Need advice on what to do with old bed liner and while we are at it sealing up these scratches.

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SirRobyn0

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About a year ago Tractor Supply had some 4x8 rubber mats out front of the store. I think they were $30-$40, something like that. Didn't need one at the time but looked like it would work. You might check an ag store if there is one in your area. Not slick, but the plywood idea would alleviate that?
Thanks I was just thinking that. If I can't find my roll of rubber-cal, I thought the next thing would be the coop feed store, good to know I've got a shot at finding something there. I'd much abuse a $40 mat than a $100 mat!
 

Camar068

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Ok so I'm going to bring this thread up again. As refresher this is a quote from the first post:

"MY 84 C20. Someone many, many moons ago bed linered it. It was done by a company in the Portland area. I've never been a fan of spray in bed liners myself, but it's already there. So what's the problem you might ask, well it's falling apart and my attempts to slow it down have been unsuccessful."

That was August 2nd 2022. Despite a few "patch attempts", which basically means filling in anything that tears up, it's getting much worse. You can see the pics from a year ago on post #1 but below is current:

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Below: The big spot and look at all the many smaller spots that have opened up!
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By the tailgate you can see old bedliner and attempted new patches.
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New plan. I'm gonna grab hold of all the loose stuff I can and rip up anything and everything that is loose and willing to come off the floor of the truck. Then I'm going to pressure wash it, wipe it down with lacquer thinner. I'd like to do that tomorrow morning. Then on Monday I'll coat the entire floor with fresh bedliner using a lownap roller because I want as little texture as possible.

So, please give me advice, or encouragement or discouragement as you see fit.

Thanks!
sorry I haven't read all the posts and not gonna. I thought about the same thing. I hate grippy beds. They have a purpose, but not one I like. When I redid my bed floor, I put good ol' rustoleum 2x spray paint on it. My thoughts, OMG....it's scratched! grab a can scuff and fix. A lot cheaper and quick/easy to control rust.

Bed liners, stuff slides around too much when driving, and it's hard to keep an eye on that metal under the bed liner.

No offense to anyone about any product. I like to keep it simple and easy.
 

Dryriver1

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Hello SirRob! I hope all is well.

I have read the whole thread.

just wanted to throw my .02 cents worth.
how about a propane torch and get your partime helper from the farm and peel it or rip it while it is nicely flexible and warm.

I do not know exactly where you are located, but there is one for $10.00 on Craigslist Seattle.

After you are done taking it off a nice clean up with lacquer thinner, then a seal on your bed with some oil based enamel paint from the HD that people return.
They sell it much cheaper than the matched color paint or white paint.
You can also add some of that nonslip sand grit they sell in baggies, at the local automotive paint store, or maybe even there at HD, Amazon, fleabay.

Touch it up every year with cheap oil base enamel paint.

Might not be the greatest color inside the bed, but yours there square... is a real Good Workhorse, and like a Real Good it does not matter what color he is... IMHO

Be well and stay safe out there.
Best wishes to you and all of your loved ones always!

Dryriver1



 
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SirRobyn0

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@Camar068 @Dryriver1 Yes I have a propane weed burner already. I know everyone that has suggested full removal of the existing bed liner is making what is really the right suggestion and that is not lost on me at all. It's just not the route I really want to take. I had a drop in (plastic) bed liner in my Dodge which I did really like. I'm just to cheap to buy a new one.

& @Grit dog @DoubleDingo @idahovette So I looked tonight and my roll of Rubber-Cal is just a bunch smaller pieces rolled up so it's a no go. I'll look around this week to see if there is something at the coop or maybe even Home Depot that would work. Other wise I'm just going to patch liner with the F/S and continue to look for a used drop in liner, or a used mat.
 

Dryriver1

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Hello Sir Rob! I hope all is well.

Just another ideaI... I've seen surplus places some of that conveyor bands like what they use to move grave, grains, etc...

Just throwing out another idea out.
 

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Yeah torching it off isn’t an option unless you plan on pulling the bed and repainting the underside and the inside.
 

SirRobyn0

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@Dryriver1 Another idea is always good to have!

@Grit dog good point on torching.
I think you guys can see why I'm not all that crazy about trying to remove this chit.

So I spoke with another gent by chance this morning that kind of echoed what my friend said as far as nothing in a can is going to be like pro sprayed bed liner, but he suggested an aerosol product made by TCP global. Apparently when he worked for Ford dealership it is what they used when they'd get a factory liner with a flaw or had to fix minor damage under warranty that was not worth sending out the be relinered. It's not sold retail so I'm actually as I type on hold with MOS industries waiting to talk to my rep as I think they carry TCP products. Maybe they can shoot me a can or two out today..... Well see. Plan will still be to cover it with a mat or drop in when I find one.
 
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Dryriver1

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Yeah torching it off isn’t an option unless you plan on pulling the bed and repainting the underside and the inside.

I was just thinking on warming it up and peeling it off not necessarily burning it off.
I guess maybe I kind of didn't explain it that way.
SR0 mentioned when he pulls it breaks a piece off.

I was wondering if it could be peeled off once it is warmed up.
 

SirRobyn0

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I was just thinking on warming it up and peeling it off not necessarily burning it off.
I guess maybe I kind of didn't explain it that way.
SR0 mentioned when he pulls it breaks a piece off.

I was wondering if it could be peeled off once it is warmed up.
You have abbreviated my user name a number of different ways in this thread, but it is "SRO" That I like the most. So I'm gonna make that official.

So the way most people one the internet say to do it is with a heat gun, and a lot of time.

I've got two cans of the TCP stuff coming that should be here this afternoon. We will see.....

SRO
 

SirRobyn0

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Ok guys I got the stuff in. Bed liner Pro by TCP is the product and it comes in a spray can. Wholesale price was $18 a can and I bought two. At that price if this is a total failure then it's not a huge loss. So I test fired it on a scrap of metal.

I'm happy to report that it does not have the awful sharp up raised texture like some DIY bed liner stuff has. Actually it looks a lot like the stuff currently in my bed, but of course it's much thinner. Obviously I can't tell how it maintains pliability down the road.

I intentionally took pretty close pictures so you can see the grain of the "texture".

First coat, those artifacts in the upper left corner were on the metal before spraying, so that's not a good representation of how it came out of the can, but does show that this stuff will not cover flaws well.
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And after the second coat:
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That flawed area is more in the middle of the second coat and you can see it's much less noticeable. The grain or texture is about the same in the second coat but these are all inside the shop photos and the lighting sucks.

I'm going to go over all the areas of the bed after work that have missing liner. Let it dry overnight and then decide if I need to hit those areas again or roll the entire floor of bed out.
 

SirRobyn0

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This is just from my example piece I took it outside took this shot and cropped it so maybe you'll be able to see the mild texturing.

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Anyhow that's a pretty close match in terms of looks anyway.
 

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I'm still toying around with thin strips of UHMW in the floor lower slots.

My mini truck has one of those hard plastic bed tubs, the kind that goes all the way up and onto the flat portion a canopy sits on. I like the fact I can slide stuff easily in the bed, but have been bitten twice by forgetting to tie something down sufficiently.
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Probably put it in the 4x4 mini truck someday if I ever rebuild that transmission
 

SirRobyn0

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@Radiohead I really like those hard plastic tubs. That's what's in my Dodge and ideally I'd like to find one used for the square, but no luck so far and I'm to cheap to buy a new one. Thanks @idahovette I'll keep ya'll posted.

Oh, and while I'm dreaming of things I'd really like but are unwilling to pay for I'd love to have a softopper.

SRO
 

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My crew cab came to me with a hard plastic bedliner in it. Great for sliding totes and tables on it(or out of the bed!). Not so good when kneeling on the black plastic in Texas sun, tying loads down....I was roasting my knees through my pants!
 

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