New Truck Add-ons: What and when?

[nickandmarilyn]

I should be getting a new F-350 by the end of the month and based on what I have read here, I think I should be getting a spray in bedliner and a retractable tonneau cover. My question is what should I get first and when should I have the hitch installed? I am thinking of armourthane liner, pace edwards cover. Any thoughts?

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Best I remember, Al had done in this order

1.) Spray in liner

2.) Cover of choice

3.) Hitch.

think number 2 and 3 could be switched, but number 1 seems to be right where it needs to be. Why put in a hitch to have to take out for liner application??

Enjoy that new truck!

[bw2]

Take a look at the "Bed Rug" You can check it out online. Also, Auto Anything has a number of covers with pretty good prices.

[richfaa]

We are at the same place with our new 08 Ford. There was a cheap OEM Ford vinyl bedliner in the truck that we took out and threw on the ground. There was not even anything under the liner.We did have a spray in liner on our 05 F-350. We wanted a Rino liner and the rino dealer said that if we are just getting the liner to protect the bed we really do not need the quality of the Rino unless we were going to do heavy hauling in the bed.. he said an epoxy liner would do us well,,much less money(but not cheap)..made sense. We had to have the hitch put in first(like now) and we were concerned about that but again he said it made no difference. We had our previous hitch installed before the liner and when it was removed it was clean under the rails.However I do think the order provided by Carol is the preferred method...if it will work out.

[skypilot]

Line, then either the cover or the hitch depending on your immediate needs (remembering that the truck maker wants you to drive it 500 miles unloaded before you hook up your trailer -- that is hard to do sometimes !!!

Personally, I have a Fold-a-Cover II on my truck -- doesn't have the box of the pace edwards or Roll-N-Locks that take up some of the storage space. I saw a different brand - folding cover -- yesterday that folded up against the back window making the entire bed accessible (Fold-A-Cover has one 4th covered up unless you remove the entire cover). I didn't get the brand name but it was well made and looked like it would hold up real well if you decide to go that route.

[richfaa]

I had the fold a cover on the 05 and although it is a very good cover it did as Sky pilot indicates, take up about 1/4 of bed space and interfered with my view of the hitch. I am undecided of what to get this time.we are leaning toward the cover that slides stright back and takes up little space behind the window..actually a low cost roll up vinyl cover is, i think, the best option.

[Montana Sky]

I had the liner sprayed in first, then the hitch. That is what the RV shop recommended...

[gj4040]

Since I have done this a number of times I feel qualified to give some input. I am having an in bed B & W Turnover ball installed under the truck bed floor. At the same time and place I am having the Lineux dealer (same dealer installs everything) spray in the bed liner, thus insuring the base of the hitch is set at the proper level and everything is sealed. He is also installing an in-bed seven pin plug, Low rise chrome bed rails, window rain shields and a bed cover that is absolutely the best type I've ever had (and I've had many types and brands). The cover is called a LITERIDER ROLL-UP COVER (www.literider.com). One person from either side of the truck can roll this up in seconds simply by releasing the spring latch at the rear and rolling the cover right up tight behind the back window. There are three side tension bars incorporated right into the fabric and tensioners at the rear and velcro strips along both sides. There is nothing to snap or tie down at all. You can operate your tailgate with the cover in the closed position and roll it up against the rear window and it will not move. I have never secured this cover when it was rolled against the back window as the side bars hold it in place. The down side of this cover is that it costs $369.00 to $400.00 to buy and have installed and nobody seems to discount it anywhere. It can also be used with the chrome 2" decorative side rails and does not interfere with them at all. Well!!! I've gotten carried away

[MAMalody]

I had the bed liner sprayed in, then installed a Truxedo cover and had the hitch installed.

Worked for me.

[stiles watson]

I think it is whatever rock you trip over first. My protocol was Turnover Ball Gooseneck Hitch, spray liner, inside-the-bed seven pin receptacle, and low profile tool box (1-1/2" over bed rail)-- no cover. Can't find a design I like.

[c5racer]

When I did mine I installed the hitch, removed hitch, had the spray in liner installed, and then reinstalled the hitch. That way all the holes had liner in them.