Rust is much more than an unsightly mess on vehicles, but also compromises the integrity of the structure, which can result in dangerous and expensive situations. Rust also significantly reduces your trade-in value and shortens the lifespan of the vehicle, which can cost you a lot more in the long run. Because most truck beds are made of steel, which tends to rust easily, and is exposed to regular damage — scratches, dents, gouges — during routine “truck things,” it’s important to be proactive to protect your pickup from rust. In today’s post, we offer some simple solutions to protect your truck bed.
INDESTRUCTIBLE
Spray-On Protective Coating
3 EASY TIPS TO RUST-PROOFING YOUR TRUCK BED
WASH YOUR TRUCK
We are well aware that many people enjoy the toughness that a dirty truck portrays, but for the sake of your pickup’s body, we highly recommend regular hand washing. That’s right, we don’t recommend using a car wash with automated brushes (but, that is better than nothing!). Regular washes remove the salt and chemicals that erode body paint and leave your truck vulnerable to rust. Your truck should also be waxed every few months to optimize paint protection.
LINE YOUR BED
Generally speaking, rust in truck beds develops in vulnerable areas including scratches in the paint that expose the steel or aluminum truck bed surface. The paint in the bed gets scratched during loading and hauling things in the bed. To prevent integrity violations on your truck bed paint that allows rust to set in, line your truck bed with a durable liner like LINE-X. LINE-X coatings offer a watertight seal that is more durable than the steel it’s protecting. Resistant to scratches, gouging, and corrosion by common chemicals, LINE-X will protect your truck bed from rust (and more) for years to come.
INVEST IN RUST CHECK
Road salt, acid rain, and saltwater, and pollutants in the air all work to shorten vehicle’s lives. Environmental exposures corrode the body, weaken the structure, and deteriorate the appearance, especially in work trucks where exposure to the elements is an occupational hazard. Rust Check is applied to vehicles underside as well as inside doors and fenders. The product “creeps into the seams. By acting as a sealant, Rust Check protects against rust in cracks and crevices to reduce vulnerability and keep your entire vehicle protected.
COVER THE BED
Covering your truck bed, with waterproof options, helps to protect the inside of your truck bed from rust. LEER caps or Tonneau covers offer a cover from the elements, but you’ll need to ensure that it is properly installed and of high quality that won’t allow moisture in and trap it — which would increase the risk of rust!
At LINE-X of Ottawa, we carry a full line of truck bed covers by LEER, Bak, UnderCover, and more. We are authorized installers of LINE-X protective coatings, and Rain Check sealants. If you’re unsure which option would work best for your truck bed, contact us online or stop by one of our four Ottawa locations — Ottawa East, Ottawa West, Smith Falls, or Petawawa.
