Tips for bedlining Leer topper / suspension questions

So I finally found a used mid-rise topper for my '12 DC. It's the Leer 180. I bought the Raptor Liner kit and am planning to bedline the topper to color match my truck. Hoping some of you have experience with this to answer a few questions. I already google searched and looked up youtube, but still have a few questions.

1) If I remove all the windows, then spray it, will the windows be difficult to fit back into place? I'm wondering if the windows won't seal as well if I go this route.

2) Planning to add rooftop tracks for a rack. Should I drill the holes before I bedline or would it not be a big difference to drill after?

3) I'm considering spraying with black paint instead of the bedliner. I already have an air compressor to paint. Opinions on paint vs bedline?

Now a request for suspension tips. I have the Bilstein 6112 up front set to 1.9" lift. Rears have Bilstein 5160s with stock leafs. I have a wooden drawer system in the bed along with the topper. With the weight, my rear sags about an inch or so. Considering 1"-1.5" blocks or a shackle. Wondering if I should also add an expansion pack for better weight support?

 

Look into the RAS Road Active Suspension. Should solve your issues. I just added a topper a couple months ago. This is what I am leaning towards. 2 levels - Standard Duty $539 and Heavy Duty $589. Standard Duty lifts your rear an inch and a half. Heavy Duty is 2 to 3 inches.



www.activesuspension.com

 

Another vote for RAS HD kit. Unless of course you have the funds to go the right way and grab some aftermarket leaf packs. I did both and the results are phonomenal, but also costly. Very minimal sag and the headlights are in focus with literally a ton of cargo in my truck. As for the camper, you could mask the window sealing lines. Just use a body pen to draw around them before removing them. Mask down to the line, paint the sealing area black. Wait for cure. Mask the newly painted black sealing area. Then shoot the rest. You'll have black sealing areas that will blend in with the seals and it'll look decent.

 

With the stock leafs I went with +1 shackles and it sits level with the front, which is 5100 in +1.5" setting.

When I load it up for wilderness trip, it sags quite a bit in back. I'm considering Dobinson leafs.

If you plan to have a dry topper then don't drill it.

This style of cap actually looks nice and matching to your gen2 curvy lines.

 

Check out the Line-x dealer in your area. I was quoted $500 for them to cover the cab roof on my 07 SR5 crew cab. They can color match too...they said. The hard part of painting a topper like that is LOTS of prep labor, to get it decent looking...and then the sun & UV rays get to it anyway. It will only take 3.5 to 4 hours for my cab roof...start to finish, and they apparently heat their product before applying.

 

Plastic dip the wheels red. Then everything will match.

 

Durabek has custom colors and can be rolled on. Really good results. I'd leave the windows on and just tape them. Pull tape after 2nd coat of liner when still wet. Stuff is great.

https://www.durabakcompany.com/collections/bed-liner

bedliner is rough textured. You can also get a smooth textured one.

 

I got a quote for professional bedliner job for $800. The market sucks up her in Alaska. Decided to bedline myself with the windows still on. Not worth the hassle of taking them out.

Suspension I'm still deciding. Will probably go with add-a-leafs. Thanks for the responses.

 

I just sprayed some raptor liner on my 07 bed and it was VERY forgiving to spray. First coat I used higher pressure like 60psi and it had a smoother texture (great for one coat on bedrails and probably on a cap) then turned it back to 35 psi and a longer spray distance for a rough bed liner texture on next two coats on bed floor. It coated so easily, no streaking once dry, easier than rattle can spray paint. And it hardened super tough in a couple hours although it says 72hrs to cure before getting wet. I would easily use this product again to spray other project.

I used a degreaser and a garden hose for initial strip, then used a dura-gold abrasive nylon cup brush on a harbor freight polisher to prep the old bed liner, paint, and metal. Then cleaned with degreaser and pressure washer, then final alcohol wipe down. A quick spray with UPOL adhesion promotor. And finally the raptor liner. First coat on 8ft bed and rails took less than 25 mins to spray. I used 6qts total for a heavy coating all over.

 

On the suspension part I would say a 1 inch block or even an ADD a leaf would be helpful in itself. Super easy install and will give you a tad more functional support

 

That's very helpful info. Think the adhesion promotor is necessary for a topper? From the vids I've seen, doesn't look like people use it for toppers.

Yeah, I'm now just thinking about doing a simple block. Maybe in a year or 2 do a complete suspension overhaul.

 

Good call. I have some aluminum lifting blocks and hardware laying around for a rear lift. I was gonna do that same thing to offset my rear being lower than the front but I went ahead and put on some kings haha

 

If you're going to go the bed liner route, have you considered doing the front and rear bumpers to match while your at it?

As far as your lift options I've always been a fan of add a leaf over blocks/spacers. Provides better overall value without going all out on kings or the like.

 

Twinkies!


After a couple days the color quit bugging me.

 

Probably not as long as you can easily scuff everywhere that's getting painted to give the liner something to stick to. Probably most concerned around windows. But for the $20 I figured I'd unload a whole can on the inside corners of the bed and bed rails as long as I was doing it!

 

^^^this

any painting project requires proper preparation. The prep you put into it will directly correlate to the results. Kinda like this 7 P's rule.

proper
prior
planning
prevents
piss
poor
performance

 

That escalated quickly, lol.

Yeah, I'm considering spraying the bumpers too. I'm guessing the metal bumpers would need an adhesion primer for the bedliner to stick well. I did find some Hooke Road front and rear bumpers that look pretty good, but they don't ship to Alaska...

 

I used to have an ‘03 ranger xlt that I rhino lined the whole truck. Came out nice and was definitely a neck breaker lol would I recommend painting even just a camper shell let alone a whole truck? Not really, unless you’re looking to really thrash it hauling material or off roading.

 

RAS Road Active Suspension just posted their Black Friday Sale yesterday. Glad I waited, I saved over $100 and free shipping.