How to Drill Through Bed Liner? Steps and Guide

Being an expert in automotive is like giving answers to motorists’ queries. In the last month, many truck owners have visited me and asked How to Drill Through Bed Liner? As many motorists find it quite difficult to drill a hole. I am considering proposing a guide on drilling through the bed liner. 

Puncturing a hole in the truck bed while a bed liner install is uncomplicated. Though drilling is not a tricky task, you only need to know some basic techniques and appropriate methods to dig a hole through the drill. So stay with me and know the easy tricks to make a hole through the bed liner.

What is a Bed Liner?

Every motorist knows the importance of the bed liner in the truck bed. It protects the truck’s bed from getting rust and corrosion. In addition, a bed liner stops the gear from shifting and moving around the truck’s bed. It keeps the cargo in its place. 

Apart from this, a bed liner makes access to the cargo easy as it smoothly glides the gear to the owner without getting stuck. Many people go with the Installation of the tonneau cover with bedliner.

How to Drill Through Bed Liner? Drilling into Truck Bed

Have you ever been stuck in a condition when you thought of drilling a hole through a bed liner? Following are the steps to cope with this problem.

1. First thing first, take a drill machine (portable or electric), rivet nuts, rivet nut tool, Plusnet tool, and heat spray gun.
2. Consider the place or area where you want to drill a hole through the bed liner.
3. Make rough measurements and create a point or circle with colored chalk.
4. Grab the drill machine and drill a hole to a rough size to get it started.
5. Next, take the nut and measure its size with the help of a caliper to know the exact size for drilling the hole into the bed liner. 
6. Now, hose the spray paint, or you can use brush paint inside the holes. It resists to get any rust or fade with the span of time. 
7. Remember to use a heat spray gun to dry it quickly if you are in a hurry.
8. Moreover, get the Plusnut and insert the rivet nut on the mandrel. Put the Plusnut tool into the bedliner and rotate the knob on the back to run the mandrel. Just take both handles and compress them. By doing this, the nut bounds inside the bed liner. 
9. Do the same method on other drill holes. 
10. After finishing with the inserting bolts, get your hands on nuts. Attach the nuts inside the bolts with the help of the ratchet. 

Warning: Do not make nuts too tight; otherwise, it will create problems for you next time. Ensure the nuts are a snug fit. 

This is the most straightforward way to drill a hole through the bedliner. 

Drilling through Truck bed Rails

Drilling a hole into the rails is a piece of cake. Bed rails are like metal sheets. They easily puncture and make further steps easy for you. Sometimes when installing the tonneau cover, you need to cut the bedliner to adjust the bedcover. So, cutting and drilling are not that difficult.

• As far as it concerns the drilling, all you need to do is make a hole into the bed rails using a drill machine. 
• Next, insert the bolt piece inside the hole with the help of the plusnut tool. 
• Further, slide the nut into the bolt area and securely tighten it.  

Tip: If you worry about rust, use a primer or paint the holes before installing the screws. This can prevent corrosion. 

Read our detailed analysis on What Will Diesel Fuel Do To A Bedliner?

Under Rail vs Over Rail Bedliner

Bedliner or Truck bed liner installs over the truck’s bed. It protects the truck’s bed from abrasive damage. There are precisely two types of bedliners for rails; Under Rail and Over Rail bedliner. 

Under Rail Bedliner

Under-the-rail liners are designed to protect the inside of your bed from harm. They start at the bottom of the inside of your truck bed and stop before the rails. Since the bed is still protected, you can attach custom rail caps, rails, ladder racks, and other items.

Over Rail Bedliner

Over-rail bed liners shield the top of the vehicle rails, adding additional protection for the bed rails. They provide access to the factory tie hooks and are precisely constructed to match the vehicle type. The over-rail bedliner is the best choice for optimal protection without bed top attachments. 

Under rail vs Over rail Bedliner – Comparison

Though both Under rail VS over rail bed liners are equally crucial, an under-rail bedliner is an excellent choice for those who want to install a tonneau cover or camper shell over the truck bed later. 

Similarly, Over rail bedliner designs provide the next level of protection for the bed rails. Moreover, I recommend this bedliner for those who plan to keep the truck bed open and do not want to fit additional accessories. 

Why don’t you read How to Cut the Bed Liner for Tonneau Cover – Technical Solution

Bed Stake Pockets 

Because they lessen the possibility of damage to your truck, stake pocket ties are crucial. A corrosion-resistant coating is applied to modern vehicle bodies to prevent rust. Nonetheless, drilling through the bed walls exposes the body’s inside metal, which is vulnerable to corrosion. 

Because of its small weight, it saves fuel and can be removed when not needed. It can safely transport weights weighing up to 500 pounds.

Drilling through Truck Frame

Drilling a hole in the frame of a vehicle is a straightforward procedure. Some vehicle frames may not have pre-drilled holes in them. To do this task properly, use the hitch as a model and mark all the holes that need to be drilled. Then, lower the hitch and drill a hole using a drill machine. Make a tiny hole to begin with. Drill the frame till the necessary hole is obtained.

Can you drill into the side of a truck bed?

Yes, you can drill into the side of a truck bed. But take some notes after drilling. Undoubtedly bed sides are excellent with drilling. However, there are chances of rusting after the drilling. The best you can do to prevent corrosion is apply primer or paint the hole to seal the area and the hole. 

Final Words

Drilling a hole through bed liners is not a tough job. All you need to do is take some precautions and learn a few techniques to deal with it. You can drill a hole by yourself. In this article, I have explained how to drill through a bed liner. Moreover, I also mentioned how you could drill through other body parts of the vehicle.