-LMC: 1/8" Polyvinyl Rear Mat Installation-

Not every suburban is a two-wheel-drive wonder that totes children and moms to soccer practices around the world. There are few out there that actually use the cargo space for hauling things heavier than groceries.

Many of these trucks came in the Silverado trim, and that included carpet in the rear behind the second row of seats. We found through regular camping/hauling trips that involved sliding heavy items along the carpet would rip it from the front and rear aluminum trim. Given the amount of work the blue suburban saw, the factory carpet didn't stick around too long. It was covered up by a modified pickup bed mat, and while that was a cheap and effective solution to the problem, no style points were awarded. Subsequently, it was decided to install factory style rubber flooring in place of the ghetto pickup mat.

Long Motor Company (LMC) carries a polyvinyl mat that is 1/8" thick and cut to rough factory dimensions. Though the fit and finish of the product wasn't perfect, this turned out to be a great bang for the buck for anyone that can measure and cut. Or is it cut, cut, cut...measure?

We chose to start with fresh insulation. In a previous project, we had completely replaced the insulation at the front of the truck with jute padding, and have since enjoyed the quieter ride. We decided that jute was just the ticket for the rear. So, the carpet and asphalt insulation was yanked, then the bare metal floor was washed, sanded, and cleansed with Naptha.

We purchased ten square yards of insulation, and though it was more than we needed, the material is cheap. Allow for some error and buy extra. We then laid out our jute padding in the rear over the now bare floor and marked the cutouts for the walls and fender wells. It's always smart to cut an inch over/under and allow for trimming to get that perfect fit. We still had plans for a 3rd seat, so the appropriate holes were cut. To keep that padding from coming up, use a spray on upholstery adhesive. We chose to use a Permatex general purpose adhesive and it did the trick.

Next up was laying out the actual flooring. It comes oversized, so there's quite a bit of trimming to be done. Again, holes were cut for the 3rd seat fasteners and the mat was bonded to the insulation with the same adhesive as before. We went back with the original aluminum trim behind the second row of seats and at the rear threshold.

The kit comes with polyvinyl covers for the fender wells, but when it came time to put them on, they didn't fit. They are made such that they don't follow the contours of the fender well at all. We were very disappointed in their quality, and chose to keep the carpeted fender well covering and factory insulation in place.

Now we have a heavy duty flooring that maintains the low interior sound level that we want, plus it can stand up to the punishment of a full size spare, tools, spare parts, and the rigors of truck life.

The quality of the kit is on par for the price paid. The flooring has been in place for about a year now, and it has stood up well so far. This is a good option for those that have some experience in laying automotive carpet and insulation, but even novices can do well if going slow and taking careful measurements.