To each their own, but I prefer them coated to match. FWIW, the trucks on the lot with the OEM bedliner option were sprayed over also. I've owned quite a few trucks and never had a need to remove the bed so that point is moot in my book. Plus, if it needs to come off, then something much bigger is probably going on.

Also FWIW, the person that founded Bullet was a principal founder of LineX. He left LineX, formulated Bullet liner and formed the new company. No idea why.

 

True, to each his own! If you need a repair and and the bed has to be moved or removed, they will have to dig the bolts out of your bedliner.

The founder of LINE-X, Claudio Burtin, owned a polyurethane foam company (Burtin Polymer Labs) and LINE-X was an offshoot. The Burtins sold LINE-X and kept the foam business. After the end of the non-compete period, the Burtins created Bullet as an offshoot. The Burtins sold the foam business along with Bullet in 2015 to Accella and Accella was purchased by Carlisle Companies in 2017. Thing is, Accella has nothing to do with the truck bedliner business, they make running track foam stuff and other polyurethane foams. LINE-X, on the other hand, is all about the coating business including truck bedliners. The company that owns LINE-X, IXS, owns Ground Effects Limited which is the company that installs Ford's factory bedliners (and Dodge and GM).

 

Cool! Thanks for that knowledge!

I wasn't aware of the LIneX - Factory liner connection. Back to the bolts, I believe it's LineX's general policy that the bolts should be removed and re-installed. Strange that GFX sprays the bolts on the factory trucks.

Are you in the liner business?

 

No, I know this stuff from another business angle.

 

I have no ties to the industry. What I see are three competitors who all make claims.

What's funny is Bullet claims to be color stable and UV protected where LineX isn't. Well, according to Bullet.

I maintain that the best choice is to pick a good installer/shop. The products are all similar and battle each other. Just pick a good shop and all will be good.

 

I have the rhino hybrid liner on my work truck. It's been great for the 2 years it's been in, and I'm not nice to it by any means. I've always had linex but the linex place by me has just gotten outrageous on pricing. FWIW the rhino hybrid liner was 1/2 the price of line x with a lifetime warranty.

 

Here's a very condensed explanation of the science behind the UV light claim. Most bedliner products are "aromatic" which basically means that the carbon atoms are in rings (benzene rings). UV light from the sun can break the rings which releases pigment which is what you see as fading. Companies can add chemicals to slow down the process, but you can't slow it down for very long. A few bedliner products are "aliphatic". Carbon atoms are in chains instead of rings. It takes UV light a long time to break the chains. Your truck's paint is aliphatic and it fades, but it takes many-many years until you can detect it with your eyes.

Bullet BL1, Standard LINE-X, Rhino Tuff Grip, Rhino Hardline, Rhino Hybrid, Rhino Extreme are all aromatics. LINE-X Premium, LINE-X Platinum, Rhino Solarmax all have aliphatic UV light protection.

 

when was the last time you removed a bed? in 30+ years of driving i never have. there is nothing wrong with going over the bed bolts.

mine was done the same way by line-x - sprayed over the bolts.

 

I have the factory bed liner... but in my years of being around the spray in liner products, IMO it's really about the installer. They will be the difference maker in whether you are or are not happy with your bed liner. Check out their reviews!!!

Having the dealer involved and them being responsible for the installation is not a bad idea. Having it done and ready to go upon delivery gives you the chance to inspect and have any imperfections taken care before signing the paperwork. Nothing wrong with saving a $100 either if they are indeed passing it on to you for their cost. Also saves you at least a day of your own time hassling over having it done.

Be sure and post some pics and your thoughts.

 

The factory bedliner (applied by Ground Effects Limited for Ford) is aromatic and it's an OK product, but there are a few limitations that come with the factory bedliner.

1. Factory bedliner is aromatic, so it will fade. Some people care, some don't.
2. Factory bedliner has the typical 3 yr/36K warranty while most well known aftermarket bedliners have a lifetime warranty.
3. The new truck dealership can't fix the factory bedliner if there's a problem larger than...say a dime. So, if a repair is needed, it's going to an aftermarket bedliner store.
4. Factory bedliner is about 65 mils thick on the floor. LINE-X dealers are supposed to spray 125 mils on the floor. Other brands are not franchised, so you could end up with practically any thickness. This is the where some bedliner dealers can rip you off.
5. Factory bedliner does not have as good adhesion to the truck as aftermarket bedliners. The application process is different. There are some YouTube vids of factory bedliners being pulled out with little effort: Good part starts at about the 2:45 mark.