Bed box protection

I attempted a search on the subject but was swamped with posts about bed lining, mats, etc. What I'm interested in hearing about is how folks protect the top and outside of a bed box when getting loads of gravel, mulch, topsoil and the like.

In my current aged truck I have no issue pulling up in the lot and having the loader drop a half-yard of gravel in the bed; however I plan to buy new soon and would definitely be apprehensive about minor damage.

Are there magnetic pads that would cover the sides of the bed, sort of like those tailgate pads that I've seen?
The yard I visit has a front-end loader operator that's quite good; however dumping a 6ft wide bucket load of gravel into a small PU bed is a challenge.

Ideas?

 

Tacoma world taught me one thing for certain.

Renting a trailer is far cheaper than people think. Unless you dont have a hitch of course.

 

You'd have to be nuts to trust a loader operator to dump into the bed of a new truck.

 

or maybe one wants to use their new truck like the tool it is...

scratches and scuffs make for good stories. there's no story behind a clean rifle.

 

A poorly-operated front end loader can literally destroy a truck with bulk materials. Or, at a very minimum, cause a ton of cosmetic damage.
But hey, it's ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ his money. Buy a $50K small truck and load it up with materials by the yard. Makes perfect sense.

Just a reminder:

Yards charge $15-20 bucks for a poly bag. A fraction of the cost of one single PDR repair. How much does a new rear window cost?

 

Oh, I think I might have posted in the wrong forum. I meant to post in the 'Trucks used as they were meant to be used' forum.

 

If you're having some dude who just smoked a joint out back dump a load of gravel in your brand new truck's bed, then more power to you.

I get my stuff delivered. Or I have them load up bags for me to pick up. The bags can be placed with some degree of precision and lowered gently.

You're not going to get a magnetic anything to stick to the bed of a new Taco, btw.

Good luck!

 

This gulf wing BetterBuilt has been on 5 trucks since the 90's, I just use a big tarp. By the time the loader gets to the pile, I have it all laid out, up over the box so it's easier to clean up when it gets low. Carries a half yard. The local yard uses both a big and small loader, they're usually mindful.

 

Yeah, line the truck bed with a Heavy Duty tarp prior to loading it up.

 

Well, I actually am a loader operator and I've dumped into the beds of literally hundreds of pickup beds, with a really big loader, and I haven't destroyed one yet. I do warn anyone with a new looking truck that I can't guarantee a paint chip won't happen but that doesn't seem to scare anyone off and it's unlikely to happen anyway.

Would I let any other loader guy dump into my truck? Fuck no, you think I'm nuts?

For reference, my truck and the loader I run.

 

if you're really worried get some cardboard like fridge or TV box size and drape it over the rails and against the cab. should be sufficient and free behind most big box stores