Light-Truck Owners are Learning the Hard Way About Spray-On Bedliners

PORTAGE, Wis., Oct. 1 -- "Horror story" seems to be a growing theme among consumers who have chosen to pay for an expensive "spray-on" bedliner to protect their light truck.

From lack of protection against scratches and dents, to potential delamination of the lining material, to documented damage to the truck bed caused by a spray-on lining's installation, truck owners are finding that a premium price doesn't guarantee satisfactory performance, according to Kristin Uttech, director of marketing for truck accessories manufacturer Penda Corporation. Bedliner manufacturers urge consumers to visit www.bedlinerfacts.com or click on the link below for more information on how to select the best bedliner for any light truck.

"There are many truck accessories retailers who won't consider selling spray-on liners because of the potential damage to their reputation," Uttech said. "They've built their businesses by helping consumers enhance the value of their vehicles; spray-on linings can have the opposite result."

Spray-on bedliners are a comparatively new phenomenon in the truck accessories market. These products are delivered to franchised dealers and other retailers in huge drums, then applied -- much like paint -- to the truck bed surface. Studies show that these liners fall far short of today's more advanced molded drop-in bedliners when it comes to protecting the vehicle. What's more, even the appealing, "custom" look of some spray-on liners can be only temporary due to sun-induced fading.

Research commissioned by Penda has shown that spray-on liners provide just one-tenth the abrasion protection and one-half the dent protection of today's best drop-in liners. Uttech and others remind consumers that when you dent or penetrate a spray-on liner, you're damaging the truck itself. Drop-in liners, by comparison, provide precision-molded crush zones that absorb the energy of many impacts, thereby preserving the truck's sheet metal.

Another key fact consumers deserve to know about spray-on liners is that their installation may cause severe damage to the truck's factory finish. To properly install a spray-on liner, a technician must scuff or grind the truck bed's original finish. This could have vehicle paint warranty implications for truck owners and raise surrender-charge issues for those who lease their trucks. GMAC, for example, classifies the installation of a spray-on liner as "excess wear" that could lead to a financial penalty at the end of a lease period.

"Any product that claims to protect the truck bed by damaging the factory finish isn't a good deal," said Tom Anderson, director of engineering for Penda.

Leading drop-in bedliners today can be installed without drilling holes in the truck body. To further protect the truck bed, today's best drop-ins are manufactured from model-specific molds, ensuring a "custom" fit and minimal liner vibration and movement.