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Pendaliner SR Skid Resistor

By Shawn Pagan

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Testing...Testing...1...2...3...
There's not much to installing the Penda. It takes about 15 minutes from unpacking to backing out of the bay, and that included me stopping them for a few pictures along the way.

Over the next six months, I spent time using the bed as I normally would, but I also took time to make sure I dropped stuff into it harder then I would have if the liner wasn't present. Here's a sample of the stuff I have hauled around over the past few months.

Pendaliner SR Skid Resistor
Delivering computer parts to TMTC
Pendaliner SR Skid Resistor
Delivering tires and shirts to a club meeting.

Pendaliner SR Skid Resistor
Plywood for decking in my attic.

Pendaliner SR Skid Resistor
Notice that I didn't tie anything down.
Pendaliner SR Skid Resistor
Barnwell Mountain clean up day.
Pendaliner SR Skid Resistor
Industrial garbage from the old gravel mine.
Pendaliner SR Skid Resistor
More garbage to be collected.
Pendaliner SR Skid Resistor
Installing fence and posts for my father-in-law.

As you can see, my truck gets used for a large number of various tasks, including towing my rig around to various events. I pile stuff in the back from groceries and camping gear to garbage, plywood and fence posts. After abusing the bed for over half the year, I pulled the bedliner out just to see what damage was below it. I was surprised by what I found.

Pendaliner SR Skid Resistor
While there was some minor scratching and dirt...
Pendaliner SR Skid Resistor
...the paint wasn't any worse for wear.

Now you might look at these pictures and wonder what the gray stuff between the ribs of the bed is. I can assure you that that is simply dirt that would probably be best cleaned out every once in a while. I would imagine giving it a thorough bath once every six months or so would be a good idea. But other than the small accumulation of dusty dirt, there was next to no wear on the ribs themselves. Based on the horror stories I had heard, I half expected the paint to be completely sanded off. Perhaps the new SR surface (rubberized fill) helps to protect the trucks bed and finish as much as it stops stuff from sliding around.

Pendaliner SR Skid Resistor
Notice these before pictures..
Pendaliner SR Skid Resistor
where the same dirt and shading can be seen.

I also had next to no moisture buildup under the bedliner. When encountering rain or washing the vehicle, water simply ran out the back of the tailgate as it had done without the bedliner and airflow under the liner was sufficient to dry the bed, preventing the "rusting" problems so many of the drop-in liner opponents have mentioned.

What is not shown in any of these pictures are the easy-access holes in the bedliner that allow access to the stock tie-down hooks in the front floor and rear tailgate area of the my Dodge truck. These tie-downs become quite handy when carrying a large load and with the removable rubber covers supplied with the Pendaliner, they are easily accessible. However, you will need to store the covers someplace to re-install when you are done.

I would expect that over the course of a couple of years that you will lose one or two of these covers and have to contact Penda to get them replaced. There are also slots in the sides to place boards that allow you to make a two-tier bed for more compartmental loading. This would be great for hauling two by fours underneath and plywood on top for those larger projects.

Overall, I have been pleased with the performance of the bedliner. Unlike a lot of products on the market today, it performs as advertised and it's easy to install. For the most part, stuff no longer slides around in the bed of my truck, (even plastic ice chests stay put as long as I drive normally), I still have access to my tie-downs, and I don't have any additional dents in the bed.

Unlike other drop-in bedliners I have seen, the Penda does not curl up like an arc in the middle of the bed, nor do the corners flap around and make noise. The liner cleans up well, looks shiny and new and overall makes the bed of the truck look much nicer. It is easy to clean with a hose or power sprayer and I worry much less about what I'm putting in the truck bed.

If you are in the market for a bedliner for your pickup, - make a decision that' s right for how you use the truck and not one based on the hype of the different bedliner manufacturers. But do be sure to have a look at Penda Corporation's Pendaliner SR. It's something old that might just surprise you with what's new.

Resources

Penda Corporation
2344 West Wisconsin St.
Portage, WI 53901
(608) 742-5301
www.pendacorp.com

Johnson GT
15967 Kuykendahl Rd.
Houston, TX 77068
(281) 637-0800
www.johnsongt.com

 

Shawn Pagan

Shawn Pagan is a staff writer for ROCKCRAWLER.com, as well as Our Land Use Editor. Shawn resides north of Houston, TX.

Contact Shawn at thepagan@rockcrawler.com

 

 

 
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