Pickup Truck Accessories

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Comments

  • lwflwf Member Posts: 223
    I ditto everything gregsintx said, except for the pallet of sod.
  • redhead1redhead1 Member Posts: 7
    Thanks for the input- I'm being extremely picky about this because this is my first truck! I'm a little skittish about getting the bed all scraped up. (I know--IT'S A TRUCK.) I also cringe at the thought of having someone sand away at my brand new purple paint-- but I did see a spray-in liner at a show last year that looked nice.. I guess my next project is to find a reputable dealer to purchase a liner and have installed. Any leads in the NW Chicago area?? I'll even go to Wisconsin if it's worth the trip.. thanks again.
  • BrutusBrutus Member Posts: 1,113
    If you're still considering a spray-in liner, you might consider going to a local Rhino or Line-X dealer and take a look at them first hand.
  • pworangepworange Member Posts: 57
    Just read through the entire truck accessories postings, very interesting.

    On liners - Still a bit confused but guess I'm leaning toward a rubber mat. I've heard from a couple of sources that the spray in liners acutally decrease the value of the truck over the long run. I had a mat in my older F150 and it worked out great for only $60. Kept things from sliding around and protected the bottom of the bed. It was about a 1/2" thick and weighed enought that it would never blow around. Didn't have much problem with damage to the side walls, a couple of small scratches that touched up nicely. Guess I don't like commiting to something so permanent as a spray in liner. Got to admit though that some of the spray in's look great, depending on the color of the truck.

    I've been looking for a tool box for my new F250 which I haven't recieved yet. I like black but the only black ones are plastic and I would like metal. While investigating the spray in liner subject, one of the dealers mentioned that she had done a tool box. She said it turned out good but was a real hassle sanding the box down. She said if she ever did it again she was going to charge more. Now I'm thinking about buying a diamond aluminum box, taking it to a sand blaster to have it "stripped" and then hauling it over and having a spray on coating put on. I know it sounds like quite a bit of work and I haven't decided to do it yet, but it may be the only way I can get a black metal tool box.
  • richflynnrichflynn Member Posts: 147
    Regarding the roof mounted antenna. There are two methods that I know of. A friend did the drill a hole in the roof bit and used scilcone rubber to insure that the gasket didnt leak. (It didnt!) He is an amature radio operator. (It was important to him but not enought to me to drill!) He lives in the Seattle area now and as of last year it still was not leaking. I had a magnetic roof mount C/B antenna. It worked well, but the cable vibrated at 80-90 MPH. I drilled through the aluminum frame of the sliding back window. I did this (With Help) exactly on the joint between the two halves of the sliding windows. (The '99 is DIFERENT!) I drilled through under the rubber molding. It worked OK and no wind whistle. I'm not sure if this will work on the '99 as the back window is a single slider and not completely framed as the '92 was.

    The advantage to a roof mount is the natural "Ground Plane" of the roof. If the antenna is in the center of the roof the signal radiates out more or less equally. As the antenna is moved towards the back of the roof, the signal is stronger out towards the front of the roof.

    I see a lot of police cars with the 450 MHz antennas mounted on the roof and no leaks. Maybe you should go to where your locals go to have the antenna installed????

    I have tried the 'thru the glass' type of antenna for both cellular and C/B. Cellular was great, C/B was very poor. The C/B through the glass had a VSR of almost 3. (S/B as close to 1 as possible.) The signal wouldnt get out much more than a quarter mile. I went to the twin trucker arrangement and was able to talk to Sydney in my driveway with a completely legal radio. (i.e. No liniar amplifier.)

    I'm in a quandry as how to mount the antenna(s) on the '99 because like you, I ain't going to drill holes! Good luck!

    Regarding tool boxes. I've ordered a white painted aluminum a Creative Industries Truck Trunk. They're some where in ND. I haven't gotten it yet but they said that they had done colors other than white. Send me an e-mail and I'll give you their number. (Use rich.flynn@mail.sprint.com)

    Rich




    Rich
  • dunbartondunbarton Member Posts: 46
    Do the snap liners or heavy mats have a tendency to ratain moisture under them? What do you guys do, remove them on occasion and wax underneath them?

    Are the dealer installed liners any good (Ford)? Any other recommendations in lieu of these?
  • E3MP6E3MP6 Member Posts: 70
    I've got an under the rail liner, so it's bolted in, no way to remove it easily for regular cleaning of the bed. Before I put in the liner, I pulled the rubber drain plugs out in the floor of the bed so all the water could run out. I'm kind of wishing I'd put in a mat instead though. My liner is slick when it's wet. I busted my *** walking around in it while washing the top of the cab. Friend of mine has the mat, no rust after 4 years.

    P.S. Dealer installed liners are fine, but after market stuff is just as good or better in most cases. Cheaper too. Dodge wanted 300 bones for a liner in my new Dakota and $200 more for diamond-plate rail caps. I got my Duraliner, rail caps(including tailgate cap) and window sunshields all installed for just $250 after market.
  • lwflwf Member Posts: 223
    Mine's a Pendaliner and although it is bolted in (actually phillips-head screws), there are only 8 fasteners which take about a minute to remove with an electric screwdriver. So I think it will be pretty easy to take it out if I ever want to. But I doubt if I'll see any water under there if and when I do. The plastic floor is moulded so that a cross-section is similar to that off a washboard, so if water were to get under there, it would run out. But I thought water can get under a rubber mat and stay there, and that's why I opted for the snap-in liner even though I was originally going to get a rubber mat.

    The problem E3MP6 has with his Duraliner being slick was something I noted on my son's pickup. He got a Duraliner about 8 years ago, but the Pendaliner I got this year has a non-slip finish on it. I just assumed that now they are all made with a non-slip finish, but from what E3MP6 said, I guess that's not the case.
  • E3MP6E3MP6 Member Posts: 70
    I should have gone with the Pendaliner...Oh well, maybe later
  • bootsy1bootsy1 Member Posts: 1
    my husband is buying a new GMC truck and I like the covers that raise up. Anyone know any problems with these before I start trying to convince him he should buy one?????
  • lwflwf Member Posts: 223
    By "covers that raise up" do you mean a fiberglass tonneau? If so, I don't know of any problems but I can give some suggestions regarding what I consider to be the best I could find.
  • akjbmwakjbmw Member Posts: 231
    lwf: I also would like to hear your comments. I am still (and probably will until I acquire the truck to put it on) waffling on the rigid tonneau or "windowed enclosure" for the bed of my someday truck. The "someday" is a whole 'nother story...
  • lwflwf Member Posts: 223
    akjbmw,

    I had a Glasstite cap on my last pickup and probably would have bought another without thinking twice about it. However, Glasstite discontinued the style I liked, and nothing else they now have appeals to me. I looked at Leer also, but couln't even get luke warm about them. Didn't really like the looks and the prices from both manufacturers are about 50 percent higher than they were 10 years ago when I bought the last one. Well, I had been looking for a few months and when I came to realize I like the great 360-degree visability one gets by not having a cap. So I decided to go for a tonneau. I looked at a few fabric ones in the parking lot at work, and they seem to look pretty shabby after a few years. Next stop in this process for me was to consider a fiberglass tonneau, and that's what I got. I rarely haul anything taller than the side rails of my pickup, so for me this is perfect. The best quality one I could find was a company I had never heard of previously, A.R.E., but it's pretty easy to get information because they are on the web.

    http://www.4are.com/

    Not only that, if you send them an inquiry via email, you'll get a prompt answer from a human being answering your specific question.....not a pre-formated one-response-for-all type of message most companies send out. if you click on the above web site, you'll see they have a lot more than just tonneau lids. I think their lids are the best looking ones out there, so I ordered one. The price in NJ was $650 (as compared with about $250 for a soft tonneau), but I think the amount charged depends on how far your dealer is from ARE's factory in Ohio. I had the pickup in Phoenix a few weeks ago and priced one there, but since it was more expensive, I waited 'til I got home to buy it. I had also looked at the Whitney catalog before buying the ARE, and as I remember, the Whitney prices are in the $600-to-$700 range, I doubt if the quality is as good as the ARE, and I'd have to install it myself. Good shopping.
  • tkinpatkinpa Member Posts: 19
    I had a Pendaliner removable liner on a 87 Nissan King Cab. Over the years the front bottom curve/crease got numerous holes and cracks from hauling firewood and rock. It went through pretty bad abuse but remained too darn slick the whole time. The ridges were really hard on the knees when I had to crawl in to retrieve everything that slid to the front. Next time I'll try the spray-in type. On a positive note, my bed stayed in pretty good shape with no rust after 12 years.

    I didn't see any comments on Brahma plastic canopies/shells/caps/toppers. I had one on the above truck. Looked like new the whole time with periodic scrub brush and cleaner to the textured surface. Very durable and could take the abuse of repeated on/off cycles. They were popular on the West Coast, at least ten years ago.
  • richflynnrichflynn Member Posts: 147
    On my old (Traded in) truck, I had a non-Ford under the rail bed liner. When I bought it, the dealer told me that he got the Ford brand and the after market brand from the same factory. AND both fit exactly the same. I got the AM and no problems. I did drill two 3/8 holde in the corners of the liner to let drain water out. Our driveway is on an incline and rainwater would collect in the truck. I was under the truck regularly changing oil, etc. and never saw any rust in the bed area.

    Rich
  • richflynnrichflynn Member Posts: 147
    Well, my Truck Trunk was finally delivered and installed. It came to about $500 plus tax and install. (Install was $10.)

    It is 64" by 24" by 17" deep. The box fits between the rails of my SD F-250 with less than an eighth of an inch to spare. Four sheet metal bolts (Ouch!) to secure it in place. The box is very well built and hangs on the rails like a typical cross bed tool box. This one has two interesting features. The height of the box above the rails is less than 2", more than likely only 1". The top is a SLIDER from side to side. I ordered the white Aluminum (powder coat) and not the diamond plate. The color of the white is almost the same as the Ford white. They're not side by side so I can't compare exactly.

    The really delightful thing is that with the rear view mirror adjusted normally, I can's see the tool box.

    Rich
  • redhead1redhead1 Member Posts: 7
    just a note to let everyone know that I had the Line-X spray-in liner done on my Dakota yesterday. Looks great! I couldn't make up my mind on over the rail or under, so I stuck with under. Now my question for everyone concerns tonneau covers. I had my heart set on a fiberglass one, but the guy at the shop yesterday showed me the soft cover with the aluminum frame. Was way more versatile.. I was wondering if anyone knew any brand names that were better than others? I can't for the LIFE of me remember what brand name they carried--but wanted to get opinions from other people before making a decision. Thanks for your input.
  • stanfordstanford Member Posts: 606
    I had a soft cover. Hated it. I've used both the rivet-snap and the velcro methods (both on used trucks I've bought) and hated both. The snaps are a real pain, and the velcro would occasionally (once every 3-4 months) allow the cover to come loose and flap like a cape going down the highway.

    Of course, those are just my experiences. YMMV.
  • lwflwf Member Posts: 223
    I got a lid (fiberglass tonneau) about a month ago. Every time I've pulled into a gas station since I get questioned about it and some have even asked for a demo of how it operates. Everyone who sees it seems to be impressed, and about a quarter of them own SUVs, not pickups. I'm pretty sure I did the right thing by getting it. The one I picked was ARE.

    http://www.4are.com/
  • richflynnrichflynn Member Posts: 147
    redhead1,
    What ever you do, DON'T get the soft tonneau cover. You will be replacing it every few years. The sun, smog and acid rain will destroy it very rapidly. The soft covers are similar to convertable tops. I had to replace the top every two years on my old Fair Lady. (Smog rot in the LA area is rather bad.) We have a out door jacuzzi and it has a soft top. Every two years it needs replacement. We've tried everything to protect the cover including nothing. Every two years! We can put all kinds of preservatives or hose it down every week. It still gets replaced every two years.

    Spend the extra for the fiberglass cover. You'll only spend it once.

    Rich
  • redhead1redhead1 Member Posts: 7
    thanks Rich. After scanning some other photos of trucks with the fiberglass cover, I'm sure that's the one I want. I'll just have to wait a bit longer before I can plunk down the extra cash $$$. The guy who tried to talk me into the soft tonneau swore that he'd had his for four years already and it still looked "great". He must never take it out of the garage?? I also took LWF's advice and scanned the ARE site- they just happen to have a dealer very close by. Thanks for all of the advice.

    Carla
  • stanfordstanford Member Posts: 606
    Actually, that's exactly what companies like TravelTime do. If you want a full custom truck, you're generally better off going through them (or through a dealer that deals with them) or a similar company. The markup for retail dressup parts is quite incredible.

    As an aside, your $10-12k figure sounds a little high. I know the dealers around here (Dallas, TX) do full pickup conversions for around half that.
  • E3MP6E3MP6 Member Posts: 70
    You'll pay a liittle commission to the dealer, but even then it's still cheaper than doing it on your own. Dealers get cheap rates from the conversion shops because of repeat business. If you take it to your conversion shop, they'll never see you again and have to make as much off you as they can right up front.

    Warranty stuff comes into play as well. I'm sure you'd get a warranty from a conversion shop, but it would probably come in the form of multiple warranties, i.e. one for each add-on piece. Getting it from your dealer puts ALL of your warranties for the truck and the conversion into one nice neat package.
  • mikef150mikef150 Member Posts: 35
    Anybody have any experience with the BEDRUG soft bedliner made by Wise Industries? It's advertised in the back of the Sept. issue of Motor Trend magazine.....I'm trying to decide how to protect the bed on my new F250 and wanted to throw another option into the conference....It seems as if it would have little or no impact resistance...not exactly ideal for hauling dirt, stone, or mulch...leaning toward a drop-in under-the-rail liner from the Ford dealership (made by Duraliner I think)....any suggestions?
  • E3MP6E3MP6 Member Posts: 70
    The Duraliners can be slick when wet. Check it out first...
  • crocodilecrocodile Member Posts: 2
    My questions is this: if you do get a fiberglass tonneau cover what the heck do you do if you need to haul something that's taller than the sides of your bed? Do the things come off easily? Do they lift up somehow? If they do lift up, do they flap in the wind like some kind of goofy spoiler? I'm obviously clueless.
  • lwflwf Member Posts: 223
    The ARE I got has the standard cast-aluminum clamps used for fiberglass caps for at least the last 15 years. Disconnecting it using a rachet wrench is most likely a ten-minute job. I watched two guys lift the one I bought, and they didn't appear to have spent very much of their lives previously doing bench presses. But it definitely appeared to be a two-man job to lift it off. I didn't try yet to take mine off, but I'd guess it probably weighs about the same or less than a fibeglass canoe.
  • lwflwf Member Posts: 223
    Pardon my slip. They are clamps made from extruded aluminum, not cast-aluminum clamps, but I'm sure you know what I meant.
  • jajujaju Member Posts: 18
    HI, some years ago I saw a pick up that had a "SOFT" camper shell that could be pushed back up against the cab when not needed but easily slid out for full bed coverage. Does any one know about these? Also I have a 95 F-150 v-8 5.0, would replacing the stock air filter with a K&N really help? THANKS!
  • E3MP6E3MP6 Member Posts: 70
    Look in the back of Motor Trend and Car&Driver in the ad section. I've seen motorized ones that roll up into a little box right behind the cab, then you just pull it out and snap it down (maybe velcro) when you want to cover the bed. I don't know about price or quality, but it looks like a power swimming pool cover modified for a truck bed.
  • jajujaju Member Posts: 18
    thanks e3mp6!
  • stanfordstanford Member Posts: 606
    Has anyone used the turnover ball 5th wheel hitch
    ( http://www.turnoverball.com/hitch/index.html )
    before? I've seen it at a state fair, and it looks nice, but I've never known anyone to have one.
  • gabe2gabe2 Member Posts: 1
    Does anybody know what websites i could go to for info on nerf bars and roll bars for my truck.
  • keymukeymu Member Posts: 3
    I just ordered a Ram Quad Cab pickup (shortbed) and im looking for information on some accessories. I'm looking for a bedliner and cover, any recommendations?

    The cover will need to be taken off frequently.
    I've heard alot on these fiberglass covers (through mopar), anyone have any thoughts on these guys?

    Also, what are the pros and cons of over and under bed liners? Does one kind benefit, say, a soft/hard cover? hide the snaps on a soft cover?

    thanks for any info...
  • ChillianChillian Member Posts: 17
    Hey there.

    Has there been a conversation on different types of toppers, which ones are good ect...??
  • lwflwf Member Posts: 223
    Chillian,

    Some! You're just going to have to scroll up and read them.
  • In41TimeIn41Time Member Posts: 8
    Chillian,
    I bought a fiberglass tonneau (maker was Fibrotec out of Canada). It came in the color of my Dakota (black) so I didn't need to have it painted. It looks great, it's lockable & it's watertight. I had it installed by guys that do this for a living and it took about 20 minutes. There was no drilling involved. If you have a bedliner or plan on buying one it must be the under the rail type to have the fiberglass tonneau installed. If you already have an over the rail type bedliner it can still be done but the liner must be cut (not recommended). FYI-The tonneau cost me about $700. and would have been the same for a fullsize RAM or Ford's F150.

    Warning...if you plan to frequently haul stuff that is higher than the bed walls or if you want to have something dumped into the truck from a backhoe/payloader, the fiberglass lid is probably not a good idea. Taking the lid off and putting it back on frequently will get tired real fast. Plus it is a 2 person job.
  • NuberOneNuberOne Member Posts: 29
    I will probably order a '99 Silverado at the beginning of next year. Does anyone know the best way to go, in getting a matching shell?

    Should I get one from the chevy dealer or a 3rd party?

    What is a shell for a 6 foot bed going to run me?

    Will the shells on a '98 fit on a '99?
  • ahuffahuff Member Posts: 4
    Has anyone seen the fiberglass covers that are flush with the bed? Any ideas on vendors.....?
  • BrutusBrutus Member Posts: 1,113
    ahuff,

    I think what you are talking about is the fiberglass tonneau the other people are talking about. Those are the ones that are flat over the bed.

    The dealers who sell the fiberglass shells and tonneaus can easily match the color of your truck. They read the paint code on your truck and order it. If they are a large dealer, they may even paint it on-site.

    I don't know how difficult it is to take one of those fiberglass tonneaus off the truck. From what In41time mentioned, it sounds like removing a fiberglass tonneau is tougher than removing a full size shell. I had a full size fiberglass shell for my longbed pickup and it was no problem removing it. It took about 10 minutes. It had six clamps, and I was able to lift it off with the assistance of one person. I had a friend who had a plastic one on a shortbed with only four clamps. I could remove that one in five minutes without help. When I lived in CA, the hard part was trying to find a place to sit it when it wasn't on the truck.
  • ahuffahuff Member Posts: 4
    Brutus,

    I saw one on a s10 the other day that was actually flush with the bed rails. It did not add a 2 inches worth of height to the bed. There was nothing overlapping the rails.
  • lwflwf Member Posts: 223
    ahuff,

    I've provided this URL before, but here it is again.

    http://www.4are.com/

    The ARE is the one I bought and I've had a lot of
    compliments on it, even from people who don't drive a pickup. Removing and replacing it isn't hard to do, but it's definitely a two-person job. Brutus is right about planning ahead and having a place to put it after taking it off. I just used 4 concrete building blocks and a couple of 8' 2x6s
  • mikec13mikec13 Member Posts: 26
    Getting a factory color match may not be a 100% match. My cap (Leer Crown) has a slight shading difference more visible in sunlight and I have seen this on other trucks as well. The color is Pacific green and it looks very nice...not complaining here at all. I just assume that some colors are harder than others to match perfectly and that the fiberglass vs metal base of the truck doesn't exactly help matters.
  • ford_manford_man Member Posts: 16
    I will be getting my new '99 F-250 LD, 5.4 V8, 3.73 Limited Slip, Supercab (with the new 4th door)this Saturday. I am considering sprayed in bedliners. Does anyone know which is the best? I've seen the Rhinos and the Line-x they seem to be about the same and about the same price. I think the Line-x finish is a little bit harder.
  • richflynnrichflynn Member Posts: 147
    ford_man,
    I had my dealer get the Line-X done to my '99 before I picked it up. His fee was $60 less than the Line-X dealer quoted me.

    I got the black. With carwash water and general dirt and smog in the LA area it has gotten a little grey in color. (Not a big deal, just not the pristine black of the original.) It is a VERY GOOD friction generating surface. Things don't slide around. Almost 4 months after installation, no complaints. I still like the looks of Line-X better than the Rhino.

    If you're going to the spray shop yourself, look at examples of their work. Pick the one with the best workmanship.

    Rich
  • ford_manford_man Member Posts: 16
    Rich,
    Thanks for the info. I was already leaning toward the Line-X because it seems to be a little bit tougher than the Rhino but just didn't know much about them. I'll also be sure to look at some of their work ... that's a great idea.

    Joel Mc
  • redhead1redhead1 Member Posts: 7
    Joel-
    I had the Line-X sprayed in a few weeks ago. It looks terrific! Nice and tough and cargo stays put. I had Rhino send me a sample of their liner and although it's nice, I didn't much care for the finish. Also- Rich is right- stick with the black. The shop I had it done at wouldn't even consider doing colors because of the UV damage.
    it's also a good idea to check out samples of the shop's work. Not only did the owner show me his truck, which had been Line-X'd, but he also had a sample truck bed in the showroom. Good luck.
  • ChillianChillian Member Posts: 17
    Me too.. just got line x today. black and it looks great. be careful if you are getting a topper later, if you are you need to get underthe rail so the topper fits right.
  • ford_manford_man Member Posts: 16
    Redhead,

    Thanks for info. As I indicated I was already leaning toward the Line-X.

    Joel Mc
  • JeffCanadaJeffCanada Member Posts: 3
    Has anyone heard of the "Tuk It" retractable truck canopy? I read about it in a newspaper. It looks like a nice product. I believe it may be manufactured in British Columbia, Canada.

    This type of canopy may be of interest to jaju or others who are looking for an alternative to the fiberglass tonneau covers mentioned in this topic.

    For more detail see my new topic started: "Retractable Truck Box Canopies"

    JeffCanada
This discussion has been closed.

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