Plastic truck bed liners are simple and efficient ways to protect the important equipment that you use every day to make your business work. When your trucks are used to haul heavy or abrasive materials, they can quickly degrade in quality. The items that they transport can really damage the bed of a truck, making it more liable to completely break apart. Cleaning truck beds after they have been used to move something particularly sticky or tacky can be a real chore, and who has time for that?

Using plastic truck bed liners is the best way to eliminate many of these issues. No matter what kind of materials your truck fleet regularly hauls – be it refuse, clay, coal or sludge – plastic liners can protect their integrity better than anything else on the market today. State of the art technology such as UV stabilization, corrosion-resistant UHMW and durable HMW components can all be combined to contribute to the usefulness and efficiency of plastic truck bed liners.

These types of liners are even more convenient because they can be cut to custom fit virtually any type of application imaginable. No matter what kind of equipment you generally use, there is sure to be a truck liner solution that will suit your needs perfectly. Even the largest, heaviest kinds of trucks, huge industrial sized dump trucks or a wide array of garbage trucks can easily put plastic truck bed liners to use.

Plastic truck bed liners can reduce the need for constant cleaning and repairing of your equipment. Why waste valuable manpower on this kind of maintenance, when these liners can cut those kinds of efforts in half? You will see your existing equipment last much longer than before once you start using high quality, state of the art liners. The need to constantly purchase expensive new equipment will also dramatically lessen; all of these benefits can only increase your bottom line, which is really the point of running a business in the first place.

When you decide to purchase a plastic truck bed liner, you should make sure that it does use the most cutting edge materials and the best design available today. The liners that you use should be of the absolute best quality, so that you can rest easy knowing that they do the job that they set out to do. Liners that are easy to install are also highly preferable to ones that are difficult. Take all of these things into consideration when you are looking for plastic truck bed liners, and you will find the best ones for your needs.

Horn Plastics specializes in dump truck bed liners, featuring Super-Slide UHMW and HMW industrial plastic liners for truck beds, trailers and truck boxes, dump trucks, garbage trucks, tandem trucks, end dumps, and bins.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/benefits-of-plastic-truck-bed-liners-862598.html

Today’s truck bed covers come in a variety of designs and with a variety of materials. Design selection includes soft rollup, folding, retractable, hard, hinged, and toolbox.

Historically, the most basic type of truck bed covers are made from cloth or vinyl and use a rib-like system to support the fabric and keep it taut. The next most common type of truck bed cover is the roll-up truck bed cover which is a unit mounted at the front of the bed just behind the cab. There is usually a small rectangular box attached at each side of the bed and inside the box is a retractable fabric or plastic cover that can be rolled out and secured to the end of the bed. This type is more convenient to use as it doesn’t involve any difficult or time-consuming assembly or disassembly unlike other styles.

Hard plastic or fiberglass truck bed covers are quite popular because they have the best appearance. These covers tend to be painted to match the truck (unlike the other styles which are generally black), fiberglass is solid in construction, and can be locked making it more secure than the other types. Fiberglass tops are usually heavy and requires gas struts to assist in opening and closing them. They operate much like a vehicles hood, opening from the tailgate end of the bed (back to front). Some of these truck bed covers are available with multiple compartments that will open front to back, back to front, side to side, or even rise vertically. Fiberglass or hard plastic truck bed covers are sometimes installed as a factory option with some new vehicles.

>>> Read Part 2 of Putting a Bed Cover on Your Truck >>>

A folding truck bed cover is favored by many because of their fast and easy bed access, simple installation and value. The hinged truck bed covers transform your truck’s bed into a full-blown trunk. Fast, pivoting access is the hallmark of the hinged tonneau.  Retractable tonneau covers offer the best security for your truck bed. Once you add a retractable tonneau cover, it’s like having an industrial strength garage door protecting your cargo. Plus, retractable tonneau covers deliver a stylish, low profile that not only looks great, but helps to improve fuel economy.

And last, the toolbox truck bed covers bring together the best of the bed world – tool storage and bed coverage. Toolbox bed covers are for truck owners who want a tonneau cover but don’t really want to give up the advantage of owning a truck toolbox.

Truck bed covers also help protect your vehicle’s bed from rusting or filling full of leaves and debris while parked.

So whether you want to save gas, protect your belongings or keep your truck bed free from debris, a truck bed cover is the way to go – it’s just a matter of deciding which one.

Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgeable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used cars in Austin and the surrounding area and is known as one of the bad credit car dealers in Austin. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/putting-a-bed-cover-on-your-truck-845893.html

Most camper shells today come made either of fiberglass or aluminum. Each have their own qualities that you should weigh before choosing which is right for you.

Fiberglass Camper Shells:

• Shells are made from custom molds, which are designed specifically for your truck make, model, and year.
• Contour around the cab of your vehicle for a nice custom fit and a sleek look.
• Start in the $1,000 price range.
• Come painted to match the paint code of your vehicle, as specified by the truck manufacturer.

Aluminum Camper Shells:

• Are made from a standard mold and is only made to fit the bed of your truck (front of the cap may be taller or shorter than the cab of your truck).
• Do not contour around the truck’s cab.
• Start in the $400 price range
• Have only standard colors to choose from.

When picking out your camper shell, carefully examine how it was built. There are some brands of camper shells that are of high quality while others of less quality. What can you look for in evaluating the quality of your camper? Start with things like how the windows are installed – are they crooked or do they have gaps? How are the cuts of the doorjambs?  Are all the lines clean and even? Many campers are made from molds, especially those designed to fit your truck. But even with a mold, some manufacturers skimp on the details.

>>> Read Part 2 of Choosing a Truck Camper Shell >>>

What about durability for your camper shell? Fiberglass should be examined for thickness, at a minimum you want to see a double-layer. Some are made with a honeycomb reinforcement which creates a double pocket and adds rigidity.

What kind of locking mechanism does your camper shell come with? Some manufacturers use rotary latches, which work nicely.  Check to see if your camper shell is built with galvanized cables or stainless-steel rods. The stainless-steel rods are more secure while cables can come loose at the crimps.  Other locking features include a pop-out lock that fits flush with the cover, keyless remote options, or slam latches.

When paying to have your camper shell installed investigate how well it is being put on. Installing a camper shell takes some precision. Inexpensive installation may include the use of foam tape. Professionals suggest a shell should be installed with two, two-bolt seals, so that you get four weather-stripping seals across the bottom of the camper.

The mounting mechanism should also appear unobtrusive. You should just see the top of the bolt with a washer on it; not a big bulky clamp.

What is the downside of putting a camper shell on your truck? The only major complaint truck owners have is that camper shells are relatively heavy and inconvenient to remove and replace on a frequent basis. It usually takes at least two people to remove or install. But beyond that, putting a nice protective cover over your truck’s bed may be worth the occasional struggle to remove it.

Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgeable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used cars in Austin and the surrounding area and is known as one of the bad credit car dealers in Austin. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/choosing-the-right-camper-shell-for-your-truck-845888.html