I may look at raptor when I get to this part. The place where I buy paint and body supplies has it, and they have been giving me 10 to 15% discount, calling it a "student" discount.

When I do it, I'll post up pics and process.

 

And like every other project related to your truck, it will be done when you're supposed to be at work, right?

 

If I sent you the money would you pick me up one? haha That may be my answer. 15 percent off I could get alot of it for the normal price.

 

How is the herculiner frowned upon?? I bought a 30$ quart can of the actual herculiner brand roll on bed liner, because I couldn't afford the 90$ gallon can at the time, to do the entire bed, and did my bed caps, wheel well, my roll bar, and the bottom 1/4 of my truck 2 years ago, and yeah, it's sun faded slightly, but it's still rock solid. I could see where a job would turn out crappy if you didn't prep it properly, but that goes with anything. The rocker panels have taken many gravel roads, offroading, and heavy highway salts in the winter, and there isn't a chip on 'em yet. It all comes down to proper prep work, or it's going to peel/ chip and any existing rust, that you just roll over, is going to come through. Hardest part was sanding off what the can called, "anything glossy", then taping it off, and the rest was easy. Just roll it on. If you look at the kits they sell to roll it on, they include a couple rollers. My buddy bought a cheapo paint roller, and rolled his on and it looked like crap. I told him to buy a yellow foam roller, with bigger holes in the foam, not the little micro-holes, and we rolled right over his work, and it looks great, and is holding up fine since last summer. The foam roller picks up the rubber particles in the herculiner better and applies them much smoother across the work surface, compared to the cloth, i think, paint roller.

Another buddy bought rustoleum brand bed liner, in a quart can, and also their spray on, and the rubber particles are junk, compared to the actual herculiner brand roll on. No, the herculiner isn't quite as perfectly smooth as the line-x beds look, but I like the bigger rubber particles. Nothing slides across them, and they'll shred the skin off your arms if you rub against it. So far, I've only managed to scratch through it once, and that was on the top of the tailgate, where I had a approx. 120 pound moving ramp, riding in the back, and I slid the ramp into the back of the truck over the tailgate. So there's a scratch...I'll get my extra can, and roll over it and bam, fixed. Like it never happened.

Still on the agenda for this summer though, is to grab that gallon can, plus another quart, and do the inside of the bed itself. Supposedly, that's all it takes to put 2 coats on the entire bed. According to the back of the herculiner can anyways. It definitely takes 2 coats though, as after the first coat dries, you can kind of see through it, so the second coat thickens it up a bit, and spreads more rubber particles. I'm completely happy with mine, and happy to have saved a few hundred dollars. Plus, I love having projects to do, or I kind of get idle hands, and will start cleaning/ building stuff. (Garage, engine compartment, interior, built a dog house, dining table). LOL. I get bored. Anyways, I'll get a couple close up pics, in the daytime next time I remember, and post 'em up, of the roll bars and bed caps, so the texture can be seen. It's not as smooth as line-x, but it's rugged, and 1/5 of the price. So, if you're frowning upon my herculiner, you can rub that frown down one of my bed caps, and I guarantee it'll be gone.

 

That one made me laugh.

I agree with that part of your post, Herculiner is like 60 grit sandpaper. I can put a half full 5 gallon gas can in the front corner of my bed and when I get where I'm going it will still be right where I put it.

I've got issues with my Herculiner, a couple months after installation mine started to pull away from itself. I prepped it correctly and it's not peeling off the metal but it has cracks in it and resembles a dry lake bed. I called Herculiner and they asked if I used the UV protection stuff when I explained the issue, I didn't. The can says that you can to use that "if" you want to protect the shine but not that it's required. I didn't care about the shine because it's in the bed of the truck so I didn't use it. Herculiner told me that they would send another gallon and the UV stuff but never did. Three months after that I called again and was told again that they would send some more and they never did. Their customer service sucks.
I say it's pretty good as a liner but it isn't that tough, It failed the hammer test when I was beating on some brake shoes on the tailgate, when I was sliding some 12" logs out of the bed and when I was sliding some scrap metal into the bed. It can be fixed easily though so that's a plus.

And you are right, a gallon and a quart will do the entire bed. I want to get another gallon to do the bottom of the bed just to make it thicker though.

 

Im glad your happy with your results... As you said in your post, It is rough, and in Sheriffs post Some have had peeling issues. If you try to haul your dining table in that it is going to get the table scratched up. If you do have those pics Id like to see how you did it because i may go the herc route too...
Sorry if I offended but I have spent like 20 hours of research on this and its what I found... Most jeep users use it in there tubs so especially rough does not fit there...Monstaliner dealers have pictures of it that didnt look so hot compared to their product, marketing? I have heard there all pretty comparable but personal preference between the slight differences have many looking at the raptor and monsta.
Please share your pictures..

I also laughed at your frown idea, I don't doubt it will

 

Here's a couple close ups...remember it's 2-2 1/2 years old and about due for another coat, as it seems to be wearing thin, from the sun. Some spots are somewhat transparent, and there are a few scratches. The pic of the passenger side rocker shows some rust coming through. But I did not properly take care of the rust first, since the door already had a hole eating through it, and I hope to just replace the whole door, or weld a new section in. But there are no chips in it, from gravel being thrown at it numerous times. Now that I got some closer pics, I definitely need to roll another coat on. From farther away (5ft+), it's not transparent though, just up close. And the truck is dirty as well, so it doesn't look nearly as black as it does normally, when clean. So, it's been 2+ years, and it's still as gritty as when I put it on. Somewhat looks to be thinning slightly (transparency), nothing another 25-30$ quart can wont fix. To each their own though. ...Now I'm off for the weekend, camping it up.

 

Thanks for the pics of the herc and quick response. It does seem to have held up well over the years that is the texture that the people I mentioned didn't like. Ill see if I can find there picture they were dissing on

 

This was the one they were hating all over

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=bad+h...9,r:1,s:0,i:71

 

I've always had drop in liners until I decided on a bedrug for my 3rd Gen. Basically got tired of crap slamming into rods, reels, etc and breaking them. I will never own anything else. Just as durable as a drop in, nothing slides and easy on the knees. Zip it out about once a year, hit it with a pressure washer and looks like new still after seven years...