Are Truck Bed Liners Worth It

Truck bed liners are a great way to protect your truck from damage. They also keep the inside of the bed clean, and can help you avoid any unexpected spills or accidents that may occur while driving. Truck bed liners have been around for decades, but they still create a lot of debate among drivers as to whether they are worth the money or not. In this article we will discuss “Are truck bed liners worth it?“, and how they can benefit you both now and in the future.

What Is Truck Bed Liner?

Truck bed liners are products that line the interior of a truck bed to protect it from damage and create a hitch-resistant surface, depending on circumstances.

Protecting truck beds has been an option since the inception of pickup trucks in the 1950s, but it was originally done for decorative purposes.

Types of Truck Bed Liner

Pros and Cons of Spray in Bedliner

Truck bed liners can be a great investment for long-term security and comfort. A spray-in liner is installed in the truck bed by spraying the liner between gaps in the truck bed’s metal walls with adhesive that has been prepped beforehand. There are kits available at your local auto parts shop, including those designed specifically to fit your year make and model, whereupon installation would take less than an hour.

PROS

• A professional bed liner will make a truck look brand new.
• Spray-on bed liners can be applied however you like. If the surface is prepared as instructed, this means you may apply it to your bumper, fender flares or even entire truck if desired.
• Bed liners are a nice investment for trucks because they help cargo remain stationary in the bed, but drop-in liners are far less expensive.

CONS

• After installation, a spray-in bedliner will permanently alter your truck’s factory paint. This means that the corrosion warranty on all parts of your vehicle with an applied coating has been voided.
• Professionals install spray-on bedliners, which require a relatively trained installer with tidy work.
• Once a truck bed has been lined with spray-in bed liner, it can be difficult to remove.
• It is not the best idea to jump on a spray-in bed liner warranty.
• No direct protection from dints or dings when loading or unloading cargo. Essentially, a paint and does not protect your truck from dents.
• Due to the rough surface, kneeling in the truck bed becomes painful after a few moments.
• The cost of a bed liner can start at $425, though the price may vary depending on whether you want the tailgate sprayed or tinted.

Pros and Cons Drop-in Bed Liner

In the drop vs. spray-in debate, in is best for people to know that installation of a dropless liner should be pretty simple. It’s imperative to find an interior bed liner that matches your year make and model truck.

Check out: Best Truck Bed Liners For The Money

Drop-in universal bed liners are designed to fit in a variety of truck beds, but this can lead to an imperfect fit.

PROS

• In general, truck bed liners are cheaper than spray-on liners. Most range from $125 to $200.
• Drop-in bed liners are a DIY item.
• Potentially transferable if your next truck also has the similar bed size.
• Protect your truck from dents and scrapes by installing a bed liner.

CONS

• Low-quality bed liners are vulnerable to cracking and warping, leading to fitment problems. Poor fitting bed liners can lead to scuffs and rust, meaning lower resell value when time comes for a new one.
• The surface of most drop-in bed liners is slick, making it difficult for cargo to stay in place and potentially damaging the truck bed’s contents.
• Drop-in liners are made of a thick plastic material that doesn’t allow for drainage.
• A bed liner can reduce your cargo space, and may not provide protection in difficult weather conditions.
• Poor fitment of a bed liner in the bed creates a gap between the bed and liner, which allows wind to come up from under the liner. On highways, this causes noise from the wind hitting parts of the truck bed.

Are Truck Bed Liners Worth It?

Trucks are meant for transporting goods, which means that the bed of your truck can become dented or scratched by the items you are hauling. A bed liner provides a level of protection between what you’re carrying and your truck’s surface, ensuring that damage does not occur to either.

 Check out: Are Drop In BedLiners Bad?

Truck bed liners are a great investment for protecting your vehicle’s most susceptible area (the bed) and also help it to stand out.

A truck bed liner can improve the resale value of your pickup. A lot of people would rather buy a cab or a pickup with an intact bed, and if you already have a bed liner, then they won’t have to spend extra money on one outside of the initial cost covering the entire pickup.

Conclusions

Bed liners are a great way to protect your truck bed from damage. They can also provide protection against rust and dust, which is important for many drivers who transport cargo in their trucks on a regular basis. However, not all bed liners are created equal, so it is worth taking the time to do some research before you buy one!

Further Reading:

• Spray Truck Bed Liner: Regulations
• Rule 1151 Motor Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Coating