Short box vs 8 foot box

[jimmyj]

Hi all

I have always been a die hard "you gotta have an 8 foot box' guy. My reasoning is that the sole purpose I have a truck is as a hauler and lessening the hauling capacity seems counter to that purpose. (I don't use my truck as a daily driver).

Nowadays though it seems just about everyone is using a short box. My truck is getting long in the tooth and i want to replace it, likely next year. I have a question for the group in this regard:

Will I be happy with a 6' box base on your similar opinions?

A few notes:
- I haven't ever had an extended cab. Never really needed it but it has looked awfully handy from the sidelines.
- I will be towning from time to time
- I mostly use the box to haul. Hay (rounds), firewood, construction materials, snowmobiles, ATV's, farm supplies, trips to the dump, that sort of stuff.
- This is not a commercial use vehicle
- Don't really care about driving a larger truck

I see so many deals on used low mileage heavy trucks but practically all of them are short boxes. I've been hoping to find a diesel (not dually) 3500 with an 8' box and extended cab but it's proving a bit of a chore.

Any comments?

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have had both and had the opportunity to drive both. My first long bed big truck was a 1996 GMC 3500 Dually 4x4 regular cab with the 454. This is the one and only and probably the last dually I will ever own or drive. Mainly used it as a airport truck and to push snow.

My next long bed was a 1999 Ford F-350 SRW diesel 4x4. It was a regular cab and a work horse.

Now comes the family and I am a keep a vehicle in the garage guy so I went to a short bed for a time. I had a Dodge hemi 4x4 crew cab 2500. It was nice because I could haul the family and dog plus keep it in the garage.

I then got a Ford F-250 Diesel 4x4 extended cab short bed. Great truck. Still have it. Perfect fit for us.

I then got back into the long bed kick and got a GMC 3500 4x4 Diesel crew cab long bed. It was a bus. Way too long for me.

I then went back to what I like, a short bed extended cab 4x4 F-350 diesel SRW. This is the perfect fit for me.

As for the bed length the few times I needed more room I should have taken the trailer to start with. With the tailgate down I hauled 50 sheets of plywood in my F-350 short bed and many times 10' lumber. Anything longer with either a long bed or short bed I would want the trailer hitched up.

Chris

 

[DanD78]

I have always had long box trucks and would not have a short one. I like to put in a 27" wide corss bed tool box and have a goose neck hitch in the bed. I still want to be able to haul all the things you talked about. A year ago I wanted to replace my long bed extended cab Silverado with a used diesel truck with a long bed and extended cab. I looked at all three major brands because they all have their strong and weak points in different years of production. New ones were crazy over priced. I looked local for months and you are right. Everyone had a short bed for sale but no long beds with extended cabs. I wanted a 250 series but ended up with a single wheel 350/4door. I don't regret getting a truck this big because it drives great and has all the power I need. I did find dealers that deal in nothing but trucks like you are looking for. They are low mile, long bed with extended cabs or 4 door. I ended up buying from a dealer on the Illinois/Wisconsin border. They had a great choice of used trucks and sold at or below book prices.

Dan

 

[magicheater]

Hi all

I have always been a die hard "you gotta have an 8 foot box' guy. My reasoning is that the sole purpose I have a truck is as a hauler and lessening the hauling capacity seems counter to that purpose. (I don't use my truck as a daily driver).
Nowadays though it seems just about everyone is using a short box. My truck is getting long in the tooth and i want to replace it, likely next year. I have a question for the group in this regard:
Will I be happy with a 6' box base on your similar opinions?
A few notes:
- I haven't ever had an extended cab. Never really needed it but it has looked awfully handy from the sidelines.
- I will be towning from time to time
- I mostly use the box to haul. Hay (rounds), firewood, construction materials, snowmobiles, ATV's, farm supplies, trips to the dump, that sort of stuff.
- This is not a commercial use vehicle
- Don't really care about driving a larger truck
I see so many deals on used low mileage heavy trucks but practically all of them are short boxes. I've been hoping to find a diesel (not dually) 3500 with an 8' box and extended cab but it's proving a bit of a chore.
Any comments?

I had the same mindset as you and actually had to order a truck w/just an 8' box. Did not end up buying it and am really glad I didn't. Ended up with a "quad cab" which has four normally opening doors but the back two are not as long as the fronts. Very handy in parking lots because you can fully open the rear doors, great for keeping tools in the back, etc. I have never missed not having an 8' box. Probably won't ever have one again. The "crew cab" is a different animal, has 4 full size doors and the wheel base reflects this. I like the maneuverability the shorter wheel base gives me. I would buy a quad cab again in a heartbeat but have many miles to go on my Dodge Ram 2500 w/Cummins diesel. my:2cents:

 

[jimmyj]

Thanks guys. I fear this may be an R1 vs R4 opinion based question but the points are good. What's tempting me is a sweet Ford F350 (not dually) deisel short box 4 door 4x4 that's for sale near me. It's a heck of a truck. There is also a Ram 2500 4x4 4 door long box.

Ahhhhhhhhhh.....:confused2:

 

[Hawghauler]

The only reason I have an 8 foot box is because they don't sell a 9 foot box. If you decide to tow 5th wheel for whatever reason the long bed rules. I had one shortbox on my plow truck in NH and did not like it at all. Holds more, and IMHO rides better. Shortbox leaves you wanting when you move stuff.

 

[MikeD74T]

Have owned 5 longbed bench seat pickups (last one with a cap), 1 Suburban, currently have crew cab 6.5' bed pickup (with a cap). Went with a crew cab vs extended for passenger legroom as my live-in grandson is going to be too big for extended cab over the duration of my ownership. Have owned various trailers for same period.All longbed pickups had obvious passenger constraints, surmountable when 2 kids were small & before child seatbelt laws. Seatbelt laws (and job change to were hauling materials was less of an issue) drove me to the Suburban. 12 years of NH salted roads moved me out of the Suburban & into the crew cab pickup. Didn't want the length of a longbed crew cab. I use my trailers more & upgraded trailer capacity as well. There are times where I don't want to use a trailer & have more stuff to haul than the 6.5' bed will allow so I adjust priorities. When we travel we take the pickup vs my wife's minivan for better ride & creature comfort. Overall I like the crew cab short bed pickup best of all my vehicles owned, with the Suburban second. The only thing I would change next time would be a split bench front seat (with electric heat) vs buckets. MikeD74T

 

[NuBota]

I would only consider the short bed if the truck's primary/sole purpose was towing (not 5th wheel). For a "jack of all trades" vehicle like I use mine - quad cab long box without doubt or regret.

I keep a toolbox in the bed most of the time and like that I can still get bulk loads from the nursery (loader has 6' bucket) without removing it and material doesn't spill over. And since the toolbox sits across the bed, there is enough room underneath (~8") for small 8' lumber loads

Like the OP, mine is not a daily driver - if it was, I may reconsider.

 

[mrennie]

My first 2 trucks were regular cab long box...my wife wanted to get an extended cab short box so we could use it for trips with more room.

We have a 2001 GMC Sierra extended cab short box (6.5' box) and while I sometimes miss the 8' box, the 6.5' does OK the majority of the time. The extra room of the extended cab is great.

With the 6.5' box, carrying any lumber longer that 8' becomes a PITA, and anything over 12' is a challenge.

A friend recently bought a Ford quad cab with a 5.5' box. You would think 1 foot shorter wouldn't be that big of a deal, but it turns out he can't even put a bicycle in the back of his truck without putting it in diagonally.

My next truck will definitely be an extended cab or quad cab, but I will not go any shorter than a 6.5' box. I wouldn't mind going back to 8' with an extended cab, but then the unit it getting pretty long and hard to park in parking lots or mall.

 

[Trails2004]

..................-I mostly use the box to haul. Hay (rounds), firewood, construction materials, snowmobiles, ATV's, farm supplies, trips to the dump, that sort of stuff.....

Hi Jimmy

In your own words you haul all sorts of stuff- ATV's, snowmobiles, construction materials... Your wont close you tailgate or keep the load off your tailgate IF you buy a short bed.

I looked at a 2010 Dodge 3500 SRW Crew Cab--now that is a truck! This truck is amazing- Take a hard look at this truck- wait a few months, used units will be on the lots.

Dont regreat your purchase- let the younger crowd buy the short beds :laughing: