Now before you jump me and say, "This is off topic!" Read on. I haul a lot of flathead parts around in the back of my 2000 Dakota. Even with a piece of double wall cardboard and an old sleeping bag on the floor, it's starting to show lots of scratches and chips. The "insert side" says, "It will trap water underneath and cause sever rust." The "spray on" side says, "It doesn't stand up to sever temperature changes." Any opinions?
I have one of those heavy rubber mats in the back of my parts hauler. Works good, but my bed floor is still wood!
I have a Rhino Liner in my '97 Dakota 4X4. I beat the living shit outta it and it comes back for more! Only drawback? Rhino is NOT UV stable and fades with time in the sun( I have a cap on my truck) I also am going to spray SpeedLiner on the bottom sides of my fenders(under SKR8PN) to stop rock chips and such. Speedliner IS UV stable and can be colored to match your truck Slide in liners SUCK .........
Slide in liners chafe and trap all kinds of crap under them. Rhino seems to be hard to keep clean. Linex fades. Pamper it with an $80 bed mat and use it. Scratches happen. If it bothers the second owner so much let him put a liner in it. Just my $.02 - JH
I have a 2003 Dakota and after being totally disappointed with the factory plastic bed liner, I had the bed sprayed with Line-X. There is no comparison. The Line-X is virtually indestructable. I've dragged engines across it with no resulting damage. Plus, the Line-X will seal and hide any current damage. PS: I also have a flush Pace Edwards Jack-Rabbit sliding tonneau (+ Hotchkiss suspension and RT wheels to make sure stuff slides all over the bed while I'm driving) Here's an "on-topic" lousy photo of aforementioned truck hauling a '32 cab.
With a SBC in the back of my dad's truck. The weight of the engine dented the bed, with a rhino liner. I like the cush that the drop in provides.
Got a drop in liner in my 2002 Ford F150 SuperCrew. It's doing well and the low temps here - in the low to mid twenties (I know, no big deal for a Canadian, but that's the best we can do) don't seem to hurt it. I see lots of other trucks at various places, some of them apparently long time Arizona trucks and their drop-ins seem to be doing ok. Speaking for myself, I like the way things slide across the beds floor. Doesn't take much effort to tie things down. Any Ford engineers out there? Another pair of bed tie-downs in the middle sure would help.
I may be overkilling but Ive got a spray in liner from Rattle Guard (ebay). I did it myself and only cost 200.00. And I went to the salvage yard and cut the bottom out of a drop-in for the dent protection. Works great, no real wear on the spray-in and no dents in the bed.
Have a drop in liner in truck since 94. Have not seen much of a problem with scratching under liner, there is some but a LOT less than there would be without, mostly just thru the colour coat not the primer. Things do have a tenancy to slide around easier. Hard on the knees if you are trying to move things around. Some change in size with temperature variations, both cold and hot. A little loss in floor area that may be a problem hauling things like plywood or drywall. Was able to remove liner easily to weld up holes left when a 5th wheel hitch was removed. Due to the change in size with temp variations would advise a under rail liner if you go the liner route. Would I buy another drop in?? Think I would look at the spray in style. May be sorry but probably depends on your usage. I have hauled everything from engines, scrap metal, dirt, gravel, 3" crushed stone, firewood etc., think it would work better hauling the building material and dirt/gravel. Haven't heard of anybody here complaining that they don't stand up to cold temps. Canuck
Can't get any colder than Portage and Main! Thanks everyone for the opinions. Kinda looks like I'll go with spray on. The rear bumper got "punched" last week, capper has to come off to fix some damage on the left rear corner of the box; so figured - good time to look at protecting the inside of the box for a while longer.