Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Trucks/Pickups
Ford to offer "Tough Bed" factory-backed spray-in bed liner
by John Neff on Feb 20th 2008 at 2:58PM 
On the final media day of the 2008 Chicago Auto Show, Mike Levine from Pickuptruck.com walked us over to the Ford display to show us an inconspicuous Super Duty sitting among a fleet of Ford commercial vehicles. He wanted to show us the bed, which was filled with DeWalt tools and Ford's new Tool Link system for keeping track of one's tools. The purpose of our visit was not Ford's new fancy in-dash computer for the commercial sector, but rather the spray-in bed liner that the truck was sporting. Called Tough Bed, Ford will soon become the second manufacturer to offer a spray-in bedliner behind Nissan, which began offering its Durabed spray-in bed liner on the 2004 Titan. Ford's Tough Bed will be an alternative to drop-in bed liners, which, while popular, can be susceptible to rusting the bed if water gets between them and the truck's metal. Ford's spray-in liner, meanwhile, is applied by robots at the factory and covered under the truck's three-year or 36,000-mile warranty. Head over to Pickuptruck.com to see Levine's detailed comparison between Ford's factory offering and a popular third-party spray-in liner called LINE-X. Honestly, we wonder what's taken the OEMs this long to offer optional spray-in bed liners, but now that Ford and Nissan are both doing it, don't be surprised if GM, Chrysler and Toyota follow suit quickly.
[Source: Pickuptruck.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Andrew 3:09PM (2/20/2008)
About damn time. Welcome to the 90's, Ford.
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3cubed minus 3squared plus1 4:13PM (2/20/2008)
"Ford will soon become the second manufacturer to offer a spray-in bedliner behind Nissan, which began offering its Durabed spray-in bed liner on the 2004 Titan."
"About damn time. Welcome to the 90's, Ford."
So what does that say about everyone else then?
Randy 2:00PM (2/21/2008)
I can't even comment, it's too easy :)
dan spalinger 4:04PM (2/20/2008)
Why would Toyota follow suit?? Their Tacomas already come with a composite bed...no need to spray what is already a non-metal...And the Tundras?? Perhaps...
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bruno 5:00PM (2/20/2008)
The Tacoma's is actually pretty fragile. I have one and when loading logs I find myself babying it. It could actually use a drop in liner for the added shock absorbtion, ironically. There are reports of cracked beds. Of course this is a light duty truck, but still, I'd have rather had a steel bed even if it weighed a little more.
As for the spray in bed liners, for the above reason I prefer drop ins. The corrugated surface seems to add a degree of dent protection. Also, the spray ins do scratch with really brutal loads. Never had a rust problem, but then I don't keep them 10 years. Seems the addition of a pad under the liner would solve the abrasion issue somewhat.
I bet there is some sort of warranty/complaint fear reason for why other manufacturers haven't gone to spray ins already. It seems like an easy high margin option.
Rocketboy 8:17PM (2/20/2008)
Um, that everyone else is even further behind?
FingerSled 4:13PM (2/20/2008)
Like the article states, Nissan has been doing this for years. Four of my friends have "Big 3" pickup trucks and they all have opted for a spray-in bed liner as opposed to the dealer installed 'drop-in' liner.
The Japanese lead the way again! Why are North American based care manufactures so stupid?--Lazyness?
At least Ford figured it out.
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TORR 4:24PM (2/20/2008)
GM has offered composite bed in the past and it didnt live up to the abuse owners threw at it.
rar 4:51PM (2/20/2008)
A rubber mat on the bed of the truck works better than a spray in liner. If you get some scratches on the inside walls of the bed, who cares, it's a truck.
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Phil 5:02PM (2/20/2008)
I don't think it's about scratching the truck bed. It's more about rust. When you scratch the paint it exposes metal which will rust and eat your bed over time.
rar 5:07PM (2/20/2008)
Phil, I have had six trucks since 1987. I never used a bed liner or spray in liner and I have never had rust in the bed.
MajorGeek 5:08PM (2/20/2008)
And if you live where it snows, you know most of the northern USA and Canada, then you might get salt. It rusts immediately. I used spray on for years. The hard drop in plastic ones trap moisture and move around enough to sctratch so they rust, you just dont see it until its too late. Rubber is a pretty nice option for the floor I guess.
Mike Levine 5:34PM (2/20/2008)
I've had two spray-in liners, but it's really painful watching a franchise sanding new paint off the bed.
I'd pay up to $400 for a factory liner. Nissan charges $340 for the Titan's. Only drawback is the 3-yr / 36K-mile warranty. I think it should be at least 10-years, like rust protection.
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Timothy Auhll 6:04PM (2/20/2008)
And if Ford was smart they'd offer the liners in body color and learn to put a REAL tilt steering wheel not some stupid lever on the bottom of the steering column that you have to fumble with EVERY time you exit the truck. Exactly like they have in the superduty. Are the Ford bean counters trying to build the F150?
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That One Person 11:00PM (2/20/2008)
Huh? I think you are the only one who seems to have serious issues with the tilt steering on those trucks.
I drive Super Duties every day and not once had to fumble with anything.
Bryan2008 2:37AM (2/25/2008)
Lose some weight. I never have to adjust the steering wheel.
DIRETTORE 7:55PM (2/20/2008)
* Is this REALLY news???
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Tony C 8:13PM (2/20/2008)
It's more about the auto manufacturers leaving room for aftermarket products. If the car guys tacked all the options on at the factory, there'd be whole industries lost in the process.
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Robert Ryan 5:25AM (2/21/2008)
Amazing every Ute in Australia has a sprayed in Bed.
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Jaymez 9:15PM (2/21/2008)
I have two trucks with drop in liners. No rust on either bed. One truck is 21 years old. My next truck will have a sprayed on liner.
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