How you use your truck should determine the way that you set up the bed. It really depends on what you do with the truck. If you require your truck bed to work hard, it makes sense to protect it. We got a hold of an '06 Toyota Tundra that is destined to haul a lot of motorcycles around. We went to the aftermarket for workhorse protection and innovative new products for the Tundra. Our first stop took us to Line-X in Signal Hill, California, to have a polyurethane bedliner sprayed in. We chose Line-X to spray the bedliner because the owner, Mike Sutton, is a truck guy. If you have ever seen any of Mike's builds in the pages of Sport Truck, you will know why. His attention to even the tiniest detail shows up in what many would call a typical job. As soon as we arrived, the truck was pulled into the bay where the preparation work began.
Line-X offers three grades of sprayed-in bedliner applications. Standard Grade is a 1/8-inch-thick layer of polyurethane that adheres to the bed of the truck and molds precisely to every contour of the truck bed. Contractor Grade is the next upgrade, and the urethane is applied thicker to protect against more demanding requirements. Line-X backs a 3,600-pound-per-square-inch protection level with a No Questions Asked limited lifetime warranty. Next in line is an Industrial Grade liner that boasts a 1/4-inch liner thickness and protection, engineered for commercial/industrial demands. We decided our needs for the Tundra would be easily met by the Standard Grade application. First things first, all vehicles require they be covered well, but there is no room for error with a white truck.
Here is the Tundra's pristine...
Here is the Tundra's pristine bed before anything had been done. It looks nice now, but after a few heavy loads it would look like crud. Because this truck was bought to work, some protection is in order.
Sport Truck Tech Tip Small...
Sport Truck Tech Tip
Small details like removing the bed bolts, hooks, and plugs makes for a cleaner overall look to the bedliner. Plus, if you ever have to remove the bed, you can do so without screwing up the liner.
1. After the tailgate had...
1. After the tailgate had been removed, the technicians at Line-X applied wire tape that would provide a precise edge when it is removed.
2. The truck was completely...
2. The truck was completely taped off and covered to protect it from any possible overspray.
3. Removal of all plugs, bed...
3. Removal of all plugs, bed hooks, and bolts before it is sprayed is all part of the Line-X service.
4. Everything that needed...
4. Everything that needed to be removed was out, and the bed was scuffed to prep the paint surface for the bedliner.
5. The technician wiped all...
5. The technician wiped all surfaces to be sprayed with de-natured alcohol to ensure that all contaminants were removed and nothing remained to prevent the polyurethane from bonding to the paint.