Posted 2005-06-02 11:02 AM (#26002) Subject: Gooseneck Ball and Drop In Bedliner?
Member
Posts: 10
Location: Sumner, Texas
Has anyone ever rigged a gooseneck ball with a drop in bedliner? Does anyone have any idea about how to reliably seal around the ball so that water doesn't get under the bedliner?
Posted 2005-06-02 11:16 AM (#26004 - in reply to #26002) Subject: RE: Gooseneck Ball and Drop In Bedliner?
Expert
Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
I installed the B&W ball first, then the drop-in bed liner on a 2001 Chevy.
The corrugations that match the bed are the hardest part to seal. I used big gobs of RTV silicon seal. I also have a 20 year old truck with a GN hitch and a bed liner. Rust has not been a problem with either the old or new truck...
Posted 2005-06-02 11:52 AM (#26008 - in reply to #26002) Subject: RE: Gooseneck Ball and Drop In Bedliner?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 634 Location: Tipton, IN
You cant seal a drop in bedliner well enough to not get water under it. Even the factory installed ones aren't water sealed. Think about this, if you dont bolt it in place it can still move when loading, unloading and so on. RTV is not going to be able to maintain a seal on two moving surfaces that are not mechanically interlocked. So then it you bolt it down you just created another potential rust problem where you drilled the holes. Pull the bedliner, put in the ball, and spray the bed with PU coating of choice, i.e.: Scorpion, ZIebart, Rhino, etc..
Posted 2005-06-02 8:16 PM (#26024 - in reply to #26002) Subject: RE: Gooseneck Ball and Drop In Bedliner?
Regular
Posts: 70 Location: Spanaway,Wa
I agree the spray in liner is the best way to go if you have the funds. I just don't like how the plastic liner moves and rubs the paint off under it. If you must use the drop in liner there is a sealer called sicaflex that will seal dam near anything and may survive the movement. You should be able to get it at a truck supply store as they use it to reseal freight trailers. It's good stuff just don't get any on ya!
Posted 2005-06-03 7:31 AM (#26030 - in reply to #26002) Subject: RE: Gooseneck Ball and Drop In Bedliner?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 455 Location: Ontario - east of TO
I did the Line-x in mine - though I needed the line-x as the box was rusting due to a poorly fitting liner (and it's a 1992). I like the look of it and the box will never rust now. it wasn't too expensive, $550 Canadian for a long box and they had to do a lot of pre work on mine but the price is set for box size - so I got a deal I think - he said it was the worst he'd ever done .... the whole box had to be sand blasted - there were no area's rusted through, just surface rust but over the whole thing.
Posted 2005-06-03 7:44 AM (#26031 - in reply to #26030) Subject: RE: Gooseneck Ball and Drop In Bedliner?
Veteran
Posts: 225 Location: Kansas City
Leave your liner in - don't worry about sealing - it leaks in other places. Use it and beat it up. Put some money aside for the spray on liner. Then you can do two things. Repace the liner and move on the spray on, or when you get ready to sell, use the money for the spray on and get a higher price when you sell your truck with a brand new spray on liner in it.
Gooseneck Ball and Drop In Bedliner?
.... the whole box had to be sand blasted - there were no area's rusted through, just surface rust but over the whole thing.