Any reason not to get a spray in bed liner? Any considerations I'm missing?

[ajkaz]

Just picked up my new Gladiator, spray in liner wasn't available with my combo when I ordered. Any considerations to make in getting one aftermarket? Leaning towards Rhino due to the texture being less abrasive. Are you happy with yours & what brand did you choose?

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[kevman65]

With you being in So Cal, you might see if you can get the UV protection additive.

Can't help you with which to get to avoid abrasiveness, we get cold winters here and that makes any of the big names abrasive after a few winters.

 

[JAVIERGONZO]

There's absolutely no reason not to get one.

Line X did mine. Would Line X the WHOLE TRUCK if I could.

 

[CivilJeep]

Ask them to make sure the threaded holes don't get clogged. My installer used golf tees to protect them.

 

[Elff]

Threaded holes take bolts
Put the proper sizes in all of those holes and once the Bedliner is sprayed, remove them.
It sounds simply, because it is.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Any answers will most likely be personal likes and/or dislikes and not about technical reasons.
Some like it, some don't, so beware, that's the sort of responses you'll get.
From a technical standpoint, I've not yet seen any reason to not get it. It doesn't break anything, it doesn't interfere with anything, but it's hard on the knees if you are wearing shorts kneeling in the truck bed or on the tail gate, and it prevents things from sliding easily.

 

[saintpauljeff]

I got the Rhino since my JTR didn’t come with a liner either. To me it’s very similar to the Mopar OEM liner, feels the same anyway. I like the lifetime warranty that comes with Rhino.

 

[cafecito]

The better question is why the fuck Jeep (or any manufacturer) ever thinks painting the inside of a truck bed is a good idea. I would rather it be bare metal than body paint that's just going to get scratched up. It's like when upscale restaurants use excessively expensive ingredients for something you're just going to turn into poo anyway. Why bother?

If you're handy, Rustoleum's truck bed liner spray is a pretty convincing look-a-like to the textured finish you'll get on Mopar steel parts. But otherwise, yea, it's 100% worth being able to throw stuff in the back without worrying about the paint.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The better question is why the fuck Jeep (or any manufacturer) ever thinks painting the inside of a truck bed is a good idea. I would rather it be bare metal than body paint that's just going to get scratched up. It's like when upscale restaurants use excessively expensive ingredients for something you're just going to turn into poo anyway. Why bother?

If you're handy, Rustoleum's truck bed liner spray is a pretty convincing look-a-like to the textured finish you'll get on Mopar steel parts. But otherwise, yea, it's 100% worth being able to throw stuff in the back without worrying about the paint.

LOL - that's sort of funny because it's been discussed to death over the last couple of years. Why not? The whole rest of the truck is painted.
A LOT of truck owners WANT the truck beds to be painted. Some don't use any liners at all.
It's a damned freaking truck.
I recall trying to keep my 70 Chevy truck bed really nice and looking new for as long as possible - and every truck owner was having the opposite reaction as you and saying I was crazy for even trying and yes, they told me flat out- it's a damned truck! Why did you even buy it?

I'll never forget those days - it's a truck. It's not your wife's kitchen counter top.
Truck makers do what most buyers want. And with a painted bed you have many options - leave it as is, cover it with plastic, or spray a liner in.

 

[Rusty PW]

My last 2 Rams and my JTRD all have the Line-X spray liner. Line-X is lifetime plus you can get the UV protection too. Even had the front bumper on my Power Wagon Line-Xed. I'm having my White Knuckle sliders Line-Xed when they come in.

Rhino dealers around here can't stay in business. One shuts down. A new one pops up.

 

[Rusty PW]

The better question is why the fuck Jeep (or any manufacturer) ever thinks painting the inside of a truck bed is a good idea. I would rather it be bare metal than body paint that's just going to get scratched up. It's like when upscale restaurants use excessively expensive ingredients for something you're just going to turn into poo anyway. Why bother?

If you're handy, Rustoleum's truck bed liner spray is a pretty convincing look-a-like to the textured finish you'll get on Mopar steel parts. But otherwise, yea, it's 100% worth being able to throw stuff in the back without worrying about the paint.

So..........in other words........you're a processing unit. Shit goes in...........shit comes out. I get your point.


The only time it matters about a nice looking bed. Is if you have a oak wood floor bed. Back in the '70's. Dodge had a short bed step side (Little Red Wagon) that had the oak wood floor with chrome strips.

 

[Coolant113]

I got mine with the rhino liner installed from the dealer, and they sprayed without protecting the threaded bolt holes.... it has been a nightmare with installing accessories. Be sure you tell them when you get it sprayed to protect them.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

So..........in other words........you're a processing unit. Shit goes in...........shit comes out. I get your point.


The only time it matters about a nice looking bed. Is if you have a oak wood floor bed. Back in the '70's. Dodge had a short bed step side (Little Red Wagon) that had the oak wood floor with chrome strips.

One of the guys who worked in the parts department of the shop I worked in at the time had one - But it was little red express truck, wasn't it? Had the pipes up the back of the cab.

There was another performance Dodge that had the moniker little red wagon.

 

[Dougstdig]

Ask them to make sure the threaded holes don't get clogged. My installer used golf tees to protect them.

Put a dollop of clear silicone on your finger and rub it over the threaded holes the day before getting the bed sprayed. Works like a champ.

I second the motion on the UV coated Line-X. I’ve had numerous people ask me how I keep it so clean looking. Manufacturer coatings don’t have it and the material oxidizes making it a dark grey flat color. The first coat is the base coat application. The second is a texture coat and the third is the UV coating.

A buddy of mine has a GMC 1-ton that’s 4 mos older than my JTRD. His factory liner is chalky and mine looks like it was sprayed yesterday.

 

[Pedal Metal]

So, there’s already a lot of good advice here. As for my experience, I’ve had spray in Bedliners on my last 4 trucks. Here are my thoughts:
- if you don’t know what you want, there is really no rush and as a matter of fact, I‘ve heard of a number of used car dealers who will take a scratched bed out to be lined to spruce it up for resale. So, don’t worry if you get a few scuffs in your bed before hand as any good shop SHOULD scuff the heck out of your paint so the material can bond.
- Brands… I personally have had Linex in my first two and my last two were Marvel. You can google Marvel, call them and find a distributor in your area. I went with Marvel for my last 2, because I heard a number of local in the know people rave about how it was better than Linex. I am not a chemist or scientist and haven’t the time to truly test and know, but that SHARED AND ALIGNED advice WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.
- This brings me to my third point and that is to check around in YOUR AREA! Talk with your sales mgr, service lead and maybe stop off at a ford or Chevy store too and at least ask their service guys who they go to and what local companies provide consistently good quality. Most people in the car industry are good folk and happy to share helpful advice and brag on a good business partner. For instance, Linex used to be consider one of the best in my area, but then it depended if you went to this store vs another one, because one owner was cutting corners.
- So, I‘m just trying to point out that you will likely be best served if you focus on buying the best product and RESULT for your area vs simply buying a national franchise brand from a shop without a good local and recent track record. Sure, you may have a written warranty, but what’s your time worth if later you have to deal with flaking and then chase down a remedy.
- Lastly, it’s a truck bed, so no need worrying too much as most people in that business are doing a good job, but I just think that each area probably has mostly good shops, but some may be great shops.
-oh, and 1 more last thing, don’t be afraid to ask if you can stop by to look at some that we’re sprayed. Many shops will probably let you take a look at a dealer’s truck for instance. I actually walked away from one shop because i could see over and under spray.

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