Mistake ordering BEDLINER-PLASTIC DROP-IN ?

[Pjlightning]

I placed my order months ago with the plastic drop-in bedliner option,
having only owned trucks with that type of liner,
and before finding this site….

Now it seems like I might have made a mistake,
with everyone here either getting the spray-in,
or getting nothing.

Given that I’ll end up putting on a tonneau cover anyway, maybe it won’t matter (visually)….
but on a truck this expensive, it seems it might be worth uninstalling the bedliner when I take delivery, and getting the spray-in instead, to make the truck “right” long term.

Or maybe I’m just overthinking this as I restlessly wait for delivery?

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[Oneand0]

I’m wondering what people will say, since I did the same thing. This will be my first truck and didn’t know any better. If I could do it again, I would have not gotten a spray in and had it done after market. I’m in the same boat.

 

[Stuff]

You're overthinking it. If you like plastic liners, they work fine, just keep it. The big complaint is that plastic liners scratch the bed over time, but you're going to do that anyways to get a spray in.

Personally, if I were in your shoes, I'd keep the plastic until it wears out and then get a spray in...

 

[Royalist]

I've had 3 Plastic Drop-In's (Ford, Ram, and Chevy) and 3 Spray-In's (2 Line-X's and Factory Ram). Will never get a Drop-In ever again, they're garbage. They flex and bend and end up scraping the paint. They also look terrible and allow for water to collect under them in the bed.

 

[Pjlightning]

I've had 3 Plastic Drop-In's (Ford, Ram, and Chevy) and 2 Spray-In's (Line-X and Factory Ram). Will never get a Drop-In ever again, they're garbage. They flex and bend and end up scraping the paint. They also look terrible and allow for water to collect under them in the bed.

I’ve had plastic drop-ins on past Dodges, Tundra’s, and my last F-150 with an aluminum bed,
and none ever gave me trouble.

I owned these trucks 8+ years each, and never had problems with the beds rotting out, and while I suppose the paint under the liner was scratched, I never really thought about it since the bedliner covered it anyway so there were no scratches to see.

I imagine water collected under it too, but again, that never resulted in damage that I ever had to deal with (maybe the next owner did).

nonetheless, now that I read how happy everyone is with spray-in, I would definitely go that route if I was ordering today.

no doubt the spray in looks better too.

but if it’s not a big deal to uninstall the plastic (maybe it is?),
The spray in does seem clearly superior.

But superior enough to go through the swap out ?

Or leave well enough alone.

(+ Lesson learned for my 2030 lightning )

 

[Roy2001]

My first new vehicle is a Tacoma and had drop in plastic liner for 5 years. Not a problem. Although I will get bedrug this time.

 

[RDeFran]

I like the extra space and access to tie downs of a spray in. I also trim up a horse mat from Tractor Supply as an inexpensive bed mat so stuff does not slide.

 

[beatle]

The most important thing is to get what you like. I don't think there are really any objectively "bad" options; they are just different.

I had a drop in liner on an old Tacoma that seemed fine, albeit kind of on the cheap side. The previous owner had cut holes for the tie downs. They were slightly recessed which made access a little more difficult, but they still worked. Rust did not claim that truck, at least before I sold it when it turned 16 years old. It did allow things to slide around a lot

My Ridgeline has a composite bed so I guess the closest thing in texture would be a bed liner. I like it more than the drop in liner. I also use a rubber bed mat to keep things from sliding around.

For the Lightning I am leaning towards a bed rug, but I may do spray in + mat I have enjoyed having a large covered area with my Model S. Even with the Lightning's large frunk, I may need to put larger items in the bed that need weather protection, and a tonneau + bed rug makes for a good looking combo.

 

[p52Ranch]

I once had a plastic bed liner and hated it. Everything in the bed slid around. The only good things about the plastic bed liner was when you needed to slide things out of the bed it was easier and it covered up a giant hole in the bottom of the bed.

IMHO the spray in bed liner is ten times better

 

[metroshot]

I once had a plastic bed liner and hated it. Everything in the bed slid around. The only good things about the plastic bed liner was when you needed to slide things out of the bed it was easier and it covered up a giant hole in the bottom of the bed.

IMHO the spray in bed liner is ten times better

Same here - did not like the plastic bedliner.

This time, I am going naked (no bedliner) and getting a tonneau cover instead.

Makes it easy to wash down the bed and the tonneau cover comes off easily making it "factory new" condition in an instant.

 

[Stlww18]

My 10 cents: spray in liner, rubber bed mat, and a trifold tonneau. On my current xlt I opted not to do the liner at all, big mistake. Even with the rubber bed mat, the sides of the bed are scratched to hell.

I bought a $200 (at the time) cover from Tyger Auto on Amazon and it only now had a part break, 5 years later. And they replaced it on warranty.

 

[sotek2345]

My 10 cents: spray in liner, rubber bed mat, and a trifold tonneau. On my current xlt I opted not to do the liner at all, big mistake. Even with the rubber bed mat, the sides of the bed are scratched to hell.

I bought a $200 (at the time) cover from Tyger Auto on Amazon and it only now had a part break, 5 years later. And they replaced it on warranty.

Eh, scratched bed sides mean a truck was used as a truck. Positive from my standpoint. If they get too scratched, that is when you put in the spray in liner

 

[Stlww18]

Eh, scratched bed sides mean a truck was used as a truck. Positive from my standpoint. If they get too scratched, that is when you put in the spray in liner

that’s the huge benefit of the aluminum body, you’re right. You can let it get scratched and really not have to worry about rust at all. (Also a good counter argument for the idea that drop in liner water intrusion is an issue)

 

[Skidrowe]

I had a drop in on an old '86 Toyota xtra cap pickup. It took the paint on the top of the bed rails down to metal. Maybe their technology has improved. It made the bed slick to stand on and things slid around. It also made it easier to slide heavy things in and out. I wouldn't get one again on any other truck.

My '14 F-150 has nothing in the bed. It has a dent behind the cab from a motorcycle wheel, another dent in the wheel well from said motorcycle's handle bar, and some decent dents in the bed from the kickstand and foot peg. It's also covered in scratches from 2x4s, plywood, furniture, toys, metal pipes, etc. Neither a liner or spray in would have saved it from the dents. They would have both prevented scratches. I don't care because I use my truck for truck things. If you're not going to use it for truck things, then it's a moot point. If you are, then get the one that makes your life easier.

I'll probably opt for nothing because I like heavy things to slide out of the truck easily, but don't like drop in plastic liners. When I don't want things to slide around, I bungy cord or ratchet strap them to the tiedowns. When you look in the bed of my truck, you can see that I use it. It feels like a badge of honor to me.

I hope my personal experience helps you decide what fits your needs and will make you happy.

 

[sotek2345]

I had a drop in on an old '86 Toyota xtra cap pickup. It took the paint on the top of the bed rails down to metal. Maybe their technology has improved. It made the bed slick to stand on and things slid around. It also made it easier to slide heavy things in and out. I wouldn't get one again on any other truck.

My '14 F-150 has nothing in the bed. It has a dent behind the cab from a motorcycle wheel, another dent in the wheel well from said motorcycle's handle bar, and some decent dents in the bed from the kickstand and foot peg. It's also covered in scratches from 2x4s, plywood, furniture, toys, metal pipes, etc. Neither a liner or spray in would have saved it from the dents. They would have both prevented scratches. I don't care because I use my truck for truck things. If you're not going to use it for truck things, then it's a moot point. If you are, then get the one that makes your life easier.

I'll probably opt for nothing because I like heavy things to slide out of the truck easily, but don't like drop in plastic liners. When I don't want things to slide around, I bungy cord or ratchet strap them to the tiedowns. When you look in the bed of my truck, you can see that I use it. It feels like a badge of honor to me.

I hope my personal experience helps you decide what fits your needs and will make you happy.

I feel the exact same way, but I prefer things to not slide around (I tend to haul lighter, but bulky things, and keep them in the truck for ~6 months a year- under a tonneau), so I am getting the rubber bed mat so it is nice and grippy.

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