The '97 goes in tomorrow for the new bed and paint. It's been 20+ years since I've had a car painted.
I wanted to go with a spray in bed liner but the price is keeping me from going through with it. Maybe an under-rail bed liner if I can get it for a decent price since the paint work is going to set me back a bit.

Is anyone here using a drop in bed liner? You happy with it?
I'd like to add smooth aluminum rail caps and tailgate protector, too, but I'm having a difficult time finding any under $150.

 

Got a plastic drop in liner for my truck and I love it. I took it out of my 87 f250 and when I did the bed looked brand new except for one spot where the liner wore a small hole in the bed from moving around. The paint on the rest of the truck was shot and peeling and very dull but the bed looked new. People like the spray on liners because they are like rubber and they keep things from sliding around but I think it makes loading and unloading easyer if you can slide heavy thing in and out. You just have to make sure you tie down any thing that will get busted if it slides around. My driveway is a hill so I did not have to worry about a few small holes worn in the liner because any water that got in would run right out the back. I had this liner in the 250 for the six years I had it and for the year I had my 350 and it is still in ok condition. And considering the condition of my 250's bed when I took it out I am sure it was in there for many more years. And remember I can always get a new one If I want try that with a spray on liner. The spray on liner on a truck we have at work got destroyed from one gas spill. It is still peeling because of it. So IMHO go with the drop in liner and dont look back.

 

I used to have the drop in bed liner in both the 99 and the 05 and replaced both with rhino spray on. The plastic ones were pretty slick when they got a little snow on them. I am in the construction business so I spend quite a bit of time getting things out of the tool box which means getting into the box and almost falling on my *** when there is a little bit of snow in there. Other than that on a limited budget a drop in would work just fine untill you can afford a spray on.

 

i had my truck sprayed with Line-X equivalent and it has been one of the best cosmetic touches i have done to my truck! i wish i had it sprayed a LONG time ago. it cost me $325 over the rails but the shop I took it too did a superb job and the end product performs well beyond expectations! its been over a year since i had it sprayed and i have had my bed loaded with everything from gravel to firewood to a pallet of sod to engines, transmissions, gears, parts, etc and have only come up with a few knicks here and there (which the shop fixed free of charge due to the imposing lifetime warranty). i cant even tell where the knicks are now, i have to look for them!

i would never go with a drop again after seeing what it did to my work truck. after using the truck for my activities (described above) for a few years i pulled my drop in out to replace a bed bolt. to my surprise in several places where the drop in had been constantly rubbing with sand/dirt/grit i was getting some horrific rusting! not to the point of eating through but it was only a matter of time. i am glad i caught it!

Auto Tek Incorporated was the name of the shop I went to and it is located at 6041 N Henry Blvd, Stockbridge, GA 30281 (770) 474-4636 in case anyone would like to get ahold of them. i HIGHLY recommend them. in fact i had a buddy go to them just last week per my recommendation and he has nothing but positive comments and compliments!

-cutts-

 

fishmanndotcom, you got a heck of a deal on your Line-X. I was quoted here in Des Moines $499. Rhino Liner was $430.
At this point it's kinda hard to justify a spray-in liner when a drop-in is only $169.

I'll have to give it a lot of thought until the truck is ready later this week.

Thanks folks!

 

get the spray in, looks better and doesn't ruin the bed from rubbing

 

I'd spend the money on the spray in.
I've had both and I HATED my drop in.
It's slippery when wet or snowy, lets stuff slide around, gets scratched easily and if it's a bad fit, it will rattle a bit sometimes.
I LOVED my spray in (before i lost that truck)
Everything stayed in place, i can walk in the bed in 10" of snow, and it's always a perfect fit!
Just my .02

 

Love my Line X.
had it a year and have hauled all kinds of stuff. Oil leaks and spills of a variety of sources haven't affected it at all. Hit it with some soapy water and then the pressure washer and it looks just like it did the day I took it out of the shop that installed it.
My '88 had a plastic liner in it and it was like walking on ice if had even a flake or two of snow on it. it got scuffed up and nasty looking in no time.

 

I've had a duraliner drop in plastic one almost 10 years now. But I also have a shell to keep the weather out. I think I would have gone spray in w/out a shell. The duraliner has slots for 2X4s to section it off if you want. I covered it with a huge, thick moving pad (blanket). It keeps things from sliding around and it's soft on the knees.

 

If you want a bedliner don't buy a new one. Any decent sized junkyard has lots of them that you can always get cheap. while your there get a bed mat as well to put on top of the liner to keep stuff from sliding. I paid $75 for my last bed liner which was like new and they gave me the bed mat. Spray ins are just to much.