Thanks odat - I did buy a small 2" wire brush and had some good luck getting the bed's padding off super easy. I went back to the store and got an 8" one that has a scraper like you're talking about on the end - probably pretty much the same thing. I know I'll need to scrape some gaskets pretty soon too. Dreading that.

 

Read somewhere that the truck bed liner products are highly toxic and not to be used on the interiors of vehicles. Just a heads up.

 

Zenith Thanks for that info! I researched what you said and have learned a ton of truck bed liners DO indeed exhale terrible things for humans called VOCs, volatile organic compounds. CFCs, chlorofluorocarbons. Who would have thunk. I found this or something to the effect on many websites:
Looks like LizardSkin and Line-X are safe for doing what I want, but LizardSkin is about 3x more than what I'm willing to pay. I'm waiting for Line-X to get back to me.

But how about this? Anyone ever heard of doing this? I've read that you can use latex house paint of your favorite flavor and mix in ceramic hollow microspheres.. I guess it makes it sound absorbing and super insulating tough coating you can put on anything. This company sells the microspheres Buy Hy-Tech Insulating additive for paint and make your paint INSULATE and also sells it premixed with house paint. I'm thinking maybe, maybe I can mix something like shredded rubber, microspheres, and non-toxic latex paint, put it on the back tailgate panel and test it out.

Thoughts?

 

I sprayed the interior of my '88 with some kind of aerosol can spray-on bed liner stuff (don't remember what brand) and I never noticed any fumes. My Blazer was pretty well-ventilated, though (no top or doors), so YMMV.

 

I've seen utility truck with rubber matted floors. I'm assuming that the latex paint would accomplish the same... maybe do a few layers more then the few layers, pending the brand some can take a beating...

 

Tom A If it were open I'd agree that the cheapest would do, but mine will most likely be closed up most of the time and baking at 200 degrees in the AZ summer so I'd better do some due diligence

DonL I agree, and seeing that latex paint and the additives are pretty cheap, that will most likely be the way I go. If it does start to peel, I can just paint another coat on it. I'm planning on getting a cordless paint sprayer in the future so it'll be easy to touch up holes that probably won't work; with a paint brush.

 

Along with your additive I would suggest exterior paint and in a satin or gloss as it has more solids and holds up better, you may also may want to look into latex floor paint, it lasts for a long time and handles abuse on cement floors so it may hold up better than just latex house paint.

 

odat Good thinking... I'll add that to my specs