Doh! I've been had!

[JTimmons]

This morning I went out to see if I could push out a dent in the outside of my Tacoma bed right behind the fender. I am not real sure why I thought if I took off the side of the factory "bed liner" I could get to it as usually there is a hard metal surface under a liner called a truck bed.

Now if you notice I put bed liner in quotations, that's because it's not a bed liner, it's the actual bed. Most liners that I have seen line a metal bed, if you take out the liner there should be a nice painted shinny metal surface there. Not the case here.

I have a TRD with the electrical outlet in the back corner wall of the bed, which I first took off to see if I could get the rest of the "liner" off, when I noticed I could see the plastic wheel well liner. If you look up under the truck you can see the molded plastic instead of a metal bottom.

Normally I guess this wouldn't bother me so much, but the window sticker I saved clearly states bed liner on it.

Good news is due to Toyota's short comings I was able to reach up and pop the dent out, but if they are going to sell me a liner it better d@mn well line something!

If anyone is curious, they introduced these "liners" on the new body style Tacomas.

[mschrank]

That sounds like a "spray in" bed liner. Most folks agree that the spray-in liner is better/more durable than a plastic insert, and my experience agrees with that. I don't think you've been had...I think you actually got a more premium product.

I currently have a Dakota with a cheapie (although "factory) bed liner. When I thought about selling the truck a couple of years ago, I thought I could pull out the scratched beat-up bedliner to reveal a pristine "new" bed. Not so. The painted bed under the liner looked horrible, since dirt/gravel had worked its way underneath the liner and damaged the paint.

[Uncle Cracker]

Drop-in bed liners scrape off the paint on the metal underneath, and they trap moisture (even from humidity) beneath, which leads to rust. You don't even want to look under one with any age to it. Spray-on liners are the only way to go, as there is no abrasion, no airspace, and the liner will conform to any dents you may get. Just get it done right, and don't go cheap.

[Russianwolf]

well it sound like the real question is, is the toyota a steel bed that has been coated on both sides with spray liner or is the bed actually made of plastic now?

[JTimmons]

well it sound like the real question is, is the toyota a steel bed that has been coated on both sides with spray liner or is the bed actually made of plastic now?

Sorry if I wasn't clear earlier. Yes the bed is plastic or should I say SMC looking at Toyota's web site now. The window sticker however sitting right here doesn't say that it, states it comes with a bed liner.

Fiber-reinforced Sheet-Molded Composite (SMC) inner bed with steel outer panels, storage compartments, rail caps and removable tailgate

http://www.toyota.com/tacoma/models_access_cab.html

I figured down the road should I ever crack it, I would take it and have a spray liner put on it. Now I wonder how much it'll cost for a new bed.

[JSUPreston]

I read about this a few months ago. When Toyota changed body styles on the Taco, they went with the plastic bed as opposed to all metal. Supposedly it adds fuel mileage, since the truck weighs less. However, it's ticked off quite a few folks like painters who don't need a full size truck, but need to mount racks in the bed. Rack makers aren't making them for the new Taco, which forces these guys into a full size truck or to another brand.

Personally, I like the all metal bed in my '00 Frontier Crew Cab. Just wish it had a Rhino liner...I hate plastic bed liners.

[JTimmons]

However, it's ticked off quite a few folks like painters who don't need a full size truck, but need to mount racks in the bed. Rack makers aren't making them for the new Taco, which forces these guys into a full size truck or to another brand.

Personally, I like the all metal bed in my '00 Frontier Crew Cab. Just wish it had a Rhino liner...I hate plastic bed liners.

I doubt it would have changed my mind any, just would have been nice to know especially before throwing in 20 - 80lbs bags of concrete back there twice a couple of weeks ago.

As far as racks go I was planning on building the one below for it and changing the way it attaches to the bed rails and using the deck rails and cleats. I could see where the problem would be though using a rail system that attaches itself to the bed.

http://www.workbenchmagazine.com/main/wb300-rack01.html