Installed and checked out the 3W bed mat

[ShadowsPapa]

Today I managed to get my JT into the shop and do some prep work for a big trip coming up.
I thought first things first - let's give this 3W bed mat a try.

I'll have several pictures, maybe a question or two, even a question for the 3W folks, and seek a couple of opinions, and add some comments with the pictures where needed.

But first my initial thoughts:

That thins is WELL MADE. I like the material and the fit, especially around the back and side is pretty much perfection. It's been in a box for a while so the front hasn't settled down nice yet, but the back has and the fit is amazing sides and rear (as the front warms and settles, I'll check that out)

The magnets are strong even through the factory bed liner. It should not shift under even some rough use.

I emptied the bed, removed the sand bags (put them back later) and duct taped the obvious leaks. I vacuumed the sand and dirt out - didn't want the mat sitting on crud.

Now for the slightly bad - as I cleaned the bed of the truck and unfolded the mat - I had this "uh-oh" thought..... I have a tailgate gap filler and when you close the tailgate, that gap filler sort of "folds up" with the tail gate with a large radius that extended onto the bed floor about an inch. With that gap filler in place AND the mat, you can't close the tailgate. The gap filler wants to lift the mat as it curves up when you close the tailgate.

If you do not have a tailgate gap filler, it won't matter.
If you do, you may have two choices -
installer the gap filler ON the mat and not the truck's bed floor,
or
Trim the mat back about half an inch?

Sandbags rolled back off the bed floor and bed cleaned up. You can see the tailgate gap cover in this first picture - it prevents rock, sand, gravel, debris, whatever, from falling between the bed and tailgate, maybe even wedging in there.

Mat in, sandbags back in place - you can see the mat, and the tailgap filler piece here. I need to wipe down the mat - got my footprints all over it rolling the sandbags back in (70 pounds each)

I hope this settles down and lays flat...........

The fit back here is amazing! Not too tight, no gap

The tailgate gap filler needs to start folding or rolling up back here, about an inch under the back edge of the mat, so the mat prevents that.........

This is as far as you can close it without forcing it or lifting up the rear of the mat with that filler in place.
So, do I trim back the mat a bit??????????????

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[Bandit’s Lair]

From the pictures if you hadn’t said it was a mat I wouldn’t have been able to tell. I wouldn’t worry overly much about the overlap sticking up unless it stays that way with the tailgate down. Then I’d figure out some sort of helper to pull it back into position. Maybe some of that carpet tape from big box stores to hold down runners or something.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

From the pictures if you hadn’t said it was a mat I wouldn’t have been able to tell. I wouldn’t worry overly much about the overlap sticking up unless it stays that way with the tailgate down. Then I’d figure out some sort of helper to pull it back into position. Maybe some of that carpet tape from big box stores to hold down runners or something.

The problem is that the bed to tailgate gap filler "hinges" on the bed floor but about an inch from the rear of the bed. When you close the tailgate, it "rolls up" .
The mat prevents that. I don't want the mat held down, that would prevent the closing of the tailgate because the gap filler can't roll up.

When you close the tail gate - this piece lifts up. The mat prevents that, so the tailgate can't be closed with both the mat and this gap bridge in place.
Until I decide what to do, I'll have to prop up the rear end of the 3W mat so I can close the tailgate.
(or cut at least 1/2" off the rear of the mat to allow this piece to hinge up as the tailgate closes)

I don't want to give up this seal! It keeps crap from getting in, and allows you to sweep stuff out without it falling into that gap.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

What if you tacked the edge down at the horizontal ridge in your top picture? It would give it a bit of relief to maybe be able to close the tailgate but still give a fairly decent seal against dirt and debris. Maybe test it out with some duct tape and see what that gains you for a couple days. Maybe Velcro so you can still access it to sweep whatever was caught under it can be swept to the sides. Only other option I could see working is that that “flap” folds down into the space between the bed and tailgate but not sure on tolerances there. Expands with the tailgate down but sandwiches in when up.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

What if you tacked the edge down at the horizontal ridge in your top picture? It would give it a bit of relief to maybe be able to close the tailgate but still give a fairly decent seal against dirt and debris. Maybe test it out with some duct tape and see what that gains you for a couple days. Maybe Velcro so you can still access it to sweep whatever was caught under it can be swept to the sides. Only other option I could see working is that that “flap” folds down into the space between the bed and tailgate but not sure on tolerances there. Expands with the tailgate down but sandwiches in when up.

It actually "folds" or hinges up.
when the tailgate is up - it does this - and look at where it attaches to the bed floor -
There are only two alternatives - cut the bed mat, or take off the gap filler and buy a new one and apply it to the mat itself.

The mat comes clear out to the end of the bed, but this has to HINGE or pivot up about an inch in from the end.

This how the seal is with the tailgate closed - so it actually prevents snow and dirt from getting into the bed, and then when the tailgate is open it flops down and bridges the gap between the bed and the tailgate.
I got tired of the snow and dust getting in when the tailgate was closed, and ROCKS getting between the tailgate and bed when it was open, and having to pry them out before closing the tailgate.

It adheres to the bed here - and it takes an act of congress to remove it, literally destroying it -

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Ok. I see it a bit clearer now. I’d probably do a trim. Maybe a bit at a time until it closes like it should. To many factors with attaching the gap filler to the bedmat.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Ok. I see it a bit clearer now. I’d probably do a trim. Maybe a bit at a time until it closes like it should. To many factors with attaching the gap filler to the bedmat.

Yes, sneak up on it,, and take off only enough to make it work.
With the mat OVER that gap filler, then sweeping stuff out won't hit any edge like it would if such a piece was attached to the mat.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Good carpet cutter and a 2x and you’re in there like swimwear.

 

[Freems]

Make sure you take it out of the bed to cut, I’d do an 1/8” at a time, reinstall, lift the tailgate see where you are, measure…rinse wash repeat, until it’s a perfect fit up or down. Cut small miss small. As your trimming the mat, see pic below I marked in red and area to watch, that you might have to cope around that ridge of material, if it’s crowding the hinge material as the tailgate is closing.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Make sure you take it out of the bed to cut, I’d do an 1/8” at a time, reinstall, lift the tailgate see where you are, measure…rinse wash repeat, until it’s a perfect fit up or down. Cut small miss small. As your trimming the mat, see pic below I marked in red and area to watch, that you might have to cope around that ridge of material, if it’s crowding the hinge material as the tailgate is closing.

OMG - lift 210 pounds of sand back out and remove the wood frame holding the sand bags! Ouch!

 

[Freems]

OMG - lift 210 pounds of sand back out and remove the wood frame holding the sand bags! Ouch!

Counter balance for the plow?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Counter balance for the plow?

Yes. Otherwise the back end is light

 

[berb]

May I ask the benefit of having the mat is you have a spray in bedliner?

I would think people who didn't have a liner would want the mat as an alternative.

 

[ChrisNLA]

May I ask the benefit of having the mat is you have a spray in bedliner?

I would think people who didn't have a liner would want the mat as an alternative.

Some of those spray in liners are not particularly grippy, and the rubber mat helps keep things from sliding around. Also helps dampen some noise in the back when things to bounce around.

I do not have a spray in liner, but I do have a DeeZee bed mat. It's like 3/8 - 1/2" thick. Things stay put pretty well on it, and I don't hear many things bounce.

 

[Stan H]

May I ask the benefit of having the mat is you have a spray in bedliner?

I would think people who didn't have a liner would want the mat as an alternative.

I have a @3Wauto bed mat also. The liner is of a rough type and does not keep things from sliding the mat is way more supple and jt keeps stuff from sliding additional advantage is the bed liner doesnt fully protect from dents the mat does this past summer chuck a big Rick of wood in the bed and a generator and wood never dented anything and the generator never moved and it wasn't strapped down real good except with a 1" strap in a loose manner. They are worth it

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