Spray-in Bedliners

[JimWilson]

Okay, reading all the posts I've been able to determine a few things:

 * Rhino and Line-X are the two products most people use, by a wide margin.

 * The majority of you are satisfied with your choice, so there's no clearcut winner.

 * The person holding the spray gun is extremely important, and everyone seems to agree on that.

 

I went and checked out both Line-X and Rhino this weekend. Here's what I found...

 

Rhino

 * Definitely feels softer and more rubbery. That could be good or bad, I suppose.

 * Thicker. Seems to be applied more generously, perhaps because it's more pliable.

 * Very uneven texture, almost like cottage cheese. I don't like that.

 * Surprisingly, it didn't seem to scratch like I had assumed it would when I ran a rock across it.

 * Can run your hand over it without a problem; it's not rough to the touch.

 

Line-X

 * Certainly feels harder, but that could be good or bad as well.

 * Not very thick, but supposedly stronger. Perhaps that's why it feels so hard.

 * Much better looking. The texture is very even, and looks almost factory.

 * Scratches very easily with a rock. AAMOF, it left a noticeable mark. That surprised me.

 * Feels almost like sandpaper, so running your hand across it isn't a good idea. That, I don't like at all.

 

 

The Line-X'd rig I saw -- which had, literally, just come out of the spray booth -- was very nice looking! Exceptionally clean corners. Spray tech took all the hardware off before spraying. Looked like a very professional job, but the shop was an absolute dump. Wonder how they made it look so good.

 

The Rhino'd truck had been done about 5 years earlier. The cuts on the corners were not that good, but I'm hopping that was due to the fact it was one of the first rigs they had ever done. Seemed as though the edges were coming up a little too, but I can't say for sure. The place is a pretty clean body shop who does a ton of beds with Rhino, so I'm a bit more confident they would do a good job. Although the guy who sprayed the Line-X used to work at the Rhino shop. He said the reason he left was because of all the problems he was having with the Rhino product in general. Hmm...

 

 

Rhino is applied cold, and at a very low pressure -- somewhere around 50psi -- so it's a bit more prone to run and be sloppy (potentially). It takes longer to dry because of that, too. Line-X is applied warm, and at high pressure -- about 1800psi -- so there's less of a tendency to run. It also dries in less then 5 seconds, so running shouldn't be a problem.

 

Line-X is also thinner and stronger (by there claims) so it can be applied in areas that Rhino can't. And therein lies a problem; according to the Rhino installer there is a 1-2 inch section on the bottom of a Silverado's tailgate that can't be sprayed because the bed floor is too close, so if you did spray the entire tailgate door it wouldn't close. Line-X, on the other hand, is supposedly thin enough to spray the whole tailgate. That's a major drawback for the Rhino, in my opinion. You guys with the Rhino; is your entire tailgate sprayed?

 

I tried to find an ArmaCoat dealer around me, but the closest one is over 150 miles away; no good. So, I only have SpeedLiner left, but that one sounds an awful lot like Line-X (at least the stuff on there web page does). Hopefully one of them will be a clear winner after all this. I'll keep you posted...

[MarkD]

I have Rhino.

 

If the tailgate is open, all surfaces facing up are coated.  the bottom of the tailgate (facing the front of the truck when tailgate is down) is not covered.  The bed itself is completely covered.  The coating extends about 1" down the vertical portion of the bed behind the tailgate.

 

I can get pics if you like.  I have some on my picturetrail site (linked below).

[JimWilson]

I have Rhino.

 

If the tailgate is open, all surfaces facing up are coated.  the bottom of the tailgate (facing the front of the truck when tailgate is down) is not covered.  The bed itself is completely covered.  The coating extends about 1" down the vertical portion of the bed behind the tailgate.

 

I can get pics if you like.  I have some on my picturetrail site (linked below).

I saw the one pic you have, with the tailgate down; that's a good shot. If you have another one, perhaps from a different angle, that would be a big help. Thanks!  

[MarkD]

GMC has it right now, (past 3 days).  I can post detailed pics in the next couple of days.

 

BTW, They are replacing the ABS module and the shifter linkage.

[CMNTMXR81]

I believe my whole tailgate is completely coated.

 

After it was done, I had to not use the bed for about 24hours as it was still "tacky" to the touch and as such still soft.  It's not soft anymore, it's as hard as a rock and with it being thicker, I feel more confident on beating up my bed more.