Plastic liner vs spray in

What is better long term you guys think? I've got the original plastic liner for my Tacoma, wondering if I should put it back in or toss it and get spray in instead. (Took out liner because truck got a paint job)
Price wise putting the original back in is free lol, I could also diy spray liner and then paying someone to do it is a bit pricer

 

In my opinion for long term I would go spray in. Those plastic liners will get dirt and debri under them. It wears down the paint when they move and then rust will start to happen.

 

Neither. I've found a bed mat to be better than either. This doesn't fit your truck, but you get the idea.

$140 Husky Liners Custom Bed Liner | Fits 2015-2024 Ford F-150, Includes 22-24 Lightning Crew/SuperCrew (67.1 Bed) | 1-pc. Black - 16008

Amazon.com: Husky Liners - 16008 Heavy Duty Bed Mat Fits 2015-2019 Ford F-150 5.8' Bed Black: Automotive

 

Line X all day.

 

Spray in, as long as it's not sprayed over active corrosion.

I hated my plastic liner, and got rid of it just as soon as I could. I ride motorcycles, and the plastic was so slick, that the front tire would slide around no matter how tight I made the straps. Plus, when I removed the plastic, there was tons of dirt and crap piled up under the liner, clearly entering at the holes for the cargo loops.

Depends on what you use it for. If you haul rocks or dirt type stuff, a mat would be more of a hindrance, and doesn't actually protect the sides or the wheel wells.

 

When I removed the plastic liner the original owner put in when new, there was a fair amount of damage to the paint. No rust though.

Bit the bullet and had the entire bed and up and over the rails sprayed with Line-X. Best thing I've done, 4 years and still looks as good as the day it was put on.

 

Go with what you like best OP.

If you see winter chemicals I would go with a Spray in liner to keep an eye on things.

 

I like the ease of sliding things around with the plastic liner. I don't like that it interferes with a bed cap and that at some point it will start to cause rust but I could just line the bottom to prevent any real wear. Liner has to much grip and I would end up scratching most of the stuff I throw in the bed.

 

I had mine Rhino-lined way back in 2004 and it still looks like it was just sprayed in. I bought a bottle of Rhino Liner rejuvinator/protectant in 2004 and I've yet to use it (wondering if it's still good).
I've had a topper since 2005 so that's a major contributor to the Rhino's newness but this liner is thick and tough.

 

Mine actually has both. The guy I bought it from did it that way.

 

Liner 100%
I've seen crazy holes in the bed with people using the plastic covers.

 

When I got rid of my plastic insert it had worn through a lot of the paint.
It didn’t protect the bed. If anything it cause more wear.

 

I just did spray in. None LinX but it came out really nice, but was super expensive in my opinion.

My bed was a roached and it made it look better than new.

 

I have both, truck was that way when I bought it, the spray in was installed when the truck was new.

The spray in came loose in 2 places above each of the inside fenders, caused a rust through. Truck was rust proofed since new and has original paint and frame, the rustproofing didn’t get sprayed inside the fenders, by removal of the taillights. I live in a high rust area and the rest of the truck has no rust.

If you add a spray in, make sure the surface has absolutely no rust or scratches or you will see a hole eventually, it’ll come through the outside.

I like the plastic liner as it is tough amd good for hauling dirt or gravel, the spray in is a pita to clean in that case. Both liners have pluses and minuses, use the one that suits you. Just make sure a spray in is properly installed if you use it.

 

I like the look of a spray on liner plus you get to reclaim a little more space in the bed. But i also like how plastic liner gives more protection to impacts.

 

Raptor liner is your friend but PREP before you do. I rhino lined my bed years ago back when I didn’t know any better about prep work and now I completely regret it. Almost thought about scuffing up the liner that’s in there now and put raptor over it but also don’t wanna make the same mistake twice.
I raptor lined my fender flares last year with prep work and they look flawless still.

By the way I also have a nice plastic bed liner for sale since we’re on the topic lol.

 

If you go spray-in, don’t be cheap. The prep work and product make a HUGE difference in longevity. Reapplied for repairs looks terrible.

 

I've had plenty of trucks with spray in bed liner and I have never been too fond of it. It's rough on the stuff that you throw in the bed and here in Tucson it fades quickly and looks bad. My truck came with nothing in the bed and after plenty of thinking I'm going with a plastic bed liner. I like the impact protection and my bed has got some serious dents in it so those would have to be pulled before rhino lining the bed.

I've ordered a brand new under the rails (for the shell) bed liner from my local Toyota dealership and really look forward to putting it in.

 

Both options have their advantages and disadvantages

The problem with plastic bedliners is that debris and crap tends to get trapped underneath over time and it will eventually cause some areas of the bed to rust. It will also scratch the paint on the bottom of the bed as you put stuff in the bed. Remove your bedliner from time to time to clean up what has accumulated and do some paint touchups and your bed will never rust.

Spray-on bedliner is good but if it ever becomes chipped or cracked, the liner will allow and trap debris and moisture underneath it and rust will develop, festering under there. Good luck dealing with that afterward as this stuff is rock hard...

Personally, I stick with plastic bedliner because of the advantage of being able to remove it if you ever have rust or issues with the bed

 

I ended up try cleaning up the plastic liner I had and putting it back in