Bed Rails Scratched By Bed Rails

[drummer_boy51]

I have a 1998 extended cab and the previous owner had put those "grandpa" style bed rails on, the ones with the slots in them. The rails had been on there for who knows how long, and I had to remove them so I could put my toolbox on. When I took them off the rails left what looks to be like scratches or oxidation lines all the way down the rails of the truck. I took it to a car wash and scrubbed it that didn't take it off, and I also got some polishing compound and rubbed it on and that didn't work, so now I'm thinking the only solution is bed caps or get a body shop to buff it out or paint over it. How much do you think a body shop would charge to try to buff those lines out or paint over it? Or would bed caps be a better solution? I have a maroon truck and my toolbox is the aluminum diamond plate one, so I didn't know if chrome bed caps would look good or not. Thanks for the help!

[alancamby]

Sprayed on bed liner is another option. I like Line-X. If paint is worn to bare metal, bed caps would be a bad idea, as rust will start under them.

[drummer_boy51]

I don't think it's worn to bare metal...it doesn't look too deep, but I don't know for sure. And I would love to do a spray in bed liner, but that's just out of the question. I'm not paying $400 or so for a bed liner...that's why I was thinking a body shop could just buff it out or paint over the lines that are there.

[maddmaxx65]

wax the top of the bed rails with a good quality wax and get the bed caps - the bed caps will come with the 3m tape that's about 1/8 thickness and it will keep the cap from rubbing the rail. I put some black ones on mine and ran an extra piece of tape - one on each side of the rail before i put them . Now that it's a year later i had to take them off - what a pita that was but the paint still looked good .
http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/maddmaxx1965/The%201996%20z71%20project/2010-09-27152215.jpg here's a pic

[drummer_boy51]

That does look really good! What bed caps should I get? My toolbox is the aluminum diamond plate type, and like I said my truck is maroon with a metallic paint and I guess I have the chrome package that came with the truck...meaning chrome bumpers, chrome 454ss wheels, and chrome rocker panels. I didn't know if chrome looking bed caps and a toolbox would be too much or not. Should I get just the regular smooth bed caps or the diamond plated ones? Here's what my truck looks like...just minus the bed rails now


http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad19/drummer_boy51/TruckandThingstoSell001.jpg