Drop-In Bedliner Question.

[overlord1]

Picked up a new 06 Z71 a couple of weeks ago and the truck came with a dealer installed drop-in style bedliner. It is the GM bedliner with the Chevy logo. The liner has cutouts which must be removed in order to use the tie-downs. I was advised by the dealer to not remove the cutouts because water would have a tendency to get in and be trapped under the bedliner leading to rust. I would really like to have use of those tie-downs but at the same time don't want to promote rust in my new truck. Yes, I have considered spray in type liners such as Rhino but I prefer the impact protection that the drop-in style gives. I would appreciate any advice/opinions, especially from those that have removed the cutouts. Thanks.

 

Ed

[05Quadrasteer]

I don't have the GM drop in liner, can't remember the brand name I do have. Mine came with the cut outs for the tie down points and pop in covers for the hole. I found that the covers came off most the time so now I just run with the holes open.

 

This drop in liner was in my 03 Silverado and now it is in my 05 Silverado. What I do once year during the summer is remove it and wash out under the liner all the dirt and other junk that had gotten stuck. Have never found any water up under it. In fact I have washed the bed out heavily with the liner still in after hauling dirt. Water comes out from under the liner without any problems.

 

My recommendation is cut out the area so you have access to those tie down points.

 

Have a good day.

 

Bill

[pm26]

My neighbor bought a Toyota Tacoma several years ago. It has a Toyota bedliner in it and it had cut out holes for the tie down loops. He simply taped over the holes with a piece of duct tape which he removed when he needed to use the tie downs.

 

I would recommend that you get a paint saver mat - it is a thin mat that goes under the bedliner and it keeps the paint from scuffing. If you get that , you need to worry a little less about water getting under the bedliner.

 

I hate the GM factory bedliner design. I had other trucks with factory bedliners, but none of them required drilling ten holes into the tailgate to attach the tailgate piece. Or any holes to attach the bedliner sides. This sucks.

[snyps]

I beleive that the front of the truck has some drain holes to let the water out. Seeing most of our trucks are lower in the front, the water should run out...

[MS3DALE]

Cut them out if you need the tie-downs,You'll be fine.

If GM didn't want you to cut them out they would have never put the "cutout" provisions in there to begin with.

[MS3DALE]

By the way,I'll second the paint saver mat that pm26 mentioned in his post,We put one in our parts truck before we put the bedliner in (With the cutouts cut out!)

[Stocklook]

IMO Spray-in or just a bed mat, They look so much better and wont ruin your paint and rust the bed,

This IMO so do what you like or needs, it's your truck.

[pm26]

IMO Spray-in or just a bed mat, They look so much better and wont ruin your paint and rust the bed,

This IMO so do what you like or needs, it's your truck.

 

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I had just a thick rubber bed mat and bedliner tailgate piece on two of my trucks for years. Works well, however, the paint on the sides of the bed and in the front is not protected. This can be rectified with a piece of cardboard if you have loads that could damage the paint. One great thing about rubber bed mats is that they provide nonskid surface, whereas plastic bedliners do not.

 

There is a new bedliner out there that combines the rubber mat with removable plastic sides. This is worth looking into. The cost is something like $ 290 shipped (it comes in pieces so can be shipped in boxes).

[redvett]

I get the dropin GM bed liner on all my trucks currently 4 of them 01 up to 04 and all have had the cutouts removed by the dealer.

[opsbear7]

I get the dropin GM bed liner on all my trucks currently 4 of them 01 up to 04 and all have had the cutouts removed by the dealer.

 

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Ive got an 03 with a drop in bed liner from the dealer...no rust at all i wouldnt worry about it....

[overlord1]

I get the dropin GM bed liner on all my trucks currently 4 of them 01 up to 04 and all have had the cutouts removed by the dealer.

 

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Ive got an 03 with a drop in bed liner from the dealer...no rust at all i wouldnt worry about it....

 

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Thanks for all the replies. I'll look into the thin rubber mat to put under my bedliner. Then out comes the Dremel to get those cutouts removed

 

Ed

[phire]

Yes, I have considered spray in type liners such as Rhino but I prefer the impact protection that the drop-in style gives.  I would appreciate any advice/opinions, especially from those that have removed the cutouts.  Thanks.

 

Ed

 

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Actually, the Rhino Liners offer excellent impact protection. Also, drop-in bed liners will scratch and screw up your paint after a while so if you ever take it out, it's gonna look crappy. A guy I know used to work for the city doing heavy construction work and all their trucks were sprayed with a Rhinoliner and he said without it, the crap they'd throw in the back of the truck would normally cause huge gashes or dents and after it was sprayed, it was like nothing even touched the bed. So, unless your drop-in liner is constructed with solid steel, I doubt you're gonna get much better protection out of a plastic or thin aluminum one over a rhinoliner.

 

and besides, rhino gaurentees that their forumla will resist impacts. after much searching, reading and asking fellow truck owners about their covers... i will be having my bed rhinolined very soon. just too many reasons not to get one. hehe.

[campertime]

No need for the dremmel. If the sun beats on it for about an hour an exacto knife will cut it like a hot knife through butter.

[6Burgh]

A good quality liner will allow for air to get under your liner to dry it out and allow water to get to the holes in the front of the bed. IF you put a mat under it it may cause water to collect? I never seen rust as a problem in the years I have used drop in liners. If it contacts it enough to wear away the paint it contacts it enough to prevent rust buildup unless you remove the liner for a period of time. In the 9 years I had my last Sonoma I never had any rust problems with a drop in liner. I got a spray in liner this time. I doubt I will get another one. I will save the money and just get another drop in.

[93ChevPU]

I have a '93 Chevy Silverado with a GM drop-in plastic bed liner.

Sure some of the paint has worn down, but only to the primer, but no rust.

You're going to get water under the liner anyway at the tailgate.

Dirt and crud my come out easier with the cut outs removed. Just a thought.