Sponsored

If you already have a spray-in, would you add a drop-in on top?

  • Yes

  • Maybe

  • No


Results are only viewable after voting.

3Wliners

Active member
Diamond Sponsor
First Name
Estelle
Joined
Mar 24, 2025
Threads
34
Messages
42
Reaction score
10
Location
500 Kennedy Dr Sayreville, NJ 08872, USA
Website
3wliners.com
Vehicles
Jeep Wrangler JLU
We’re seeing more builds running spray-in + drop-in together. And yeah, the first reaction is usually: “If I already paid for a spray-in, why add a drop-in—isn’t that wasting money?”

Short answer from a lot of real-world users: extra cushion, less rattle, better grip, and a sacrificial layer that keeps your spray-in from getting gouged when you chuck sharp or heavy stuff.

And we’ve been combing through pickup forums across models and the theme is consistent, check what they've said.

F1502.webp
gladiator.webp
gladiator1.webp
gladiator3.webp
gladiator4.webp
Sponsored

 
OP
OP
3Wliners

3Wliners

Active member
Diamond Sponsor
First Name
Estelle
Joined
Mar 24, 2025
Threads
34
Messages
42
Reaction score
10
Location
500 Kennedy Dr Sayreville, NJ 08872, USA
Website
3wliners.com
Vehicles
Jeep Wrangler JLU
So here's the conclusion:
  1. Spray-ins are great and look clean, but they’re not perfect.
  2. Stacking a drop-in on top can solve specific pain points (noise, slide, impact).
    Owners shared a ton of useful experiences—we figured it’s worth a proper poll here.
And...here comes our question:
If you already have a spray-in, would you add a drop-in on top?
• Yes — extra protection/grip is worth it
• Maybe — depends on price/fit/weight
• No — spray-in is enough
• Not sure — convince me in the comments

To make this useful and fun, we are hoping you can share your opinion down below this thread, and we are select one winner giving away 2 sets of bed mat to him/her or his/her friend from this forum

Here's the rule:
• Comment your take on spray-in + drop-in (real experience or what’s holding you back).
• @Tag one forum friend who’d have an opinion.
We’ll randomly pick one comment and send two bed mats — one to the commenter and one to the tagged friend.
• Multiple thoughtful comments = better odds, but one set max per person.

House rules

Keep it friendly, respect different setups, and skip the brand bashing. Real-world experience beats hot takes.

Dropping a few use-case screenshots below to spark ideas. Your pics welcome — especially that “one load that sold me” moment. Fire away 👇
 

WXman

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 16, 2025
Threads
18
Messages
371
Reaction score
344
Location
Central Kentucky
Website
www.facebook.com
Vehicles
2025 F-150 Lightning Flash
Occupation
Meteorology/Transportation
I have a rubber mat on top of my spray in. Just to reduce sliding around of objects and protect the floor which takes most of the abuse. But when I hear "drop in" what my mind thinks of is those plastic bed liners that cover the floor and sides and bulkhead. There's no way I'd put one of those on top of my spray in.

I wonder if @chl uses a rubber mat already?
 

sotek2345

Well-known member
First Name
Tom
Joined
Jun 7, 2021
Threads
33
Messages
3,850
Reaction score
4,614
Location
Upstate NY
Vehicles
2022 Lightning Lariat ER, 2021 Mach-e GT
Occupation
Engineering Manager
OK - it wasn't an option, but my preference is a bed mat to keep things from sliding around and nothing else. I have had spray in and drop in before, but they don't hold things in place nearly as well as a good rubber mat.

As for the sides, it is a truck. It is meant to get used and scratched. Since Ford went aluminum for the body, there is no risk of it rusting, so why worry!
 

The Weatherman

Well-known member
First Name
Dean
Joined
Apr 20, 2023
Threads
31
Messages
1,737
Reaction score
2,458
Location
South Central KY
Vehicles
2022 RR F150 Lightning Lariat ER, 2020 Explorer PL
Occupation
Retired
I also put a bed mat in over the factory spray in to preserve it and to reduce things sliding around. It works great for that purpose and adds a level of comfort for my knees when I need to crawl into the bed.
 

Sponsored

KingStraasha

Well-known member
First Name
Kevin
Joined
Feb 20, 2023
Threads
1
Messages
70
Reaction score
92
Location
Dayton, OH
Vehicles
2023 F-150 Lightning Lariat ER, Antimatter Blue
For me, it would depend on the use cases. I don't tend to haul too many heavy things (e.g., Bikes, mulch in bags), so just the spray liner would be enough. If I found myself hauling heavier things that could gouge the spray liner, then I would add a bed rug.
 

chl

Well-known member
First Name
CHRIS
Joined
Dec 16, 2022
Threads
7
Messages
2,255
Reaction score
1,385
Location
alexandria virginia
Vehicles
2023 F-150 LIGHTNING, 2012 Nissan Leaf, 2015 Toyota Prius, 2000 HD 883 Sportster
Occupation
Patent Atty / Electrical Engineer
I have a rubber mat on top of my spray in. Just to reduce sliding around of objects and protect the floor which takes most of the abuse. But when I hear "drop in" what my mind thinks of is those plastic bed liners that cover the floor and sides and bulkhead. There's no way I'd put one of those on top of my spray in.

I wonder if @chl uses a rubber mat already?
Yep
 

Lytning

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 8, 2022
Threads
11
Messages
618
Reaction score
1,018
Location
Georgia
Vehicles
Prev: 2000 SVT Lightning; Now: 2022 BEV Lightning
Occupation
Engineer
I had a 2000 SVT Lightning with the OEM drop-in liner. I had the truck painted in 2017. There was a little scuffing on top of the bed floor ridges (seen on the 2 ridges on the left in the photo), but no wear through to bare metal. We decided not to repaint the bed, and reinstalled the drop-in bed liner.

SVT Lightning Bed.webp
 

snowy_91

Well-known member
First Name
James
Joined
Sep 21, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
104
Reaction score
140
Location
Aurora, SD
Vehicles
2023 Lightning XLT SR, 2024 Blazer EV
Occupation
Retired
I have a rubber mat on top of my spray in. Just to reduce sliding around of objects and protect the floor which takes most of the abuse. But when I hear "drop in" what my mind thinks of is those plastic bed liners that cover the floor and sides and bulkhead. There's no way I'd put one of those on top of my spray in.

I wonder if @chl uses a rubber mat already?
I have a spray in with a rubber bed mat to keep things from sliding around.
 

Mike G

Well-known member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Jan 6, 2022
Threads
30
Messages
1,761
Reaction score
2,565
Location
N. AL, USA
Vehicles
2022 F-150 Lightning, 2023(J1) Mach-E GT-PE
I said yes on the poll because I’d actually done that on my 2018 Raptor. In retrospect doing the Line-X and then putting a bed rug over that was indeed overkill. I traded my ‘18 Raptor for a ‘20 when the cam chain phasers started making noise and took the bed rug with me. I then sold the ‘20 Raptor back to my dealer, they really wanted it bad, but I kept the bed rug and put that in the ‘21 Powerboost I’d ordered when I sold back the Raptor. When my Lightning arrived I moved that bed rug over along with the hard tonneaux I’d bought for the Powerboost.
I take the bed rug out once a year and clean and wax the bed and then put everything back.
I don’t miss the spray in liner one bit and I’ll never get that again.
 

Sponsored

rdr854

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 19, 2021
Threads
13
Messages
1,310
Reaction score
901
Location
Northern Virginia
Vehicles
22 Ford F150 Lightning Lariat ER 23 Outback, 25 Volvo EX90 Twin Motor Plus
My volunteer fire department, which averages approximately 4,000 calls per year, has not had any issues with the spray in bedliners despite their heavy use/abuse from hauling firefighting equipment and other bulky items and debris. The average life expectancy of our pickup trucks is 15 to 20 years. During the winter months, the pick up trucks have bed sanders so that they can respond on calls during snow storms.
 

ClevelandBeemer

Well-known member
Joined
May 10, 2025
Threads
3
Messages
128
Reaction score
124
Vehicles
2025 F150 Lightning Flash 131kWh
Bed mat on LineX Premium for me.

IMG_8233.webp
 
Last edited:

Brons2

Well-known member
First Name
Mij
Joined
Jan 3, 2025
Threads
8
Messages
167
Reaction score
174
Vehicles
2024 F150 Lightning XLT Standard Battery, 2023 Mach-E AWD Standard Battery
Occupation
Cybersecurity
I have the Ford bed mat, got it with points. I'd probably still use it even with a spray in as it has a nice texture that won't scratch up your knees if you're wearing shorts.

I had Line-X in one of my other trucks and it would scrape up your legs if you weren't careful.
 

GoodSam

Well-known member
First Name
Good
Joined
Jan 5, 2022
Threads
36
Messages
886
Reaction score
501
Location
93111
Vehicles
17CRV, 22 Lightning XLT 312A SR iced blue silver
Occupation
occupying space
currently using the full bed rug, walls covered, shaped around cleats, etc, works well for keeping things from sliding and okay for knees. Had a drop in on a 3/4 chevy but it can cover cleats and attachment points, and now with Pro Power Onboard, openings are needed for that as well. Just the thicker bottom bed rug, which I think is available, would be my choice. But if hauling rough heavy stuff regularly, the drop in, with an optional non-slip pad would be smart. Maybe a 70% coverage temporary drop in would be a nice accessory for my bed rug when bricks are to hauled?
Sponsored

 
 







Top