Any reason *not* to coat the tub with a bed liner

[Speedrdr]

After spending weeks getting rid of bedliner and carpet glue off of every flat surface of the tub, I discovered a feeling of definitely NOT having any bedliner on the inside of the tub. Possibly will put some kind of product underneath the tub but not inside.

Randy

 

[jamesroney]

Aside from the previously mentioned rust sandwich...

If it ever catches fire, it burns like Napalm. Also, it is very difficult to fix the effects of weld splatter. (If you argue that you never intend to set your Bronco on fire, or use a cutting torch on it...I didn't either.)

I like bedliner on the floorpan, and on horizontal surfaces where your shoes might go. I hate bedliner on vertical surfaces where your elbows might go. And I really hate bedliner on surfaces under weatherstrip or pinchweld windlace where you have to scrape it all back off to get the doors to fit.

Bedliner should never be applied over a fastener of any kind.

 

[Torkman66]

For me, it depends. If you’re not going to use carpet then it’s a good idea. Some will say that it opens up the possibility for rust areas where the coating has chipped off. Maybe. But straight paint scratches very easy. Rocks in your boots, dropping things, hauling anything, paint scratches and opens up a possible rust area. Liner is tough stuff. If applied correctly and assuming a quality product, it does not scratch, rocks will not affect it. Liquids, etc have no effect on it. It actually cleans easy with a simple brush. It will almost ensure no future rust starts from inside cab. As far as “covering up rust” pics of the resto address that and my experience had been that is actually DOES NOT hide anything. It will show seams, sealer, welds, etc. I only use Raptor or Monster. They are both hard as rocks but have a low profile texture. Monster is rolled or brushed on but is an easy application that comes out nice. It is a low profile texture. No issues with bare feet. Raptor is sprayed on, is a bit harder, has just a bit more texture but not much more. It is super easy to put on and looks amazing. Anybody can apply Raptor… my favorite. In terms of a fire, all I can say is if your rig is on fire to the point the floor has caught, I don’t care what you have, it’s a complete loss.
If you’re going with carpet, then line every inch with deadner, then your carpet. No need to put anything other than the epoxy paint you used on the bare tub to begin with. If your going topless, I think liner (as offered above) is an outstanding option.

 

[Torkman66]

One more tidbit. The old school liner used to go on and after time be like an orange peel that was like a layer or skin on top. The new products adhere just like paint. They attach at the atom level just like paint. You can’t remove them with a chisel or blade like the old liner that you could chip off in chunks. You have to sand blast, sand, or chemically strip it off just like paint. BTW, it’s really not that flammable. I’ve removed a ton of old crappy liner off the bottom of tubs using a torch and a scraper. Take the torch away and it smokes a bit then cools a hard mass of junk similar to plastic. Anyway, my 2 cents.

 

[71 CA Bronco]

My 2 cents worth.

Keep in mind these Broncos have always been rust buckets. It was very common even back in the early 80s (in Sothern California) when I bought my first one to have rusted out floor boards. Door posts, inner fenders and cowls have historically been rust prone areas as well.

I would never put carpet in a early Bronco. Most Broncos are very hard to seal and tend to leak water inside the tub and there are many unsealed seams (if original) that water will penetrate. In my opinion the carpet just creates a perfect breeding ground for this rust to fester.

I agree that there are a bunch of guys out there covering rust with liner. Most are easy to identify. They are poorly prepped and have used subpar materials. As stated earlier this can be addressed by pictures of the before and after work.

When I did my frame off I tried to address the sealing issues as well as any concerns about covering things up, so I just linexed the bottom of the tub. The engine compartment and inside are painted. I think this is a good way to seal the tub and still show any potentially covered up blemishes. I have also incurred a few scratches (cringe) on the inside since, so I totally understand people wanting to do the inside as well.

Bottom line do what works for you and document the build. If it is done right any potential buyer can decide for himself.

 

[Torkman66]

Yep, well stated 71. Two types of Broncos these days, crawlers and investments. Crawling broncos are decreasing in numbers drastically because of how much they are worth as restored investments. Point is the “investment” Broncos are now like show cars. They never see rain, are kept inside, driven to shows. If sealed good during resto, they won’t ever rust again. Only water they see is from a wash and that’s dried off at the same time. So if your building a show Bronco or even a really nice driver and it won’t be your primary transportation then get rid of all the rust and finish it however you want. Will likely never see enough water to rust again. My 72 “driver” I sand blasted, two good coats of epoxy everywhere, seam sealer, then two coats of paint all underneath. It’s not going to rust in my lifetime ( although I’m in my 60s so that may not be saying much).

 

[73azbronco]

If your body panels are in good shape, photo everything BEFORE you spray. (For documentation)

L.R.

This…

 

[m_m70]

Yep, well stated 71. Two types of Broncos these days, crawlers and investments.

I'll add my diver as a third option. I drive it, I wheel it, it gets muddy, wet and snowed on. If I see rust I fix it and not freak out. Same for dents, dings and scratches. Approaching 300k miles now and pretty sure I can get at least ten times what I paid for it 35 years ago.

 

[SeaVee]

Torkman- we think alike. Here’s my 77. Hope to have it together by Summer