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I plan to use the truck for light projects around the house and wanted something to protect the original steel bed. Turns out Summit's universal rubber bed mat is perfect. 48"x96" rubber mat can be trimmed down to size, or (as I did) leave the extra piece folder over in case you need to flip it up to protect the tailgate or the front of the bed. $70...can't beat it. I may order another one to cut in half and make a "drape" to protect the sides of the bed (utilizing the openings for the stakes in the sides of the bed) and just using itas needed vs. being a more permanent setup.
Awhile back a member posted about a mat that he bought at Tractor Supply that he used for his truck bed. The original use for the mat was to lay in a horse stall/trailer, as I recall it was less than $30. Sounded good to me at the time but since there are/were no Tractor Supply stores near me I couldn't check them out.
Here is a link: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...t?cm_vc=-10005
That is a nice looking mat. Mike is right about light mats flying out at highway speeds but your looks pretty heavy? If this is the one you bought ( https://www.summitracing.com/parts/s...SABEgLbDvD_BwE) They say it is 35-40 lbs. I guess that you could always fasten it down with a removable bar up near the cab if necessary.
The only problem with any of those mats is that water collects under them (rain, car wash, etc.). So you have to lift them up to dry things out occasionally.
This is definitely the heavier one, and with my Flathead 6 and heavy duty 4 speed, it's not going to go nearly fast enough on the highway for this to fly out, lol. But I'll be sure to put something back there if I go on the highway with it.
The water was my main concern, but the truck will likely not see much rain, and it will be removed when I wash it so nothing gets trapped under there. That's one of the reasons I always went with a spray-in bed liner on my more modern Ford pickups, so nothing would get trapped under a liner.
Awhile back a member posted about a mat that he bought at Tractor Supply that he used for his truck bed. The original use for the mat was to lay in a horse stall/trailer, as I recall it was less than $30. Sounded good to me at the time but since there are/were no Tractor Supply stores near me I couldn't check them out.
Here is a link: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...t?cm_vc=-10005
That was me Charlie, and I'm sorry I spent the money on the cow/horse mat. I bought the thinnest available, I think 1/4", and it is heavy! I never used it. It is rolled up and in the second floor of my garage.
I use these:
My wife runs her own preschool and she buys new mats every year, so we have lots of them. They measure 2'x2', are very light, and interlock. Six of them will nearly cover the whole bed. Or you can use just one or two depending on the size of your load. And they can be stored behind the seat. Only downside is they would not be good for hauling things like mulch or top soil, things you have to shovel off.
I have a 4x8 sheet if 1/8 inch thick black ABS plastic in the bed of my daily driver. One side is smooth and the other side has a grain that looks like spray in bedliner. It is super durable, stays put, and cargo slides in and out easily.
one word of caution... some rubber products will react with paint or other surfaces... I don't know if it's 'off-gassing' or 'off-chemicaling' or what but I've seen some instances where the pattern on the back will be in the paint when you lift the mat. We had a rubber exercise mat under a treadmill to protect the hardwood floor... when we removed the mat the floor under it had darkened the exact shape of the mat... fyi
That was me Charlie, and I'm sorry I spent the money on the cow/horse mat. I bought the thinnest available, I think 1/4", and it is heavy! I never used it. It is rolled up and in the second floor of my garage.
I use these:
My wife runs her own preschool and she buys new mats every year, so we have lots of them. They measure 2'x2', are very light, and interlock. Six of them will nearly cover the whole bed. Or you can use just one or two depending on the size of your load. And they can be stored behind the seat. Only downside is they would not be good for hauling things like mulch or top soil, things you have to shovel off.
one word of caution... some rubber products will react with paint or other surfaces... I don't know if it's 'off-gassing' or 'off-chemicaling' or what but I've seen some instances where the pattern on the back will be in the paint when you lift the mat. We had a rubber exercise mat under a treadmill to protect the hardwood floor... when we removed the mat the floor under it had darkened the exact shape of the mat... fyi
john
Thanks for the heads-up, John. I would hope that since this was designed for truck bed application it wouldn't do that, but I'll keep an eye on it when I remove it to wash the truck.
Looks good! My bed is an 8 footer so even better for me.
Looks like the Summit mat might be a better choice, those Tractor Supply mats are 4x6. You'd need 2 of them for an 8ft bed. Not sure if you could glue them together or something.....
Also, the lightweight 2ft square interlocking mats if used on a flat concrete floor will become VERY slippery if water gets under them (snow on your car melting in the garage, etc) so BE CAREFUL!
Looks like the Summit mat might be a better choice, those Tractor Supply mats are 4x6. You'd need 2 of them for an 8ft bed. Not sure if you could glue them together or something..... The Tractor Supply store I got mine from was on a roll and they cut it to length.
Also, the lightweight 2ft square interlocking mats if used on a flat concrete floor will become VERY slippery if water gets under them (snow on your car melting in the garage, etc) so BE CAREFUL!
I have a bunch of those colorful mats, and they are very handy for all sorts of things, including when I have to lay down on cold concrete. Comfortable enough for a nap, almost.
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