How are overrail liners installed?
 

I have a 2004 Ranger, with an overrail liner installed when new. After a line of thunderstorms a week or so ago I found the liner halfway across my yard. I don't see any damage to it, but I also don't see any indications of how it was installed - no tape, glue, etc. A google search and forum search haven't helped.

I've seen these referred to as "drop in" liners. They don't really just "drop in" do they? Should I be able to reinstall it myself and, if so, how is it actually installed?

i believe they do just drop in...i've seen people that put a few screws in it to keep it in place...but i wouldnt do that to my bed. get a roll on. i have a under the rail liner, and it sucks just as much as yours does.

Yeah I lost one on the highway going 60. Flew right out. Went and picked up another one and now it's held down by 4 self-tapping screws.

Mine is an after market over the bed side and it has things that attach under the bed lip to hold it in, but i havnt put them back on since i took it out the first time so now it just sits there. right now my tool box is holding it down.

line-x over the rail.

This

In a perfect world we would all have $600 to have line-x but considering a drop-in liner costs $20-$50 used and performs the same task equally it's hard to justify the cost.

are we referring to the same drop in liners?

Line-x is lower maintenance, looks better, fits better, and has a higher friction surface. So no they dont perform the same task equally. mine was $450-ish over the rail, and yeah its expensive, but still $150 less than your quote. If you wanted to argue DIY roll on is a better value, you'd have a case.

$450 over the rail a good deal. When did you have it done? Last time I checked it was $600 for over the rail local. Different shops charge different prices though.


Also something to remember which line-x is over time wear. It gets chipped and beat up if you are really using it so you have to have it touched up or do it yourself.

"Line-x is lower maintenance, looks better, fits better, and has a higher friction surface."
All very true but ultimately for the difference of $500 I can spray out my drop-in liner once every month to "maintain" it, deal with the fact that it "looks worse", doesn't contour exactly to the bed, and let things slide around.

I am not a drop-in fanboy by any means, I LOVE spray in bed liners. I would get Line-X in a heartbeat if I has the extra coin for it. But for myself, and many, the benefits don't outweigh the costs.

I'm cheap so plastic is for me...lol Anyway back to the original post. On all the over the rail liners I have seen the have these round cam lock type things that fit in holes just under the rail. Usually they have a little tooth that holds against the bottom of the inside rails, 6 per liner. I might even have some laying around but I would have to look.

I paid $80 for a dupli-color bed armor roll on kit. The kit contains enough to do the bed and MAYBE over the rails. This stuff is awesome. Its pretty rough as well, and probably wont let stuff slide as much. Im not sure how rough line-x is.

So, there is my price and value argument lol.

yeah I know shops are different, I think mine may be a little cheaper than most from what I am seeing other people say. this was about a year ago I had mine done. And I know this threads going off topic but whatever.
I understand not being in a position wheres its worth it to you and lots, I feel a little like Takeda pushing the nikon lenses on everyone: Yes it is expensive, but boy is it great! Just wanted to throw that option out there.

my guy charged $500. he sprayed over the rails too. if you can't afford the line-x, then just take the money you were gonna use on a drop in and put it towards the DIY roll on. who cares if you have to touch it up. it's still better then those drop in things that warp and rust your bed from the underside out.

My mom had a drop in liner put in her Dakota. I can't remember how it was held down on the sides, but the back edge (at the tailgate) didn't have anything. driving 60 down the road and the whole back would start lifting up to the top of the tail gate. ended up putting a few tapping screws in it to hold it down.

Cheapest option for sure.


Once I get a new bed, if it doesn't already have a spray in liner I will do it myself. The reason I need a new bed is because the cheapo plastic liner my DPO had rusted out the front bed bolts lol.

have you ever had a truck with line-x in it? i actually use my bed because of my landscaping job. ive had everything in the truck from lawnmowers to cinder blocks, to all kinds of trash and everything in between. and the bed has no scratches, wear, chips, or anything and its been in the truck since new, and its going on its fourth year of heavy use. they only place i had a chip was right on the edge of the tailgate because i dragged a walk behind mower out without lifting it all the way up. and, the liner has a lifetime warranty if you are the original purchaser, my one chip was patched up free and all i did was leave them my tail gate.

im not trying to come across as a jerk, but i definitely think your viewpoint is false.

My friend line-xed his gmc 2 years ago, he is an equipment operator and part time farmer and puts a lot of abuse on his, his has several small chips in it on the bed rails and a couple in the bed. but he dropped something on the top of the bed rail and it made a nice dent in and the line-x didnt chip or even crack there. when i buy a new truck (after i get out of college) i will line-x it because it is a good product but also pricey.

i've got a couple chips here and there but it's held up for the last three years. the only reason the chips are there is cause they are from an aerator. the tines (hole making things) scraped and a bolt from my ramps.

What they said ^^^^^

I'm sure if you are careful and don't toss stuff in and let it roll around in the bed then you would be able to avoid chips and things like that. My dads Silverado had line-x for 4-5 years and it had no damage because he never used the bed. But I've also seen trucks with line-x and I can see metal and paint in spots where it is chipped. It all depends on use.

haha gota love how this thread went from asking how to install a plastic over rail bed liner to arguing about line-x versus plastic, and yes they just drop in put some anchor points in to keep it from blowing out again, anchor points don't leave any marks, personally like being able to slide heavy objects on the plastic but that's just me, i haul a lot of scrap metal so i get really heavy things once in a while, plus there is my winter weight for my 2wd which is way to heavy to not slide. point in case its a matter of personal reference and how you use your bed you haul heavy ass **** that you need to slide then you might want plastic, want it to look good and don' really abuse your bed then use line-x

Except line x is made to be abused............

It's not hard to move things when you want to... Just when they want to move from their own inertia.

i have the drop in bedliner it don't go over the rails but it has 1 bolt on each side near the tail gate that holds it down,and for the roll on,spray bed liner regardless of what brand you have if you throw or drop something heavy with a point or sharp edge in your bed it's gonna chip it

yeah i think rhino liner is the best but it will still chip if you throw something with sharp edges in it, how ever it is a ***** to slide stuff on it, and by moving them from their own inertia do you mean moving them when they are at rest, cause that's what i'm talking about, agian its personal preference there's no point in arguing its not like either of you are going to give up anyways, Michael you like line-x that's cool its what you prefer, i like plastic, its my personal preference,

i meant like just from driving around I dont have stuff move on me.

and yeah i love line x i'd put it on everything if i could haha.

yeah that is nice not having **** slide around, though some times helpful, looks good, though, i'd like to have rhino liner but its expensive as hell and i know when i go to load up a hot water heater i'd be regretting it, lol.