My 1992 bed on my truck has had a hard life for the last 16 years. The inside bed is dented and the factory paint has the infamous Ford peel in places. I am thinking of getting a Penda Classic drop-in bed liner for my short box.

The guys that have had drop ins for years--does it cause rust?? Is it noisy?? Does water get under the liner--even if you have rail covers without holes??

 

My experience with them is that over time they get loose and sloppy and trap water underneath. Drain holes should take care of a lot of that but it's still wet. Because of the movement they do rub all the paint off too. My brother-in-laws brand new Ranger has the factory kit and it already moves and slides some. However, they are inexpensive compared to a LineX or similar liner.

My bed is "well-used" too and I'm thinking of LineX. Only thing holding me back is the 475 sheckles they want........ I'm saving for it.

Good Luck
Bob

 

Yeah--I have seen the paint damage on the beds of used pickups that have had the drop in liner removed. It is surprising how the paint gets removed. I understand that some people place somekind of protection between the liner and the metal bed to prevent paint damage. Have you heard of this protection??

 

Also ANYTHING that gets put back there slides around. I have a drop in liner in my truck now I hate it. I am going to get a spray in liner done as quickly as money allows.

Toyman

 

I havent thought about the fact that heavy stuff would be more likely to slide around on all of that plastic. The spray on liner would be more resistant to slide.Good point.But perhaps less resistant to impact damage if something should get dropped into the bed.

Any trouble with rust??

 

Never did.......but other than my bro-in-law I don't know anyone that has the drop-ins. Makes sense that someone would figure out a way to end it though. His Ranger doesn't have anything under that he knows of though. I just called him and asked.

I think if I could find a less costly liner for my Flare I'd probly do it...Hell the bed is already in pitiful shape anyway.

Bob

 

Good --no rust on your brother-in-laws Ranger. I don't understand how water could get under the drop-in- liner--if the liner fixs tight and there isnt any cracks in the plastic and the stake holes are covered.But everyone says that water will get under the liner--perhaps condensation is the cause??

 

My truck now a 94 has had liner in since new. And I live in PA rust zone . Bed is solid as I check it yearly

I have had both

If you remove it yearly and clean .Its the garbage that gets worked under liner like dust leaves ETC. The liners are not water tight but its not a major issue the water can go right out ribs in bed floor .Its the garbage left under liner. that hold moisture. Spray with linseed oil once in blue moon will look fine for years . The will be some rubbing of paint so what . I just junked a 93 truck outside sides were shot but bed inside was solid.

As for the spray ins. I know of several people (myself included) that ended up getting The floor mats any way as stuff slid on the spray in any way. And inner fenders still dent if you use bed. For the cost almost $450 here . Of spray in the time to take a $100 liner out once a year and clean it is more than worth it to me. Hey yank the liner spray new coat paint and trade. With the spray ins allot of people don't like the look of it. And if they do top bed rail my dealer friends have told me some people wont buy.

Hey if you r keeping truck for 10 more years do it. If you don't haul much just get a rubber bed mat . Its your truck only you can decide.

 

I think drop in bed liners are great, they have drain holes to let water out and most of them have slots for 2x4's to keep your cargo from sliding around. I have a factory Ford one currently it is an under the rail design. If you take it out periodically and clean the bed good like Lostin90s says, you will be in good shape.

 

go to your local advance auto and get the do it your self bed liner by dupli color it comes in roll on and spray on i know for a fact the the spray on works well my grab handle steps and even my american racing rims are coated in it up next is the bumpers and bed the roll on is 50 dollars for the kit the spray on is 10 a can.

 

Just got another pickup with a drop in liner. My second...the first was a 96 and this latest one is a 92. Both beds were in great shape underneath the liner...so the drop in liners really do their job. And regarding moisture, I'm in the tropics so moisture and rust are huge issues and the first truck had no rust associated with the liner and the second had minor rust that probably would have been way worse if it was exposed.

I got the 96 linex'd and it's all good. This last one is just a beater so I didn't want to spend $ on the sprayon. So i got the do it yourself stuff from the auto parts store. I wirebrushed the little rust there was, put some ospho on it, then put the paint on liner stuff. A gallon of that stuff cost about $50 and didn't go far. I wound up just painting the floor and rails (8 foot box) and used almost all of it. And it wound up being about like a thick coat of paint, nowhere near the thickness of the linex (made me wonder just how much product they must use). So if you aim to use the do it yourself stuff, I'd say plan on buying several gallons if you want to get anywhere near a thick layer.

My main purpose of using it was to just get a good seal over the rusted spots and inhibiting them as much as possible. Then I put the drop in liner back in. Now I can rest easy about what's going on under there. And btw I think I'm gonna put the drop in liner back in my other truck that was linex'd. It's just great protection imo.

So, in short, I think the drop in liners are great! But you do have to pull them out once in a while and take care of the box.

 

i have a 93 and cap and bed liner were put in when it was new, under the liner my bed looks dusty but is like new.

 

I gotta liner in one and a rubber mat in the other. Mat is fitted including a section on the tail gate. The mat is the way to go (depending on what ya haul). Nothing moves on that mat, stuffs gotta be tied down or trapped in place on the plastic liner.

The liner isn't a under rail snap in style on mine, it covers the top of the rail and gate. Nice when loading/hauling dirt, wood chips or gravel and that sort of thing. The mat, not so good for that kinda work but is nice for tool boxes and equipment, appliances and what have ya.

 

love my liner.

kept the inside of my bed real nice.

 

Liners are murder to your bed and cargo. They trap water and dirt, and all of your cargo slides. Just save up your money and buy a Rhinoliner or LineX.