DIY Herculiner

[LaxDfns15]

Yes, I would take the time to prep the bed properly. I realize it would take some manual labor on my part, but I don't think the prep would be too difficult, especially with the smaller RamBox bed. It would be way cheaper than a professional installation. However, after seeing PowerJRod's comment, I will reconsider using this product.

Last I'm gonna say anything on this thread.

If you do it yourself I'd expect 5+ hours of hard work just to prep the bed. I can't stress this enough, prep is the key to things like bed liner and powder coating. If you take shortcuts you end up with a product that looks great for 2 weeks until it tears because you only took 2 hours to "prep" the surface. When I take on projects like this I put my hourly rate against what it costs to pay someone else. 5+ hours of hard labor, plus several hours to paint it correctly, plus a day to cure, and $600 to drop it off at a shop for a day or two starts to look pretty good. To me it's definitely not worth it for a lease. Use a bed mat, and call it a day.

I used the Herculiner spray on the roof of my Titan when the clear coat faded after a decade in the sun. I sanded, then wire brushed, then extensively cleaned the roof to where there was barely any paint left, and it took around 3 hours. Then I sprayed 3 coats, which took all of an hour.

 

[jdmartin]

I wouldn't sweat it based on that picture. They're not going to gig you on that. Nissan sent me a "lease return guide" last time I leased that had examples of acceptable dents, scratches, interior stains and tears, etc. That scratch wouldn't even register being inside the bed.

 

[SilverNight2020]

Last I'm gonna say anything on this thread.

If you do it yourself I'd expect 5+ hours of hard work just to prep the bed. I can't stress this enough, prep is the key to things like bed liner and powder coating. If you take shortcuts you end up with a product that looks great for 2 weeks until it tears because you only took 2 hours to "prep" the surface. When I take on projects like this I put my hourly rate against what it costs to pay someone else. 5+ hours of hard labor, plus several hours to paint it correctly, plus a day to cure, and $600 to drop it off at a shop for a day or two starts to look pretty good. To me it's definitely not worth it for a lease. Use a bed mat, and call it a day.

I used the Herculiner spray on the roof of my Titan when the clear coat faded after a decade in the sun. I sanded, then wire brushed, then extensively cleaned the roof to where there was barely any paint left, and it took around 3 hours. Then I sprayed 3 coats, which took all of an hour.

It's all good. I understand your thought process and the way you weigh your time and labor vs dropping it off. I wouldn't have started the thread if I didn't want honest feedback. I really value this forum and everyone on here to help me realize my own limitations for DIY projects and for helpful advice. So your feedback is welcomed and appreciated.

 

[SilverNight2020]

I wouldn't sweat it based on that picture. They're not going to gig you on that. Nissan sent me a "lease return guide" last time I leased that had examples of acceptable dents, scratches, interior stains and tears, etc. That scratch wouldn't even register being inside the bed.

I was really nervous about leasing a truck, knowing how I like to help people haul stuff. My salesman said it is just part of the the normal wear and tear expectations, but I didn't really trust anything he said. Thank you for your feedback.