K
And why?
Marlon or DuraDeck - Which would you choose?
- Thread starter KhaosRipcord
- Start date
Cant comment for or against the Marlon,
I have a dura deck, I like the ramp assist for single person use, the ramp is very strong. it has held up to 1000lb sxs (think Kubota rtv 900 diesel)
the legs are adjustable in height, turn buckle tie down (no drilling holes in box)
Lights are bright, loading lights are very handy,
Super clamps and track straps included
Aluminum non slip deck option
Power adjust slide outs option (no more freezing in place)
Winch option.
Bought mine raw aluminum and polished it.
Until recently I used mine 365 days a year as a 8x8 flatbed in the summer hauling construction materials, semi truck parts, skid steer buckets, lawn debris.
and in the winter for sleds. no issues
(Bought a gooseneck equipment trailer)
I bought the Duradeck mainly as they are local to me, built exactly what I wanted at what I thought was a fair price.
Built by farmers, built strong but not overkill in Tower City ND
You wont go wrong ether way, but i will be buying another Duradeck when the time comes.
any questions, call them up and talk to Shayde or Hunter.
I have a dura deck, I like the ramp assist for single person use, the ramp is very strong. it has held up to 1000lb sxs (think Kubota rtv 900 diesel)
the legs are adjustable in height, turn buckle tie down (no drilling holes in box)
Lights are bright, loading lights are very handy,
Super clamps and track straps included
Aluminum non slip deck option
Power adjust slide outs option (no more freezing in place)
Winch option.
Bought mine raw aluminum and polished it.
Until recently I used mine 365 days a year as a 8x8 flatbed in the summer hauling construction materials, semi truck parts, skid steer buckets, lawn debris.
and in the winter for sleds. no issues
(Bought a gooseneck equipment trailer)
I bought the Duradeck mainly as they are local to me, built exactly what I wanted at what I thought was a fair price.
Built by farmers, built strong but not overkill in Tower City ND
You wont go wrong ether way, but i will be buying another Duradeck when the time comes.
any questions, call them up and talk to Shayde or Hunter.
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K
Watching video it looks like the ramp takes up quite a bit of space underneath. What are your thoughts on bed storage or lack there of?
The ramp does sit a little lower and is a little thicker than most, but for me it still works as I can slide totes and gear bags under still.
The ramp assist bar hangs down the lowest but is easily removable.
I went through this same thought process last year and was torn between the same two options for a new truck as my old deck was tired.
Ultimately I chose Marlon (Explore II) because it worked out to be $2k cheaper for the most comparable product (omitting winch and power slides on the Dura Deck). The consumer is also responsible for freight on the Dura Deck since they don't have a robust network of dealers like Marlon, so depending on where you live vs. willingness to drive to ND to retreive, that may factor in.
So far the Marlon has been great. The rear LED bar is an incredible feature, and adds a ton of light for backing up. Ramp is heavy (good and bad). All aluminum construction is a huge upgrade from my last deck. The leg adjustments of the Explore III look better, but I'm happy as it's only an issue twice a year.
Dura Deck is a bit heavier weight (maybe 100-150lbs) than Marlon if comparing 8' decks based on my conversation with Justin, which may factor significantly if you're not using an HD truck. They are made with heavier materials in North Dakota.
It comes down to what you like more, and perhaps availability. Dura Deck is essentially built to order, while Marlon sends them in big batches from Canada. They are both great options and I doubt you'd regret either.
Ultimately I chose Marlon (Explore II) because it worked out to be $2k cheaper for the most comparable product (omitting winch and power slides on the Dura Deck). The consumer is also responsible for freight on the Dura Deck since they don't have a robust network of dealers like Marlon, so depending on where you live vs. willingness to drive to ND to retreive, that may factor in.
So far the Marlon has been great. The rear LED bar is an incredible feature, and adds a ton of light for backing up. Ramp is heavy (good and bad). All aluminum construction is a huge upgrade from my last deck. The leg adjustments of the Explore III look better, but I'm happy as it's only an issue twice a year.
Dura Deck is a bit heavier weight (maybe 100-150lbs) than Marlon if comparing 8' decks based on my conversation with Justin, which may factor significantly if you're not using an HD truck. They are made with heavier materials in North Dakota.
It comes down to what you like more, and perhaps availability. Dura Deck is essentially built to order, while Marlon sends them in big batches from Canada. They are both great options and I doubt you'd regret either.
Marlon decks are built in Tacoma, Washington.
And here I thought it was Canadian meth heads building slides that have holes that aren't quite drilled to line up... turns out it's US meth heads!
I’ve only ever used Marlon, but I will try a different brand next time. Probably limitless.
Putco light bar has failed twice. Once LED. Once control module. It needs a special
harness for ford trucks unsure about others.
Deck slides difficult to slide. Partly my fault for using liquid lubricant.
Deck isn’t remotely water resistant. Water rains onto everything underneath when the snow melts.
Putco light bar has failed twice. Once LED. Once control module. It needs a special
harness for ford trucks unsure about others.
Deck slides difficult to slide. Partly my fault for using liquid lubricant.
Deck isn’t remotely water resistant. Water rains onto everything underneath when the snow melts.
K
Thanks for the inputs. Decided to go the Duradeck route. Very happy with it. Well built and heavy duty. The electric slides are sweet. LED lighting in all the right places is also perfect.
What are you supposed to put on the slides then? I sealed mine up, but I had to put sealant that we put on houses for Siding in between all the joints on the bottom side of my deck along with the seal kit and it’s pretty darn waterproof. But I don’t care about anything that says it’s waterproof because as soon as you put that ramp back up in there after riding it melts and gets everything wet.
I’ve read about those that use a dry lube with success. Wet attracts dirt.
I ran and got some PB Blaster Graphite Dry spray. After thoroughly cleaning the grease and grease debris off all 6 extension bars, I applied the dry spray on and sprayed it into where the bars retract. I’m blown away by how it slides now. Darn near slides out by itself as I’m parked on a slight slope.
Be careful though, the stuff says it stains and makes a mess and it ain’t lying. Where gloves, spray softly and have a rag handy.
Be careful though, the stuff says it stains and makes a mess and it ain’t lying. Where gloves, spray softly and have a rag handy.
Here's the full product walkthrough — it might help you make a more informed decision!
Marlon Products is a Canadian brand, but we have branches across North America, including locations in Washington, California, Edmonton, Manitoba, and our headquarters in Agassiz.
Hey there, here are few points to help you improve your experience with our decks.
- The issue with the Putco light harnesses isn't on PUTCO's or Marlon's end — it's really just us adapting to the new tech being used in truck lights. To make things easier for you, we’ve listed the part numbers on our website under the “Sled Deck” section, so you can easily find the one that works for your setup.
- As for the Xplore Pro II, there’s not much maintenance needed, but we do recommend giving all the slide points a clean with brake cleaner and applying a bit of dry graphite spray. After that, everything should slide like butter!
I just installed the $90 Putco harness on my 24 F350.
Tap into both tail lights and trailer outlet.
6’ of excess wiring to tuck up in the frame.
Some sort of takonsha controller in the mix.
Multiple flat four connectors. None of which actually plug into the truck. Had I had more time I’d delete them for a weather proof connector. Which is exactly what Putco should have done.
Way too much expense and effort just to have the failure prone blade light.
Marlon, if you are actually listening, get rid of the overly complicated lighting in leu of a simple single plug in option.
Are other decks this complicated?
Ps
I have a Putco harness for the 17-22 Ford F350 if anyone wants it.
Tap into both tail lights and trailer outlet.
6’ of excess wiring to tuck up in the frame.
Some sort of takonsha controller in the mix.
Multiple flat four connectors. None of which actually plug into the truck. Had I had more time I’d delete them for a weather proof connector. Which is exactly what Putco should have done.
Way too much expense and effort just to have the failure prone blade light.
Marlon, if you are actually listening, get rid of the overly complicated lighting in leu of a simple single plug in option.
Are other decks this complicated?
Ps
I have a Putco harness for the 17-22 Ford F350 if anyone wants it.
