removed and non-permanent.

Yes, they have negatives as many have noted, but they do have their place. I'm against spray on bed linings for vintage trucks because it's pretty much a permanent thing. OK for a truck with a ugly, hammered, well used bed as it will hide a lot of the ugliness, but I'd never do it to a really nice floor. It all depends on the truck and it's intended use.