Bedliner / Rhino / Plastic ?

[lacv75]

As a somewhat truck newbie, I'm just looking for some guidance on options for protecting my truck bed...

 

I have a 09 Silverado 1500 and am thinking of how to protect my bed best.

Why choose a plastic bedliner over a Rhino/spray on?

 

I guess this depends on price and type of use...

 

As everybody else in crisis, price is important.

I also want to make sure the bed doesn't corrode over time.

 

As far as use, just light home-type stuff: ocassional trip to home depot, yard work, gas cans for my lwan mower, etc...nothing commercial or heavy usage...

 

Any other options I'm not aware of?

 

Thanks for your opinion and help!

[cliobogger]

i used a spray in bedliner, worked wonderful for not much money.

[importkiller76]

I would personally never use a plastic drop in style bedliner as they often do more damage than what they protect against. Spring for the spray in bedliner and you'll not be sorry! And if you can't afford it then you can buy the herculiner or similar product and do it yourself!

[jdg2]

Get a spray in liner. The plastic drop in liners tend to rub paint off the bed and hold moisture under them. The spray in liners also look alot better in my opinion. I have had four trucks the last 3 I had line-x put in them and no regrets.

[Spurshot]

I've had and seen others with drop-in plastic liners. When you pull one out, it's amazing the amount of paint wear and rust that under one of these. They're probably great for hauling bricks and gravel, but for what you descibed, you're better off without a plastic drop-in liner. They are slick as ice and everything slides all around in them. Never again for me.

 

The spray-in liners provide good protection and keep looking nice. Kinda pricey. Still hard on the knees when climbing around. Overall, I like them, but haven't had one in my trucks as yet. About $400 avg.

 

My choice for the last few trucks has been a heavy rubber mat. They're cheap, easiest of the three choices on the knees and keep things from sliding around the best of the three. Frankly, I could give a rat's a$$ about scratches inside my bed and tailgate, as long as it isn't rusting. You can haul bricks, engines, lumber, etc. without worry. Try getting one of the "waxers" with a spray-in liner to haul a load of cinder blocks and I'll bet he'll balk and want you to put something down to protect his expensive "protection" from damage. I now have a shell on my 08 and have even less concern for the appearance of the inside of my bed. Fitted rubber mats run about $100.

[ShoddyHog]

I just went through the same thing. In the end, I decided on a cheap drop-in. That allowed me to spend the extra $300 on some other toys I wanted.

 

I also disliked the spray-in because, if I understand it correctly, you can't sit on the stuff with say white shorts, and not have them turn black on you. To me, it ain't a pickup if you can't have some pretty young ladies sitting on the tailgate at a BBQ competition.

 

I also chose the drop-in so that say two years from now when money isn't so tight, if I change my mind, I can just pull the drop-in and go with spray in. If you chose a spray in and aren't happy with it, how do you fix it? Repaint the truck?

[Graya25]

Use a spray in. If you get a plastic one without treating the surface underneath first, your bed will end up corroded, since most plastic liners don't keep out all of the moisture.

 

If you really want a plastic liner, at least put some Rust-Shield on the bed to prevent rust. When I prepare my bed for the winter (winters can be tough in Massachusetts) I'm going to use a spray-in first, and then get a cheap plastic bed liner off craigslist so I can have the best of both worlds. Good luck!

[emwolb469]

I bought a PendaLiner drop in. It was failry cheap and from what I heard, it is pretty good brand. I stayed away from spray on because it is permanent and didnt want it stuck to my paint. If you get a spray on, make sure you get a quality person to do it becuase I have heard some horror stories!!

[weagle99]

I have the factory GM plastic bedliner in my '09 and have been pleased with it so far. The liner actually bolts to the front bed panel and is very secure. It also has rubber access doors for the bed tie downs that seem to do a very good job of keeping water out.

 

I actually prefer a good factory plastic bedliner to the spray-ins, but I think I am in the minority on that opinion...

[SilveradoWV]

I have a plastic drop in just because of the price, it does wear some paint off your bed and could lead to rust if you dont monitor it closely. I plan on taking mine out every so often to inspect the damage. Plus if you are tossing something into the back of your truck or drop something with a spray in, wont it dent the bed? If they were the same price I'd definately go with the spray in but I dont think the advantages are worth the extra price in my situation.

[music]

I have the factory GM plastic bedliner in my '09 and have been pleased with it so far. The liner actually bolts to the front bed panel and is very secure. It also has rubber access doors for the bed tie downs that seem to do a very good job of keeping water out.

 

I actually prefer a good factory plastic bedliner to the spray-ins, but I think I am in the minority on that opinion...

 

Me too... but I like the spray in also. Each have advantages. Drop-in (I have the GM version): takes quite a beating without denting the bed itself. Spray-in: no concern for scratches, but it doesn't protect as well for drops/bangs/dents. The spray in requires the bed to scuffed up before spraying, so even if a drop-in is taken out later, it can still be cleaned-up and a spray-in added. For 5th wheel/goosneck hitches... stick with spray-in, but otherwise you're fine either way.

[Pilot12]

I had a Pendaliner in mine for 22 years. Just took it out and there was quite a bit of scratched paint, but no rust. (truck lived in AZ the whole time)

 

It was slippery which had its good points. I could use the "back up and slam the brakes" method when I went to the dump. I left a sheet of 3/4 inch plywood back there all the time too, easier on the knees and better for sleeping.

 

This time it's either the rubber mat or nuthin but the plywood. The spray ons are too rough for me.

[tramz]

Many opinions, many preferences. You have to take your own opinion and decide your preference. Over the years I've had both, as said many times a plastic drop-in will rub through the paint. I had a plastic drop in on a 97 and pulled it out 10 years later and no corrosion, no rust, and no moisture retained, just rubbed through the paint. I'm sure water found its way between the liner and bed. Maybe earlier year model trucks, 70's & 80's and later, corrosion/rust may have been an issue due to holding moisture.

 

I really like the durability of the spray in liner, but over time the compound started transferring residue on cargo or clothing. My overall preference is a heavy duty rubber mat and a full cover tailgate protector, but that's me.

[Mattallica]

If you want a DIY kit theres a kit called 'Liner Xtreme' on ebay I've used several times with excellent results...kit comes with the gun and excellent instructions...runs about $100-$150 IIRC.All you'll need is an air compressor,lowes/home depot roll of plastic from the paint dept.(to cover the entire truck),2" masking tape and some 80 grit sandpaper.DIY in an afternoon of 4-5 hrs.

 

I like the spray in myself for most of the above mentioned reasons.....the only advantage to a drop in that I can see is the dent protection....and the removability....but I dont care for the drop in that the dealer installed in my buddy's 09 because they cut holes thru it to access the factory d-rings in the bed sides...kinda gay looking IMO.

[05silvycrew]

nobody has mentioned it yet, so I'll through another option out there for you. have you considered a bed-rug? For what you've described I really think that would be your best option. Much less than a spray-in liner and looks tons better than the plastic drop in liners (easier on the knees too). keep a tonneau cover or topper on over it and they'll last forever and look as good as the day you bought it.

 

just another option to toss around.