Spray on or Drop in bedliners

[rossbowhunter]

I didnt think this decision would be so tough, but what has your experience been with both, do you have a "guy" that I can get a quote from, and any feedback would be awesome. Thank you!

[MeatEater]

A long time ago I decided to go with a "spray on" liner... then the tough decision came. Linex vs Rhino vs everything else.

 

I decided on Linex... next decision was who will do it for me? the guy down the shore who seems to be new at it? the guy five hours away who seems to have been doing it for a while?

 

five years later and I still don't have a liner... 

[Matty]

I've always been a bigger fan of the drop in plastic liners. They are more durable and you can slide stuff on them much easier (which could be a pro or con). The spray ins look nicer and if you want stuff to stay more put, they don't let stuff slide (pro or con).

 

I noticed my bed got a lot less dented with a plastic liner because the plastic absorbed the blows from stuff you'd throw in like big rocks or cinder blocks, etc. Doesn't stop a motorcycle tire from denting the front of the bed if you strap it in too tight though. but neither does the spray in. lol

 

I always remove my plastic liner every other year to clean the actual bed and touch up some paint to prevent rust. PITA for some people probably, so the spray in probably wins there for maintenance. 

 

Even the professionally done spray ins will develop chips if you're rough on them and the DIY ones will get messed up even easier. I feel like you have to be too "gentle" with them compared to plastic.

 

Those are my experiences and I've had three trucks with spray in and two with plastic. 

 

In a nutshell:

Heavy use: Plastic

Grocery getter: spray in

[MZW]

I've always went with drop ins.

As matty said the drop in gives you added cushion from possible dents that a spray on wouldnt.Ive had a drop in on every truck I've owned and never had a problem.

I usually negotiate it in when I'm getting a new truck and end up getting it for free.

[JoeDav92]

If you're looking for someone to do it and get a qoute Monmouth Truck in Shrewsbury does a great a job. I have several friends that went there and it came out great. It also was a reasonable price to get it done.

[chris90]

Spray in, water gets trapped between the drop in liner and bed.

[Haskell_Hunter]

I've had a poetic liner (WTF is a poetic liner? Auto-correct fail. Should say "plastic liner". No poets in my truck!) in my truck for the past 16 years. It's beaten on and slightly buckled, but it's in other wise great condition. It's survived this long. When I was looking for a replacement truck I was going to get a spray in liner because of the convenience.

 

I've never taken the plastic one out, but as others have noted, it is recommended that you remove it every year or two hand wax the be for some lubrication to minimize wear.

 

One of the things I didn't like was that it slides in the bed slightly, maybe 1/2" to 1". This can make accessing tie-downs a pain especially if there is a load in the bed and it's cold and rainy. I also had an issue one time when my wife decided to pick up a load of gravel in the truck. The small stones had a habit of going under the liner, and I have no idea what that damage looked like.

 

So for me a spray-in would fix my two pet peeves--the sliding and crap getting underneath the liner. But at the same time I've had the plastic one for 16 years and never had a major issue with it.

Edited December 23, 2015 by Haskell_Hunter

[MRMCR]

I like the drop in as it is easier to slide materials in truck....water may get in betwen liner and truck but by the time damage is done its time for a new truck anyway.....

[Tarhunt]

I'm on my 8th pickup truck and every one had a drop in bed liner and every one had a truck cap on it.

[smoking gun]

Rhino liner hands down.i have jc motorsports down in egg harbor who does it.best 500 bucks you'll spend everything else is obsolete plus it's lifetime

[Hetley75]

I've always been a bigger fan of the drop in plastic liners. They are more durable and you can slide stuff on them much easier (which could be a pro or con). The spray ins look nicer and if you want stuff to stay more put, they don't let stuff slide (pro or con).

 

I noticed my bed got a lot less dented with a plastic liner because the plastic absorbed the blows from stuff you'd throw in like big rocks or cinder blocks, etc. Doesn't stop a motorcycle tire from denting the front of the bed if you strap it in too tight though. but neither does the spray in. lol

 

I always remove my plastic liner every other year to clean the actual bed and touch up some paint to prevent rust. PITA for some people probably, so the spray in probably wins there for maintenance.

 

Even the professionally done spray ins will develop chips if you're rough on them and the DIY ones will get messed up even easier. I feel like you have to be too "gentle" with them compared to plastic.

 

Those are my experiences and I've had three trucks with spray in and two with plastic.

 

In a nutshell:

Heavy use: Plastic

Grocery getter: spray in

I couldn't of said this any better. Exactly how I feel. Dealer ship did mine but it was free. Lol

[BowhunterNJ]

I just want to know where I can order a poetic liner. Is that available in haiku?

[MeatEater]

I just want to know where I can order a poetic liner. Is that available in haiku?

 

I believe it is.... however, it only fits the Toyota trucks.

[CJ3a]

Just beat the crap out of the truck. The frame of the truck is going to rust anyway. I baby my truck and the under side is a rusty turd.

[KEITH STONE]

When the trucks is gone you can keep the drop in liner.They are great for raking leaves into and dragging them out to the street.