I’m the proud owner of a new truck, but it didn’t come with a bed liner so I need to get that done ASAP. The local place is “open with precautions” so I can go ahead with it ASAP.
The last truck came with a drop in plastic liner and I never had an issue, but I’ve heard some rave reviews of the spray in ones, as well as some “they catch and peel”. Any experience with either? I would likely be getting a gooseneck hitch installed down the line which might change things too…
Spray in liner hands down. The surface in non slick when wet and it also provides an insulating effect. I noticed the insulation qualities when we had our UTV sprayed (floor board and dump bed). When the dogs rode in the back, they no longer danced around because the bed was getting hot…the engines for UTVs are under the bed. I also notice that the bed doesn’t get to hot to sit on even when in full sun during the summer.
I would have gone with spray in, but have a drop in because the dealer threw it in for free- Had a drop in in my previous truck (bought used and had it) and had no issues with it.
That ^
Never had or heard of a spray on strip and peel any at all?
Someone didn’t put it in right, is my guess.
We also have the turnover GN ball system, but really is always up anyway, rarely has needed to be turned over.
Spray in liner ~
We had a ding put in ours. I wasn’t present when it occurred, and it didn’t penetrate the full surface of the liner. Things have been dropped in it that I felt should have left a mark and didn’t. I have no idea what happened to create the ding, but it must have been a doozy.
Spray in without a doubt.
IIRC I had the Rhino spray in for my F250. Never regretted it.
Only hard part for me was handing over the keys to my brand new F250 SD knowing they were going to remove all the paint in the bed as part of the install process. :eek:
Absolutely.
One of the things that happens with “drop ins” is that IF you get a compromise in the paint on the bed the liner traps water and rust will begin at that point. Even if there is no compromise of the paint water is still trapped there.
Do be careful of the type of spray in. Not all have a “working surface” for real folks. Some are nice and slick looking for the Walmart Cowboys. Those are NOT fun. 
Also, watch the quality and quantity of the material. As Bluey notes a good one can take a likkin’ and keep on tikkin;. I tried to compromise a RhinoLining coating more than once an failed. This is one place where quality doesn’t cost, it pays.
Good luck to OP in choice.
G.
Spray in for sure. Less shifting. Things, debris, moisture can get under the drop in liner when it loosens over time.
being older and less agile than when a youth I now prefer no bed liner at all since unloading stuff from beds that have nonslip liners make it harder for me to slide stuff like hay or bags of anything out of the truck
I guess one could always have a sprayed in liner put in if the bed became mired, but that has not been needed adn our truck is a 2008 with very minor scrapping of the paint in the bed
Spray in. My 1997 7.3 has a spray in that was done the year of manufacture. There are a few dings from hard work over the years, but a drop in wouldn’t have lasted half as long with the work we do.
Get it done professionally, do not do it yourself.
I’m in the spray in Rhino camp. Clanter is right- things don’t slide so easily, but when I’m in the truck bed hooking up my gooseneck, it’s significantly more comfortable. When I fill up my diesel cans for the tractors, those things slide from near the tailgate to the back just fine.
Just put a pallet liner on the floor of the bed.
I agree with spray in. My personal truck (2001 F250) has a factory spray in that is still flawless & I can still slide things out when I need to. We put Rhino spray liners in our work trucks & abuse the ever loving crap out of those, I’ve never had a problem at least in the last 15 years.
I don’t have trouble sliding feed sacks and such without harm?
Mine has a rough finish, but it is a slicker rough finish you can stand on it without slipping, but things don’t get hard to push around on it.
The dealership when we bought it took care of it.
They drove over a block to the company that does that.
It is very much what most ask for when they buy a pickup here.
You are right, just a painted bed is sure extra slick.
Our 1990 pickup is slick, but we kept a lighter rubber mat always on it.
As a farm pickup, that bed needs the extra protection, especially today as a fencing rig.
it is the resistant to drag stuff out mainly bales of hay, the increased friction that I see that I do not like, but I never dump junk into the bed anyway so really have no need for a liner
Previous trucks all had liners (3). Current truck came with a sprayed on liner. The only thing I don’t like about the spray in liner is I use a crank off unloading mat for things like dirt, mulch and gravel. For the gravel I had to unload a lot by hand before I could use the crank mat since it was sticking too well to the bed. In the future I may put down a piece of large cardboard or get a thin rubber mat so it slides better.
OMG, I did not even know something like this existed! Thank you for sharing because I have shoveled a literal ton of gravel out of a truck bed & promised my back I would never do that again, but I can’t afford a dump trailer.
I’ve always used a tarp under gravel, sand, etc. Slides off easily.
In the picture, seems that they are using a spray on lined pickup?
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