Bed Strips - Care and Feeding

[DransportGarage]

I'm getting ready to put in an order for polished bed strips, but I have noticed that some brands are 430 stainless (or 434). These are slightly magnetic, and may show signs of staining (rust) in the future. Has anyone seen this staining, or has been successful in avoiding it?

Mar-K has an excellent reputation on this board, and I'm sure they have great product. However, I spoke with Bedwood and Parts at the Goodguys show in Columbus earlier this month, and they are "bright dip clear anodized". (They are also showing up at the Street Rod Nationals in Louisville in a few weeks, and possibly can deliver them to me no shipping/handling cost.)

If anyone has any experience with staining on the strips, or with the vendors, I would appreciate hearing about it.

[OrrieG]

I like some opinions too, especially from beds that get used.

[S10Fan]

Mine (Stainless) came from Mar-K 2 years ago, no issues what so ever. They look just as good today as they did when I first opened the shipping tube. I'm off and on with a tonneau cover but my cover stayed off all winter, rain sleet and snow.

[solidaxel]

I have 2 sets one from ProsPic and one from Mar-k they are the SS and don't require much if you keep them dry.
There is a difference but the shine looks the same.
The ones from Pros pic have been on the truck for 5 years and dont show anything except dust. This truck is used daily, but not for hauling anything except a load of air!
The Mar-K strips ane new and they do as advertised, only been for about a year

[Russell Ashley]

It's a coincidence that this came up now. I ordered a set of stainless strips and bolt kit from Mar-K yesterday. It will be a while before I use them but they are offering free UPS shipping right now so I went ahead and ordered them.

[mknittle]

wax em

[DransportGarage]

Thanks to all! I'll be putting an order in to Mar-K since they sponsor this board.

[S10Fan]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

Thanks to all! I'll be putting an order in to Mar-K since they sponsor this board.

My experience with Mar-K has been 100% positive with both product and service. They're a first class operation.

[MAR-Ktech]

Originally Posted by mknittle

wax em

This is exactly right. Keep them clean and wax them once in a while just like your chrome. A little more information here: http://www.mar-k.com/facts_about_our_parts.html

We select type 430 for our strips because that alloy stainless is a "straight chromium" and its color is similar to chrome plated parts. We like that. There is no reason they should stain any more than any other chrome or stainless parts. Our bed wood finish tests are held down with stainless strips and after 6 years in the weather 24/7 they still look good, as you can see from these pictures http://www.mar-k.com/june_2010_update.html.

About the worst thing to damage stainless strips is to allow steel grinding dust to get on them and then to get them wet. This will about guarantee stains and pits, regardless of the alloy of stainless, although type 430 will not pit as severely as 300 series alloys.

Hope this helps. We believe the type 430 stainless material not only looks better but is the best material for long term durability in this application.

Mar-Ktech

[DransportGarage]

Thanks to the info in this thread, my buying confidence has gone from "iffy" to 100%. Anyone who will finish their bed wood in the future, by the way, should look at the testing Mar-K has done. (See links provided above by Mar-KTech.) They get my business.

[solidaxel]

Here is the difference in the prospic and the Mar-k strips.
The Mar-k uses a 1/4" bolt and the pros pic uses a 5/16" to hold the strips down.
There is a large quanity of both so size is not a issue.
I cut my own wood and I used a template that I made for the PP strips and there was a difference on the width of the finished product.
I have delt with Mark-k and they deliver what they say they will and ON TIME.
I think there sheet metal is thicker also, just say'n, Good Products and Made IN the USA!!!

[DransportGarage]

Thanks to all. My Mar-K strips are on order.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

Thanks to all. My Mar-K strips are on order.

Update: My Mar-K strips and angles arrived yesterday. In spite of EXCELLENT packing in a rigid tube, UPS had played hockey with them and warped the angles. (The strips survived.) I called Sherry at Mar-K, and the new ones are shipping today! Now that's service!

Question: I would like to bolt my angles to the bedsides. How hard is it to drill the stainless angles?

Thanks,

[S10Fan]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

Update: My Mar-K strips and angles arrived yesterday. In spite of EXCELLENT packing in a rigid tube, UPS had played hockey with them and warped the angles. (The strips survived.) I called Sherry at Mar-K, and the new ones are shipping today! Now that's service!

Question: I would like to bolt my angles to the bedsides. How hard is it to drill the stainless angles?

Thanks,

I'd measure 27 times and drill once with a quality bit after marking the piece with a punch. That's the way I did mine and I used my drill press to make it easier.

UPS.....As a 25 year employee of UPS I understand your frustration. I've never in my career seen as many damaged packages as I'm seeing these days. The trucks are crammed to the seams with packages, too many. We carry up to 150lb packages, those 150lb beasts wreck havoc on the smaller ones because our loaders aren't given the time needed to properly segregate them. All of this is a result of a CEO chasing numbers, record profits for 6 straight quarters, and we have the poor service to prove it. This isn't the UPS I signed on with 25 years ago, not at all. Rant Off.

[MAR-Ktech]

As stated above, it should not be any extra trouble. This stainless is easier to drill than the non-magnetic stainless materials. You probably already have the instructions, http://www.mar-k.com/54-72anglestrips.pdf but check the section on bolting the angles to the bedsides for some hints. Good luck on your project.

Mar-Ktech

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by S10Fan

I'd measure 27 times and drill once with a quality bit after marking the piece with a punch. That's the way I did mine and I used my drill press to make it easier.

UPS.....As a 25 year employee of UPS I understand your frustration. I've never in my career seen as many damaged packages as I'm seeing these days. The trucks are crammed to the seams with packages, too many. We carry up to 150lb packages, those 150lb beasts wreck havoc on the smaller ones because our loaders aren't given the time needed to properly segregate them. All of this is a result of a CEO chasing numbers, record profits for 6 straight quarters, and we have the poor service to prove it. This isn't the UPS I signed on with 25 years ago, not at all. Rant Off.

S10Fan, Thanks for the drilling info!

I get a package maybe every 2 months on average, and I've noticed more and more damage to the boxes, and sometimes the contents. (I wrapped a rear end carrier in a sturdy wax-coated box in February and it arrived outside the box!) I assumed that automated equipment at the hubs was chewing them up, but your explanation makes more sense. A record number of compaines are run "by the numbers" these days, so your words don't surprise me. How they can lose $130 on orders like this, and still make record profits is beyond me, but obviously (and unfortunately) what they are doing is working for them.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by MAR-Ktech

As stated above, it should not be any extra trouble. This stainless is easier to drill than the non-magnetic stainless materials. You probably already have the instructions, http://www.mar-k.com/54-72anglestrips.pdf but check the section on bolting the angles to the bedsides for some hints. Good luck on your project.

Mar-Ktech

Not only is the product great, but you folks sent me these instructions as well. Now I have actually read them!

[mknittle]

I once worked with a guy that loaded UPS trucks at night. he sort of reminded me of the monkeys in the old Samsonite commercial.