Just bought a truck - need advise on accessories

[Stefan Antwarg]

I finally made the plunge into truck ownership. After too many years of being pissed that I had no way to haul large items - and now dealing with lumber and firewood - I figured it's about time. I got a 2001 4x4 F-150 xlt. Quite a difference from the Cavalier I drive every day. Anyway, I need a few things for it and I was hoping some of you could give me advise on brands and places to buy. I want some good floor mats for the front that fit properly. I would like some sort of running board or side step. And I would like a cover for the bed. Do regular mechanics install these things? This is all new to me.

Thanks
Stefan

[Waymon Campbell]

I finally made the plunge into truck ownership. After too many years of being pissed that I had no way to haul large items - and now dealing with lumber and firewood - I figured it's about time. I got a 2001 4x4 F-150 xlt. Quite a difference from the Cavalier I drive every day. Anyway, I need a few things for it and I was hoping some of you could give me advise on brands and places to buy. I want some good floor mats for the front that fit properly. I would like some sort of running board or side step. And I would like a cover for the bed. Do regular mechanics install these things? This is all new to me.

Thanks
Stefan

Stefan - Congrats on the truck. I've been a Ford truck man ever since I can remember. I would definitely recommend a spray-in bedliner (RhinoLiner, Line-X, etc...). Check out www.jcwhitney.com for the other accessories. I have used them over the years and have never been disappointed. As far as installation, check out your local aftermarket shops. Most carry good brands and offer installation.

[Jim Ketron]

I'll 2nd the spray in liner Love Mine!
Tuff as a pine knot
Jim

[Jim O'Dell]

I used to work in the aftermarket truck customizing industry. For a 4X4, definately use nerf bars-the full cab length- and Westin is the best one for the money. Buy the ones made for that vehicle, not the universal ones. They go on very easy...no erector sets to put together for bracing. Would be easy for you to do yourself. Try Pep Boys or call your Ford dealer and ask who does their aftermarket add ons, or if there is a truck convertor in the area. Around Fort Worth, we have several places that cater to this type of item. One also caries camper shells, and paint to match fiberglass tonneau covers
If you don't like the full cab length nerf bars, try the nerf steps made by Carr. These are aluminum and look good, and go on easy also, again something a do-it-yourselfer could easily accomplish. Stay away from dealership for this...this is not their forte, and you will be paying for their learning curve. I'm a service advisor at a Lincoln/Mercury dealership ;-0.
Your can also do a search on line. A place I used to buy wholesale is Pride Products. I think you can get to their online catalogue and poke around, even if you may not be able to buy from them. See the pictures and the brands, then do searches on those brands and models you like. But it does help to see the things in person too. Try looking in the yellow pages for car and truck accessories. If you live in a small town or smaller city, you may have to go to a little larger area to find what you want.
Oh, another place to look for is a 4 wheel drive/off road place...the guys that add body and suspension lifts, the big wheels and tires, etc. They will most likely have a display of some of these things. Maybe even the soft tonneau covers if you like them over the hard shell ones. Hope this helps. Sorry for my rambling all over the place. Jim.

[Jim Becker]

I went with the SmittyBuilt step bars on the Tundra and have been very pleased with them. Westin, As Jim mentioned also makes nice stuff. I've had good luck with Performance Products for this and that. I also recommend the K&N "permanent" air filter system. Not expensive and really opens up the air low, not unlike a quality dust collector filter does.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Stefan.....Congrats on the truck! I own a 1-ton 4x4 Ford 460 V-8 - 4:10 rear end, 5 speed manul transmission. I don't get great gas mileage (11 mph)but I get it whether I'm pulling my 8300 lb 5th wheel, a horse trailer or a load of hay. I prefer the running boards made from the heavy duty diamond aluminum. I put a set on an 83 Blazer and had a boulder kick out from under a front wheel as I was 4-wheeling up a mountain on an old mining road. Momentarily the entire weight of the vehicle and 5 adults was on the running board. Dented it....no real damage to it or more importantly to the vehicle. I had a cheaper set on my wife's Toyota 4-Runner. They wouldn't have taken the same abuse and withstood it as well. Good luck with your truck!

[Stefan Antwarg]

Thanks for the advise - keep it coming. As far as the bed liner, the truck came with a hard plastic liner.

Jim, I briefly read some info about that air filter. How has it helped your truck? I am really not too knowledgable about how cars work, but would be interested in relatively cheap upgrades that improve performance.


Stefan

[Dean Baumgartner]

Thanks for the advise - keep it coming. As far as the bed liner, the truck came with a hard plastic liner.

Jim, I briefly read some info about that air filter. How has it helped your truck? I am really not too knowledgable about how cars work, but would be interested in relatively cheap upgrades that improve performance.


Stefan

Stefan,
First thing I'd do is get rid of the hard plastic liner. The last truck I bought had one and while it may protect from scratches, it will do a number on the paint all on its own. They tend to rub especially bad around the wheel wells. The other problem with them is that they are so slippery that everything that you put in will move around the back unless tied down securely. Either go with the sprayed in liner or put in one of the rubber mat bottom liners. These can work fine if you're not hauling around dirt or gravel and also if you have some type of a waterproof cap on it. Fiberglass is nice but more expensive than aluminum and also much heavier. If you will be hauling things that won't fit under the cap from time to time, with aluminum you can pick the cap right off to open up the back by yourself if needed.

Just my $.02

Dean

[Allan Johanson]

Tear out that junky plastic liner and get one sprayed in. Those plastic things help rust out your bed.

A cover is something to think about. I like the looks of a hard cover, but my wife is disabled and can't help me remove it from my truck if I'm carrying a large load. So I opted for a roll up cover from Access. It rolls out of the way quickly and easily to load tall items. You install it yourself and it is mounted on the inside of the top of the box sides. But it leaves the surface of the box sides clear so you can also install bed rails if you like.

The only downside to a mounting system like that is if you want to carry large items - heavy items - that would want to lean against the side of the top of the box. Since that's there the bars for the cover are mounted, you may bend them if a large load were bounced against them.

I have a Toyota Tacoma and I'm not 100% sure the long bars are the same as they would be for your truck.

I'll try to snap some pics if you like to help explain what I mean. Or you could try their web site (accesscover.com).

Re: K&N air filter. If you live in a very dusty area, you might want to skip the K&N. They don't filter down that low. To borrow Jim's DC bag analogy, I tend to think of them as a really crappy DC bag that has been eaten by moths so the airflow isn't restricted anymore. :)

I'm running K&N filters on my Porsche and my mechanic friend and I tend to joke that the K&N filters are great for stopping loose nuts from getting into the cylinders, not much else. :D

Happy shopping!

Allan

[Stefan Antwarg]

Tear out that junky plastic liner and get one sprayed in. Those plastic things help rust out your bed.

Wow - I would have thought the opposite. So, what's this spray in liner like?

I do live in a very dusty area - dirt and gravel roads.

Thanks for the info

Stefan

[Rob Russell]

Last fall I bought a 2003 Dodge Quad cab long bed. I put in a sprayed bed liner (Rhino - only one available near me, would have checked out Linex if available). If I could only choose 1 option, I'd have a tough time deciding between the steps and spray-in liner. The spray-in is great! Get the "over the rail" spray, so you protect the top of your bed rails.

I added the factory cab steps as part of the purchase deal. It would be REALLY nice if the cab steps went back to the rear wheel. That would make it much easier to reach into the middle of the bed in back of the cab. If you're adding steps, seriously consider ones that go all the way to the rear wheel. Not a real option for me - wifey didn't want nerf bars.

This picture is shown without the cover.

<img class="attach" src="attachment.php?attachmentid=2884&amp;stc=1" border="0" alt="" />

I also put on a hard cover that is a quick remove style. It locks down and with the tailgate lock effectively turns the bed into a huge trunk. I can lift it off my self, although it is a bit awkward. It's not as pretty as one of the nice fiberglass body color covers, but it's very functional. It's sprayed with the same spray on line stuff so it looks like the top of the bed rails.

Good luck!

Rob

[Jason Roehl]

Stefan, get thee to www.ford-trucks.com Great Ford truck message board (200k+ members, nearly 2M messages). Probably everything you ever wanted to know about any Ford truck there.

[Jim Becker]

Yea, I'll chime in on the spray-in liner. Properly applied, it doesn't allow water under it to collect and cause corrosion. The dealer tried to deliver my truck with a drop-in liner and I basically refused to take it that way. "You want the sale, put a spray-in liner." That required a return trip and a day without, but it was worth it, IMHO. That said, they do cost about twice the drop-in liner price...just like some tools cost more!

[Bob Reeve]

I have to chime inalso as I bought a new Dodge Ram this year. I went with the line-x spray in liner as it was harder (tougher) than Rhino. I also say go over the bed rails with the liner. I didn't and now wish I had. My cover is aluminum and is from Advance Cover Corp. It also is lockable but it folds up and only weighs 53 lbs. One person can remover it. Have fun, I am.

[Steven Wilson]

Floor mats? I've been satisfied with the Husky liners I put in 5 years ago in the Suburban.

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I just got a new Dodge quad cab a couple weeks ago. I had Westin Singature Series nerf bar thingies on my F150, so that's what I got for the Dodge. They have ones that just go to the doors, and ones that go farther for a step into the bed. The black ones were $239 installed at a local accessory place. Seems I paid nearly $300 for the Ford 3 years ago.

I bought the plastic 'snow catcher' front floor mats from the dealer ($84!!!!)...same ones for the Ford (well, they said 'Ford' instead of 'Dodge') were $55. I really like these because they do catch a lot of crap and water that'll mess up regular mats (or the carpet)...but they also wear out. I wore holes in the driver's side of the Ford.

As an aside, anybody in need of some 'like new' factory tan front mats (carpet, with 'Ford' for an '02 F150, I can help you out...same for gray front mats for the '04 Dodge. I think the Dodge ones are just plain...

KC

[Bill Grumbine]

Hi Stefan

I am going to go against the crowd here. I like my cheap junky drop in liner. I have never had rust problems from using one, but then maybe I don't keep my trucks long enough for that to happen. I also happen to like the ability to slide things around and out the back easily, especially since most of the time I am moving logs in the 500 lb or over category, and I am moving them myself. Most trucks today come with tie downs welded into the bed at certain places.

On my current truck I installed a Trac Rac because I no longer needed covered storage. On previous trucks I had a roll top cover or a cap. I think the roll top was best for certain needs as it closes up the back but move completely out of the way for hauling big stuff. A cap offers more covered storage space, but can be a pain to work inside or get off if you have big stuff to move.

There is a world of options out there. I would not rush out and buy anything today (although it is tempting!) but rather spend some time thinking about how the truck is going to be used. That way you can buy what is best suited to that use.

Bill

[Curt Harms]

Hi Stephan-

I have what sounds like the cover Bob Reeve above has. I got mine from Car-Mic in Lancaster. I've had caps and like the folding cover better. Anything in it is not visible to passersby and there's no impact on visiblity like there is with caps. The advance covers are not waterproof but they are quite waterresistant. www.advancecover.com (no affiliation except I have one)

Curt

[Stefan Antwarg]

Yes, I definitly have to keep on mulling over the options. Lately, I have been thinking about not getting a cover and getting a spray in liner instead. Although the covers look neat, it seems to me looks would be the primary advantage. I don't foresee using a cover to hide stuff in the bed. Anything valuable would go in the cab - or I just wouldn't keep it in the bed. But the spray in bed liner probably offers more protection. Bill is right - since one of it's uses will be driving logs down to the chopping area - it may be difficult getting them out with that liner. Then again, I don't see myself dealing with 500 pound logs.

So, it's going to be one or the other - and I am leaning toward the line x spray liner.

As far as the step or running boards, I will probably hold off for a bit. It would be nice to have, but I am handling the climb. Plus, I don't plan on using this truck every day for my work commute. My little Cavalier with almost 40 MPG still needs to take the brunt of the commutes. But driving that truck sure is cool.

Went to pep boys today and looked at floor mats. I don't know exactly what I want, but I didn't see anything there that appealed to me.

But these are all good problems to have. I am thankful I can even own a truck - much less accessorise it.

Stefan

[Jack Diemer]

I have the same truck you do. If you want a soft cover, go with the Truxedo. Get the low profile version if possible. (I have the original)

I have a plastic liner, I would really like a spray-in liner, they look great, and last forever. I did the K&N filter, but I have heard good and bad reviews about it. I just know that I don't need to do much with that filter for another 50k or so.

Nerf bars look good, but I have plastic running boards, they do not stay clean.

Another recomendation would be to get the ceramic break pads. Cuts down a lot on the dust, and lasts forever.

Finally, go with the new McGwires NXT wax products for keeping the truck shiny. Much cheaper that the show quality stuff and works just as well.

[Stefan Antwarg]

On the JC Whitney site they have the Truxedo, but also a cover made by Truck Hyde. The descriptions read pretty much the same and the picture looks the same. The warranty is lifetime for the truxedo and only 2 years for the truck hyde. The Truck Hyde is $100 cheaper. Anyone have experience with Truck Hyde?

Stefan

[Rob Russell]

Stephen,

Here's a pic of the cover I found for my truck. I went with a hard cover because I wanted something more secure than the soft style. I also wanted something easily removeable by 1 person. The second pic is a shot of the mounting brackets for the front of the cover. There are tabs on it that mate with these brackets. Stand the cover up and the tabs will slide right out. The cover is only about 50 pounds. My wife can easily help me with it and I can also do it myself. Handling any cover for an 8' bed alone is going to be a matter of awkward more than weight - either that or you simply won't be able to lift it alone.

Finding an easily removeable 8' cover is not an easy task. The one I have is a Checkmate. You may have more luck finding something for the Ford. If you have the short bed, there are a ton of options.

Rob

[Donnie Raines]

I like my plastic liner to. Pulling lumber in and out of the bed is very easy. All you need to do is ratchet tie the boards down......then take off. I have not encountered any rust problems to this point...and my truck sits outside all the time.

[Bart Sharp]

I would be wary of a soft cover if you live anywhere it gets cold. I had one on my Ram, and in the winter the vinyl would get so stiff that once I unsnapped it I could never stretch it far enough to re-engage the fasteners. That may be something isolated to the particular brand or style I had, but I didn't like it.

I did without for a while, then finally broke down and bought a proper topper. I hate the way it looks on my baby, but it is definitely handy. Mine starts cab-high at the front and then steps up, which makes it a little easier to move around inside. Plus, it makes it possible to get a motorcycle in the bed without taking off the topper. I don't think I could do that with a strictly cab-high shell.

You're already leaning towards it, but here's another vote for a spray-in liner. The first thing I did when I got my truck was take it over to the Rhino Liner place. A little salty, but the bed still looks perfect after six years of hauling lumber and stone and brick and.....

[Stefan Antwarg]

As far as the spray in lining goes, I am trying to decide between the Rhino and the Line x. From what I understand, the Rhino is soft and the Line X is hard. Seems to me stuff would slide easier on the Line X. For lumber and logs, I guess that would be important.

Stefan

[Jack Diemer]

You pretty much summed up the difference between Rhino and LineX. Usually there are on line coupons, I would go with the cheaper of the two.

[JayStPeter]

Neither LineX or Rhino is slippery compared to a drop-in. In fact, LineX seems like it could be harmful to things like veneered ply. Any experience here? I have a '98 F150. When I bought my truck, it had a drop-in in it. I refused to pay for it, but the dealer left it in. It's a piece of junk and has split in the corners. But, when it comes down to tools/wood or replacing my liner ... But, it'll have to happen eventually. There's a LineX place nearby.

One accessory you may consider, Ford makes molded plastic mud guards that look good and keep crud off the sides of the truck. See if you can get a dealer to let you flip through the Ford accessories catalog for your truck. There's lots of good stuff (like nice floor mats made to fit) and, oddly enough, the prices were reasonable at my dealer. Even relative to online places selling the same stuff. In addition to the website mentioned above, there's also f150online.com for info.

Jay

[Dan Gill]

You're also going to need smelling salts for the first time you fill that truck up. Believe me, I know.

[Rob Russell]

You're also going to need smelling salts for the first time you fill that truck up. Believe me, I know.

Ooooooh yeah. Try a 35 gallon tank on 89 octane. Many gas pumps shut off at $50, so it means a second pass to fill the tank if it's really down.

[Chris Padilla]

Stefan,

I've no experience with Line-X but to say that the Rhino is soft seems a misnomer to me. I think you should see two trucks, one with each, before you'll know for sure. Rhino is good stuff and seems plenty hard to me...lasts forever, too.

Pick the cheaper one or closest dealer if they seem the same to you.

[Stefan Antwarg]

I called a Rhino dealer/installer and that's what he told me. How soft is the question.

Stefan