Gladiator bed durability

[donaldj]

Hello all.

Thinking of getting a Gladiator for my next vehicle. I've had a YJ and JKU and love Jeeps.

One of my user needs is hauling firewood. I heat my house with an outdoor wood boiler and regularly find deals on firewood. I have a 5x8 utility trailer for it, but occasionally find firewood on the fly and would need to utilize the bed.

How durable is the Gladiator bed for hauling firewood? I wont be firing the wood into the bed but at the same time I'm not going to gingerly and pristinely place each piece when there's work to be done.

I've had a Silverado and know it's up to the task and with their Trail Boss this is becoming a tough decision. =)

Thanks for any actual EXPERIENCE people have using their truck beds for truck bed things.

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[Nannook of the north]

yes

 

[Jeepnoob34]

Absolutely! Might as well get the bedliner in the package.

 

[donaldj]

Absolutely! Might as well get the bedliner in the package.

Yup, I'll be getting the bedliner.

 

[whiteglad]

The bed is steel, so pretty strong. Instead of the factory thin, hard liner, you might consider an aftermarket bedliner and pay extra so they spray it thicker. I think Rhino is softer than Line-X so I would go with Rhino to soak up any hits better.

 

[Alabama Mud Machine]

The bed is steel, but the tailgate is aluminum (I think)... I know the tailgate is NON-magnetic. So it's some type of non-ferrous alloy. I would be more ginger with the tailgate than the rest of the bed.

I would definitely recommend Line-X spray-in bedliner. I will be getting mine done sometime in the near future.

 

[OVERLORD]

Not too shabby, I do use a drop in bed liner, as a spray in won't take the abuse.

https://ruggedliner.com/rugged-truck-bedliners/2020/jeep/gladiator

 

[whiteglad]

I don't care for drop in bed liners because they wiggle around just enough to wear through the paint, and then the steel rusts, while you are unaware of the developing problem.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I’ve hauled chopped and shredded mulch, topsoil and gravel. All dropped in with a loader and no issues or damage. It’s a good bed. I also recommend aftermarket spray-in liner. It is applied much thicker than the factory spray-in. I’ve compared face to face with the Gladiator and also the Ram. Mine is Line-X and has held up perfectly. It also carries a good guarantee that exceeds the vehicle warranty that the factory job is limited to.

 

[OVERLORD]

I don't care for drop in bed liners because they wiggle around just enough to wear through the paint, and then the steel rusts, while you are unaware of the developing problem.

Been using drop in bed liners for years, I've never had a corrosion problem, ever. In every truck for the last forty years.

 

[Nannook of the north]

People who think drop in liners are better than spray in

 

[OVERLORD]

Used 'em both, spray ins don't last for my uses, I use my trucks, as a truck. With a drop in, no dents in the bed, and easily replaced. I know, you won't get it.

 

[Nannook of the north]

Used 'em both, spray ins don't last for my uses, I use my trucks, as a truck. With a drop in, no dents in the bed, and easily replaced. I know, you won't get it.

Roll on liner in my 02 Cummins. Haul a winters worth of firewood in the bed every summer from up on tug hill. Being from NY I know you know where that is. Drop in liners scrape the paint off and hold the salt in for it to rust and being separate from the metal, transfer the impact anyway. Old school technology. Easy to roll/spray more on in the event it gets scraped.

Thank's for assuming what I do or don't do with a truck though.

 

[OVERLORD]

I made no assumptions on what you do with your truck, none of my business. No touch up required in mine, won't have any scrapes, won't have any dents, never had corrosion, and if damaged, a new drop in is easy to replace. Cheap. Cheers.

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