Your truck bed is subject to lots of abuse; probably more so than most other parts. That’s because it sees many of the elements like hail, rain and snow. It’s also where you put all the heavy cargo you carry which scratches and bruises the bed. That’s why we’ve put together these five tips to maintain your truck bed.
Why Maintain Your Truck Bed?
While there are many reasons to care about your truck bed, the most important is related to the resale value. If you allow the truck bed to get scratched, worn, rusty or otherwise unpleasant looking, you are going to pay for it later when you try to sell it. Follow our steps and maintain your truck bed so it can take care of you.
1. Use a Tonneau Cover
If you aren’t familiar with a tonneau cover, they are placed over the bed and protect your cargo. Not only are they great at keeping your load safe, but they also keep the elements off your truck bed. Another reason to use them is to protect your gear from thieves. You can find tonneau covers in many forms. Some come made of soft materials while others are harder and constructed from fiberglass. There are also retractable varieties or models with hinges. If it’s done right, a tonneau cover can also give your truck a new, stylish appearance.
2. Use a Truck Cap
Similar to the tonneau cover, a truck cap might be a good solution. They are also referred to by some people as a camper shell. Basically, it tops the truck while covering your bed and cargo. The difference from the tonneau cover is that a cap rises above the truck bed where the cover lies flat on top. Match your cap with the height of the truck cabin for the best look. With the cap, you’ll have superior protection from the elements. Another perk you might experience is better fuel economy as the cap reduces the drag.
3. Remove the Snow
If you live in an area that experiences snow, you must keep it off the truck. The best thing you can do is keep your vehicle in the garage when it’s snowing, but we know that isn’t always possible. Any snow you allow to sit in the bed will eventually lead to rust, so get it out as soon as you can. Even if you don’t have the truck out in the snow, you can still get some in there just from driving on snowy streets. This might be more dangerous because it could contain road salt which is a corrosive agent. Even
AAA says that road de-icers lead to more than $3 billion in vehicle rust damage each year!
4. Apply a Bed Liner
This is our favorite solution! Bed liners are miracle workers if you use the right one. You can
opt for either a drop-in or spray-in, but there are some significant differences. Drop-in liners are easy to install and remove, but they are less durable. In addition, the snow and road salt can get trapped underneath, causing issues you aren’t even aware of. Yes, a spray-in liner will cost you more and there’s some work involved with the application, but it’s like an insurance policy for your truck bed. They also won’t crack if your cargo gets jostled around.
Bed liners like Durabak, also offer another advantage; they protect your truck bed from dings and scratches that are caused when loading or unloading gear. It’s the best way to maintain your truck bed and easy to keep clean.
5. Take Care of the Underside
Don’t just think about the bed itself when you work to protect it. The underside is just as important. It could rust and cause just as many issues. Keep the undercarriage clean and free from road salt at all times. The best way to protect it is to use
bed liner as an undercoating. They keep the rust away because they use a rubberized texture that allows dirt and grime to bounce off. Another benefit is the sound-deadening quality you receive which lessens road noise.
How Do You Maintain Your Truck Bed?
Now that we’ve shared our best tips with you, it’s time to tell us how you maintain your truck bed. Leave us a message and share your tips on how you care for your pride and joy.
