Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/105105
A properly installed bedliner – whether it's a mat, a drop-in, a spray-on or a hybrid product – can prevent scratches and chemical marring that may lead to corrosion and rust. The type selected depends on the specific qualities of the job it is called upon to do. THE WORKTRUCK GUIDE TO BED PROTECTION By Steve Campbell b ll edliners protect one of the working man's biggest investments, yet they are often one of the last items we think about adding in our quest to make our pickups better. They should be the first. For professionals who depend on a pickup as a tool of the trade, a properly installed liner – whether it's a mat, a drop-in, a spray-on or a hybrid product – can prevent scuffs, gouges and chemical damage that may lead to corrosion and rust. Some liners also provide a buffer against dents caused by heavy or shifting loads, and maintaining a pickup's appearance undoubtedly adds to its value at resale or trade-in time. In fact, many original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) now place a residual value on original bedliners and vehicle valuators such as Kelly Blue Book add value to trucks that are outfitted with liners. B NO-SLIP MATS The least-expensive option is the simple mat type, such as the ProTecta mat by Koneta. The ProTecta is manufactured from a fiber-impregnated rubber called Nyracord that is finished in either a ribbed pebble grain or a diamond-plate pattern to help keep cargo from slipping. The 3/8-inch-thick mats are custom-molded to fit each make and model of pickup and are impervious to weather, while a knobby underside promotes aeration and drainage, helping to prevent rust and mildew. 20 PROPICKUP Buyer's Guide 2012 Covering the cargo bays of pickups used by pros Mats are simply unrolled onto the bed floor to install, so no prep is required other than a thorough bed cleaning. Some OEMs offer ProTecta mats that are identical to the aftermarket version but with the truck maker's logo embossed on the product. The downside to a mat is that it offers no protection to the bed walls, though a tailgate protector is also available in the ProTecta line. DROP-INS Drop-in liners are also easily installed, removed and replaced. They are manufactured as a one-piece mold that covers the floor, sides, and forward bulkhead and come with a bolt-on tailgate protector. The drop-in bedliner industry covers more than 50 percent of the bed-protection market, so the products maintain an obvious popularity with consumers. Penda, manufacturer of the Pendaliner and Duraliner brands, fabricates its liners from up to 1/4-inch-thick sheets of extremely durable high-density polyethylene, which also withstands extreme weather conditions. Drop-ins come in two versions that fit either under or over the bed rails. Penda says that its under-rail liners are the more popular Photo courtesy of DualLiner BUYER'S GUIDE