New lumber hauler

[Matt Meiser]

Can't get any good pictures because it is raining/sleeting/snowing out but we did a little economic stimulating today and brought this home. I previously had a Colorado Crew Cab which I generally happy with but we got a new camper last summer that was at the upper end of its towing capacity and was somewhat cramped for long trips with or without the trailer. Its a 09 F150 XLT Supercab. Only 2WD, but has electronic traction control and some other nice goodies like the Microsoft Sync System (play artist Micheal Bolton...) and an integrated trailer brake controller and very comfy seating.

I've been seiously considering a new truck for several weeks while the deals have been getting better and better, especially on Dodge, but that made me nervous for obvious reasons. Today we decided to stop by the only area dealer with Sunday hours who was able to come up with a deal everyone was happy with so we drove it home. I was downright shocked at the business they were doing. They closed at 4 and at 3 when we agreed to the deal there were 3 people in front of us for the finance guy. When we left, there were two more waiting.

I still need to get a bedliner in it. I want to price a spray-in before buying a drop in. And LOML an LOML jr both demand immediate installation of some tube steps. Jr can't even get in and out without since it sits so much higher than the Colorado.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Wow! Congrats Matt! Looks like it is quite the truck! Have fun with it!

[Jim Becker]

Congratulations, Matt. Looks like a nice truck. Very red, however. LOL

I highly recommend the spray-in liner over a drop in. Absolutely worth the investment. You should be able to do the tube/steps yourself. They are easy to install and in most cases, bolt-on. I did them for the Tundra I owned prior to my Highlander and it was a very easy install.

[Dennis Peacock]

Nice hauler Matt!!! May it bring you lots of good service along the way.

[Lance Norris]

... Michael Bolton ...? I wouldnt say that too loud. :eek:

[Eric Roberge]

Nice truck Matt! Owned them all and my Fords were by far my favorite, Great trucks! You'll love it!

Happy haulin'!

[Matt Meiser]

... Michael Bolton ...? I wouldnt say that too loud. :eek:

Its a reference to a commercial about the Sync system. :D

[Lance Norris]

Its a reference to a commercial about the Sync system. :D

Sure Matt... whatever you say.

[Don Abele]

...I highly recommend the spray-in liner over a drop in...

Jim, I've owned trucks for a long time and have had them with no liner, spray-in, and drop-in and I prefer the drop-in. I actually installed a drop-in over a spray-in liner.

I don't recommend a spray-in as they tend to be made of non-skid-like material. That's the stuff we in Navy spray on the weather decks of ships and topside on submarines. And it lives up to it's name...nothing moves on it. So it makes it VERY difficult to slide stuff in and out of the bed. Nice if you don't want stuff to shift, but makes it a real PITA to get sheet goods (or worse, sheet rock) out of the bed.

I highly recommend rail protectors as well. My current bed liner is an under the rail model and my rails are trashed from dragging stuff over them.

Be well,

Doc

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Jim, I've owned trucks for a long time and have had them with no liner, spray-in, and drop-in and I prefer the drop-in. I actually installed a drop-in over a spray-in liner.

I don't recommend a spray-in as they tend to be made of non-skid-like material. That's the stuff we in Navy spray on the weather decks of ships and topside on submarines. And it lives up to it's name...nothing moves on it. So it makes it VERY difficult to slide stuff in and out of the bed. Nice if you don't want stuff to shift, but makes it a real PITA to get sheet goods (or worse, sheet rock) out of the bed.

I highly recommend rail protectors as well. My current bed liner is an under the rail model and my rails are trashed from dragging stuff over them.

Be well,

Doc

That is the reason that you always buy a half dozen or so 2x4's when you pick up sheet rock! Well, that and the 2x4's elevate the cargo above the permanant junk floating around in most real pickups...

[Eddie Watkins]

Nice truck, Matt. Congratulations. I fall on the side of the spray-in liner but Don is right, stuff does not slide very easily on it. Still, it doesn't rattle, just a personal preference thing.

[Dave Lehnert]

I have a 1997 Ford F-150 and had to put a new engine in it at 75,000. The 97 V6 F-150 had a problem with the engines locking up at around 75K. I called on shop for and estimate and he said "I bet your Ford is a 97" The guy at the auto parts store worked at a dealer also and said "Bet you have a 97" :mad: You can find them all day long for sale with lock engines.
$4,000 later I am back on the road. I am very disappointed in my F150 but love that truck so much I had it fixed. Kinda like an old friend.
I also own a 2000 Mustang. It sleeps in the woodshop:D

[Matt Meiser]

I'm torn on the bedliner for the reasons mentioned. The inability to slide stuff in might be as bad the stuff sliding around. Things like loading 50lb bags of dog food and water softener salt might become more of a pain.

[Mike Langford]

I would go with the spray in liner.......Have you even seen what a drop-in will do to the bed of a truck?

Sand and dirt will get between the liner and the bed and will "sand" the paint right off the bed in all the places where the liner touches.....then you know what happens when metal is exposed to the elements without paint! :(

Years ago I owned a nice little dark blue Chevy S10 that I was extremely proud of.....I had it fixed up real nice with chrome wheels and wide tires, had it lowered, put a subtle silver/gray double pin striped down the sides, tinted windows, etc...........and a drop-in bed liner!

I always kept it shined up and would spend hours washing and polishing it......One day I decided I'd remove the bed liner and really wash it up!
Well, when I pulled the liner out, it looked like a wild man with a 7" side grinder had gone berserk in the bed of my truck!!!!:eek::eek::eek:

.....So, no more drop-in bed liners for me!

Oh Yeah.......Nice Truck!

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I have a 1997 Ford F-150 and had to put a new engine in it at 75,000. The 97 V6 F-150 had a problem with the engines locking up at around 75K. I called on shop for and estimate and he said "I bet your Ford is a 97" The guy at the auto parts store worked at a dealer also and said "Bet you have a 97" :mad: You can find them all day long for sale with lock engines.
$4,000 later I am back on the road. I am very disappointed in my F150 but love that truck so much I had it fixed. Kinda like an old friend.
I also own a 2000 Mustang. It sleeps in the woodshop:D

Dave, I don't mean to rub it in, but me being a GM guy, I can't resist. I bought a 2000 Chevy 1/2 ton cheap, beacause it had 256,000 miles. I'm dead serious about this too. It still had its original motor and transmission, so I fully expected to have to dump some $, but at the price, and condition, it was still a good deal. Well, I sold it to my brother with 368,000, and he just traded it off on a newer one. It still has the original motor and trans. Oh, and I have yet to see a one of the others build an engine, diesel or otherwise that can even come close to my new Duramax and Alison combo. :D

[Gary Max]

I own a 99 Dodge Ram 4x4-------if you ever want to talk about junk.
I own it.

[Matt Meiser]

Sure Matt... whatever you say.

Honest. :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ful1YfqUlU8

[Jim Kountz]

I also own a 2000 Mustang. It sleeps in the woodshop:D

You have a *gulp* CAR in your shop??:eek::eek:
Holy cow get your priorities in order!!:D:D:D:D

[Garth Keel]

And, no matter what others say, Very Red is good.:p

[David G Baker]

Jim K,
I think Matt has a pole building shop that would be the envy of most of us. Guess that would free up the garage/shop for frivolous things like vehicles even if they are new and red. :D

Matt,
We live in rust country, think spray bed liner and save your bed. Shop for quality.

[Terry Achey]

Here's the third option for the bed. Throw a stinkin' rubber mat in the back and be done with it. Cheapest and most effective solution.

Bed liners - nothing stays where you put it. Tie everything down tight! And, you practically need a leaf blower to clean out the grooves!

Spray on - nothing slides without the help of a come along! Big bucks to paint your bed paint!

I always though a pick up bed was meant to have a few dents and scratches. And further more....no manly p/u truck would ever sport a cap over the bed! :p If you must, put the mat down and everey once in a while pull it out so you can sweep out the mulch and fine gravel from underneath.

Now... get Ford Tough, Matt. :cool::cool::cool: (BTW - awesome F-150, Matt and what a great time to purchase a truck!)

Terry

[Mike Langford]

+1 on the mat!

I didn't mention it in my earlier post but that's exactly what I have in the back of my Dodge....

....Just pull it out and hose it down every now and then! ;)

[Mike Wilkins]

Congrats on the new wheels. I would rather drive my truck over any car any day. As for bedliners; get the sprayed-in liner. Very durable and looks good too. Less than 3 days after I got my Line-X sprayed in, I slid a heavy lathe into the bed with no problems. And its easy to clean up with a pressure washer.

[Matt Meiser]

I did some calling around yesterday. I'm calling in a few minutes to schedule Line-X to do it on Saturday. I didn't realize how much I used the bed until I didn't have a way to protect it and had two different things I needed to haul back there yesterday! I ordered the tube steps yesterday too. LOMLjr has gotten her head bumped above the door twice now getting lifted in. :eek:

I spent a fair amount of time yesterday running errands and got familiar with the Sync system while doing so which is very cool. I talked to a few people on the phone through the hands-free part of that and they all reported that it was working well. I had some trouble with my phone book but I think I got that figured out last night. And the iPod integration part is just awesome. Just one or two mis-understood commands which is probably about as good as you get with current voice-recognition technology.

[Charlie McGuire]

I prefer spray-in bed liner. When I want stuff to slide like drywall, etc., I slip in a sheet of 1/8" masonite - smooth side up.

[Cary Falk]

I had Line-X put in my truck bed and love it. Everything slides just fine. Nothing can scratch it. I have had it for 5 years and it looks just as good as it did the day it was put in.

[Dave Verstraete]

Nice truck, Matt

Now you can do the Johnson's run for the east side of the state:D:D

[Matt Meiser]

Now you can do the Johnson's run for the east side of the state:D:D

Nah, we've figured out its cheaper to let Johnson's do the run. I think they charge $45 to Ann Arbor. Split it between a couple guys and its downright cheap.

[Rob Russell]

I did some calling around yesterday. I'm calling in a few minutes to schedule Line-X to do it on Saturday.

I had a rhinoliner spray done on the Dodge truck we had for a while. Definitely do an "over the rail" spray. Make sure that the top of the tailgate is do also and that the wraps around under the bottom of the tailgate (the part that's on the bottom when the tail gate is closed).

[Matt Meiser]

The F-150 has plastic pieces on top of the rails and tailgate already so they go right up to those for the "under rail" price.