Day in and day out, dump trucks and their operators pick up, transport, and deposit a multitude of different materials between various job sites. Whether it’s dirt, steel, or hot asphalt being moved, the bed of the dump truck needs to be able to handle it. However, hauling around high-density and possibly high-temperature materials can cause a significant amount of damage to the interior of the bed. This can ultimately reduce its overall effectiveness and make it more difficult for dump truck operators to dump all the materials in a timely manner. Fortunately, advances in dump truck liner technology have made most of these concerns a thing of the past. Learn what truck bed liners are made of and why they work so well.
Traditional Dump Truck Bed Liner Materials
Before we can understand what types of truck bed liners work best, it’s important to have an idea of what isn’t as effective. Traditionally, many liners were made from thick steel or aluminum that was carefully bent to fit snugly in the bed of a standard dump truck. While it definitely helped protect the bed from short-term damage, neither was resistant to tearing or puncturing under prolonged stress. Additionally, these materials were thick and heavy, which not only affected how much a standard load weighed but also reduced the truck’s maximum haul capacity. Essentially, they provided only a temporary solution to a set of recurring problems.
Ideal Dump Truck Liner Materials
Modern-day truck bed liners are made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, or UHMW-PE—otherwise known as heavy-duty plastic. This allows the liner to mold better to the inside of the truck bed and provide a better surface to keep materials from sticking. While it might initially seem that steel would be a better protector against abrasive materials, UHMW-PE, when combined with other substances, provides increased reinforcement against abrasive materials. In fact, this plastic is often infused with a combination of other materials, such as glass and silicone, to achieve different effects. Those made with silicone additives are most effective at handling high-temperature and sticky materials, while infused glass helps increase overall abrasion and impact resistance. So it’s just a matter of finding the dump truck bed liner model that works well with what you’re transporting.
