Bedliner

[James Morse]

Would a factory bedliner from the '99 B3000 fit the '97 Ranger?
I don't think it would decrease the value of the B3 much. XLT has factory mat only.
In a way I like to see the red inside the bed but really an under-the rail bedliner is the way to go.
Mat can collect moisture under it.
Wouldn't see the Mazda logo as it would be behind the tool box.

 

[superj]

i would think so since the mazda stepside is a faux stepside.

 

[Uncle Gump]

You might find that the Mazda is in better place with it left alone.

 

[James Morse]

Yes I did consider it might not be pretty under it that could affect sale, though I could put the Ford mat down.
Also might be a bitch to get out then if in fact there were any fit problem I'd be doing a lot of work for nothing
Hoping I might be able to pick up a decent one at junkyard
Not critical for XLT but I think they are good to have then you just don't have to be so careful with firewood etc.
There is probably aftermarket stuff but tends to be very expensive plus for old truck probably don't have standard stuff

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So… I’ve had the hard plastic bed liners and even though all of my Rangers have them, I don’t like them much at all. They trap moisture and usually rot the front of the bed, they cut down on cargo room, harder to access tie-downs, and things sliiiiide super easy. Only positives are things dumped in the bed do less damage to the bed and anything that spills is easy to clean out. But because of things sliding I’ve ended up with a rubber bed mat on top of the plastic liner…

Honestly, I think the spray in bed liners are a better option, but I also am starting to suspect they aren’t as good as they used to because a friends uncle had a truck with a spray in Rhino Liner and we shoveled a couple loads of stone out of it once with steel coal shovels and once the bed got hosed out at the end, it looked like we never did anything with it. But more recently I’ve seen a lot of tore-up, chipped and gouged spray in liners. So one wonders. Still, I think it’s the best option, done right.

 

[racsan]

I had a bedliner in my ‘93 with no issues, in fact I used it to help with winter weight, backed it up on ramps and filled it with water on a friday, temps were in the teens so by monday I had a solid block of ice from the middle ofthe bed forward, not sure how much water but I could tell I did have more weight. I think a spray in liner is like a paint job- about as good as the preparation for it and the quality of the product. Ive never tried it, my 94 I drive now either has a sheet of plywood in it (when the cap is on) or I rattle can it with rust oleum to fill in the scratches from summer use.

 

[Josh B]

My 87 was a short cab/ long bed and had a factory ( I suppose ) mat, with cutouts for the wheel wells and a notch at the rear where the fuel line cuts back towards the tank, except my 93 fuel filler tube is at the front, and the 93 is a Supercab with a 6ft or so bed, and didn't have a mat.

I used the long mat from the 87 and it fits the wheel wells just fine, and it leaves extra at the front that curls up the front wall to near the bottom of the tool box. At the rear it is a bit long too and tho it curls up a small bit when the tailgate closes, when the tailgate is down it lays down to cover the gap between the tailgate and the bed, so when I'm hauling ( it is not just a play thing ) gravel or sand and pulling it out the back ( the tailgate has a plastic inside cover ) the mat covers that gap between the bed and tailgate. Works great for me. And when it's cleaned out and the gate is closed, it curls right up the back as if it was made to be there

 

[Roert42]

I believe the inside of the short beds are the same for all years of OBS rangers. Besides the step sides.
Should have no issue with an under the rail drop in or a rubber mat.

I am not a fan of the drop in, they tend to tear up the paint and trap moisture. I do like how they allow things to slide easier. Easy to get heavy stuff in and out. Also, the factory ones have a board slot near the back to help hold stuff near the tailgate.

I am planning to do a roll in bed liner on mine, to help protect the metal, then put in a factory under the rail liner I took out of my red truck.

My brothers truck has the rubber mat, they are nice, like said before, they keep stuff from sliding around. I had put a a sheet of astro turf down in my F-150, does the same thing, not as heavy though so if I didn't have anything back there it would float around. I wanted to glue it down to the bed to keep it in place.

 

[James Morse]

I have the rubber mat it's oem pretty sure.
But there's wear like there was a bedliner in it at one time or else just the nature of whatever it was used for. Not rusty, but you can see wear to primer in just certain places.
I don't like moisture collecting under mat but it's not really rusty so it's probably ok.
With cargo box which I really like you lose part of bed anyway. Probably not worth messing with what it is but also not totally rule it out (under-rail bedliner). I did like it in the B3000.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I had a drop in in my truck for years and my bed is fine. Even had holes in the front for my rollbar.

Now I just have a mat since my bedliner wasn't compatible with my topper. If I ever find a under the rail drop in I will go with that.

My new bed will probably get a spray in though.

 

[97RangerXLT]

My 97 has had a drop in liner that is under the rail since it was new. I had it out last year to remove the bed, and the bed looks near mint underneath the liner. one thing that I do is I make sure that I park it in the driveway in such a way that water does not accumulate in the liner or drip/ roll underneath it.

AJ

 

[James Morse]

Yes always better to have truck leaning a little back to drain I try to do that.
Why were you removing bed?

 

[Shran]

I've had plastic bedliners for many years and have never had an issue with rust underneath them. I am sure it COULD happen... but it never has for me. IMO it is far more likely that rust develops from the bottom where it's hard to wash out and the bedliner gets blamed instead. My one complaint with them is certain ones get warped in the sun and don't sit flat.

 

[James Morse]

I'd love to find an oem bedliner or else Duraliner as it has Duraliner aluminum strip on top of the tailgate. It has the tailgate part of the bedliner. I think it had a bedliner at a time although the flat mat that's in it fits perfectly which leads me to believe that's oem (or a good aftermarket fit).
What makes me think it had a liner at one time is the wear marks seem consistent with where the liner would rub, e.g., upper inside corners of wheel wells etc. Whereas paint otherwise in the sides of the bed is real nice and in a way I like to see it, perhaps minor point.
It's true things slide on the hard corrugated bedliners and they don't on the mat. I wonder, maybe you could have a bedliner then in those maybe rare instances you want the mat you could lay it in there, it would kind of fit.
I guess I will try to see if junkyard has one, oem or Duraliner is my preference. It's not a critical need but I'd like to do it.
I did wonder about this: is it something I can do or is this a multiple person job? My impression is you have to flex it some to get is in there. I don't know how heavy they are.
EDIT here's instructions how to put in
Generic_Under_Rail_Bedliner_Installation.pdf (ruggedliner.com)

 

[Shran]

I have lifted my bedliner in and out a bunch of times by myself. It's kinda awkward but doesn't really weigh a whole lot.

Spray in might be a good option for you - Raptor Liner has pretty good reviews and is cheap & easy. I did it on one truck and am very pleased with it so far but haven't had it long enough to speak to its durability over time.