As everyone knows, the first thing that gets damaged and dinged on a truck is the bed. If you own motorcycles, haul cargo, or use it for work, the truck bed takes a lot of abuse.
| Fortunately for us, the folks at Line-X agreed to take on our bed project before seeing it. When we arrived, it took a moment for them to realize the extent of bed damage from cement and equipment.
To us, that's just the price you pay for having a truck. But with fullsize rigs seeing huge drops in resale value, keeping your bed damage-free will benefit you tenfold when it comes time to sell your ride or trade it in.
This is the first of a series of stories that deals with truck bed products. We'll explore all the things you can do to the bed of your rig for a modest investment of money and time. There are bed rugs, bedliners, aftermarket tie-down kits, toolboxes, slide-out trays, fifth-wheel hitches, electronic lids, and countless other products for the do-it-yourselfer.
Our series will show you how to make the most of your truck bed-whether you are in construction and searching for utility features, or you use your truck for play and need a secure way to carry the toys.
Our story began with an F-250 that was purchased at an auction. The truck had been used as a cement gun hauler, and the entire bed was badly dented and plastered with baked-on cement.
Our goal was to recondition the bed so the truck's owner could get back to work as an electrician. We tried chiseling the stuff off, but that was slow going. So we contacted the professionals.
We didn't want to go with a standard drop-in bedliner or bed rug for this particular work truck. That wasn't practical. They are great for many applications, but the owner needed all the volume of the bed, and typically, bedliners eat up some space. Also, due to the weight of the toolboxes that were planned for this truck, an ABS plastic bedliner would get crushed during the mounting process. A bed rug was simply too nice looking for the job.
So we went to one of the better-known spray-in bedliner facilities and asked for help. Line-X is one of the nation's most respected brands of spray-in liners. Surprisingly, we learned they do a lot more than just automotive, too. And with franchises all over the country, finding a location near you can be as easy as picking up the phone or going online.
We've written about spray-in liners in the past, but this time we put a project in front of Line-X that was anything but perfect. We knew the company's reputation for offering a lifetime warranty, and the fact that once applied, Line-X is impact-absorbent and dent-resistant. But prepping a truck that looked like this one was a real challenge-even for the pros at Line-X.
What we like most about this method of bed protection is that it provides a watertight seal, and you don't have to worry about what gets trapped under it, because the material adheres directly to the contour of the bed. It also dries to the touch in a matter of minutes, so you can go about your business the same day.
If you already had your truck sprayed by another company and it is starting to look worn, Line-X offers a ReNew treatment that costs about as much as a decent detail job.
Because the truck was being used for work, we confirmed that Line-X can withstand abusive chemicals like gasoline, sodium hydroxide, sulfuric acid, toluene/naphtha, and road salt. These also have absolutely no effect on the finish of the product, according to tests conducted by DuPont.
The following photos will give you a better idea of what it takes to improve the look and function of your bed. Pricing depends on the vehicle, protection level of coating you select, and the location of your dealer, since they are all independently owned.
Spray-In Tips
Don't wash the bed out the night before. Use a broom if you must clean it.
Don't mask the bed yourself. The Line-X crew uses special tape and coverings.
When it's finished, you don't want to put anything heavy on it for 24 hours.
If you don't plan to use a bedcover or camper, consider the Line-X XTRA coating. It adds to the price, but it is more UV-resistant to color fade.
Take care of any sheetmetal damage prior to having your bed sprayed. Line-X will not completely hide deep dents.
Product Profile:
Line-X of Orange County
714/632-5656
www.linex.com
