Truck Bed Liner Systems: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Truck and Your Cargo

   Drop-in Hard Bed Liners. Molded plastic “drop-ins” were the first bedliners to hit the market. They arrived on the scene when technology made it cost-effective to produce large vacuum-molded liners. Drop ins caught on quickly because they helped to protect the truck’s bed from dents and scratches caused by sharp or heavy objects. That’s good, except that the drop-in liner itself can scratch the bed’s paint, and moisture can get trapped between the liner and truck bed, allowing rust to form. Another limitation of the drop-in liner is that it is, by definition, “hard” -- it can’t do much to cushion and protect sensitive cargo like furniture or sports equipment. Plus, it has such a smooth, hard finish that items tend to slide around a lot, especially during quick starts, stops and turns – not the best thing if you’re carrying sensitive cargo like furniture, groceries, or pets.

  “Spray-on” Bedliners. Another approach that has gained some popularity is the spray-on liner. It has better non-skid attributes and is applied to the bed surface, reducing the potential for rust. But, it does not offer the impact protection of the hard plastic surface. Also, the spray-on material cannot be removed once applied, and in some cases it can void the truck’s paint warranty because spray-on liners require the truck’s paint to be scuffed or removed prior to application. Most spray-ons must be applied by a professional, therefore, the quality is dependent on the training of the person spraying on the liner. In addition, it typically requires four hours to complete the application and curing process. Spray-on liners can be very susceptible to wear and weathering, which can cause them to fade, look hazy, or appear used after only a short time.

   Bedrug Premium Truck Bed Protection.   More recently, a new type of bed protection system made of weatherproof, nearly indestructible, non-skid polypropylene fiber surface, bonded to a molded closed-cell polypropylene foam bottom, was introduced for the pickup truck market. The BedRug® premium truck bed liner protection system provides complete scratch, dent and rust protection from the truck bed while cushioning and protecting sensitive cargo. “This is where the bedliner of the past has let truck owners down,” said Ron Wise, president of Wise Industries, developer and manufacturer of the BedRug® premium bed protection system. “They expect their bed protectors to prevent scratches and dents when they’re moving heavy and bulky items like building materials or gravel, but they also need liners that can safeguard and protect sensitive items they carry as part of their home and leisure time activities.”

   Which Bedliner is Right For You?  Bedliners should be evaluated on how they protect the truck bed, how well they manage and protect cargo, and how much value they return to the owner. Although each bedliner type has certain advantages, most also have significant negatives compared to the BedRug system. Some are functional but can adversely affect the condition of the vehicle at the time it is sold or traded in.

• Timeless good looks for the life of the product, thanks to its fade-resistant materials.

• Protection for the truck bed that lasts a lifetime due to its tough, cut- and tear-resistant woven polypropylene structure. The BedRug bed protector won’t chip or crack, either.

• Gentle – not hard, like plastic drop-in liners or spray-ons. BedRug offers soft, non-skid protection for furniture, sports and camping gear, coolers, pet cages and other sensitive cargo.

• No-risk trial for truck owners with its 30-day money-back guarantee.

• Replacement protection with BedRug’s limited lifetime warranty should the BedRug bed protector develop a manufacturing defect.

• Can be reused in identical truck models or resold to owners of same-model trucks. It’s easily removable and retains its new looks.

Drop-in Plastic Liners. The average cost of a drop-in plastic bedliner through a dealer at the time of a new vehicle purchase is $300. During the life of the truck, hard liners often abrade the paint on the bed and this can result in rust. If the hard plastic liner looks used and scuffed-up, dealers must make the vehicle salable either through their dealership or by wholesaling it out, and will need to replace the used bedliner with an aftermarket liner that costs them $100 or more.  In addition, they may need to repair the rusted truck bed. This will raise the net cost of owning the plastic drop-in liner over the original cost of $300.

Spray-on Liners. Spray-on liners seem like a great value initially, since they seem to eliminate the rust problems caused by hard liners. But when it comes to value, they are the least effective of the three types. They have no residualization, no positive value at trade-in, and they usually need some corrective action to make a trade-in marketable.

Bedrug Premium Truck Bed Liner Protection. The cost of the BedRug premium truck bed protector at the time of a new truck purchase is approximately $500. Because GMAC and Ford Credit recognize the BedRug bed protector as a premium product, it is residualized at $250, making its net cost $250 over the term of ownership. Because it fully protects the truck bed, no corrective action or expense is needed at trade-in time.