Short box vs 8 foot box

[Pops15]

There a couple of contractors using short bed pick ups. Those guys ALWAYS pull enclosed trailers. I can't think of a single contractor around here that uses a short bed that doesn't always have a trailer behind it.
I built big side mount tool boxes. They are 8' long, I think 28" high, and 16" deep. Each box can hold about 3 times what the steel side mount boxes hold.....and I still can't haul everything I need! I then enclosed the front and top of the box, basically turning it into an open back van. I can haul 4' wide material flat or standing on edge.

I seriously considered buying a 14' utility cube van. Several plumbing contractors have them and one would be perfect for me as they have lots of tool boxes accessible from the outside plus enough area inside above the boxes that I could leave my brake set up on one side and my compound miter saw on the other. I'd still have plenty of room (4+' X 14' x 7+' high) to haul material inside out of the weather.

Runner, I hear ya about the lack of interior cab space on the SD's.

My previous truck was an '89 F250 extended cab, 8' bed. I drove that truck for 7 or 8 years and never had any maneuverability issues with it. I guess if you're used to driving a small car a long bed + extended cab may seem difficult to maneuver, but they really aren't.

 

[Mike Costello]

My 04 F350 crewcab, 8' box is as long as they get, but you get used to it. I've never really had a problem with turning & parking because I don't push it or try to get "next" to the front door. I get more nasty looks from people about the height of the truck (completely stock) than its length.

I once got dirty looks from a tree hugger type lady who was driving a Toyota Prius with a license plate frame that said $10.00/ gal. gasoline is NOT expensive enough. She must have stayed with me for several miles, all the while never changing her attitude. So, at the first opportunity, I freshened up her interior with some diesel perfume. Mike.

 

[Renze]

I once got dirty looks from a tree hugger type lady who was driving a Toyota Prius with a license plate frame that said $10.00/ gal. gasoline is NOT expensive enough. She must have stayed with me for several miles, all the while never changing her attitude. So, at the first opportunity, I freshened up her interior with some diesel perfume. Mike.

She must have been in Europe... we pay 1 euro and 60 cts per liter which is 7.88 dollar per gallon. Most of it is tax: 19% VAT means its 1.30 without VAT. Then another 70cts is excise, which leaves 60cts for the oil company....

Few years ago our prime minister (a lefty) had a great plan: add 25 cts to the fuel price to solve the traffic jams: When it proved it wont work, the extra tax would be turned back.
Off course the extra tax on fuel didnt help a darned thing, but we never got that 25cts per liter back, and its 10 years ago now !!

You guys have no reason to complain (yet !!)


And about treehuggers: put them in a reservation, without all the modern appliances they reject so much. Lets see if they survive without fossile fuels to heat their homes, cook their dinner, no domestic animals nor crops to feed them, etcetera... Most of them will be extinct within months, because its usually the treehuggers that live so far away from nature that they invent these crazy ideas without realising what it would mean for their everyday lifes...

People with the skills to survive in bare nature, usually appreciate what ages of civilisation have brought us, and dont get these crazy ideas...

 

[TeamNH]

I have a reg cab short box. Lets start there.

My ATV fills it...completely. Tailgate has to be down, no question. I have a tool box that has to come out for the ATV to go in. It holds plenty of deer, without the ATV. But you can fill a short box in a second. For lumber, supplies and towing, a long bed is much better.

I could go on and on. I don't think you would be happy with a short box for what you are doing. If your hauling, go with the 8 foot. Short boxes are short for drive-ability.

I think soon I will be doing the same as you. I will replace my truck with a 1 ton diesel 4x4, long box. And get a cross over or SUV that is 4x4 for my daily driving.

 

[TeamNH]

OK, post #61 says he's decided so let's hang it up.

Ya.... thats nice. Too bad its an open forum. No one is forcing you to read it or post reply's. :thumbsup:

I think its a very interesting post and you never know, someone out there may have some pro or con to this we never thought of.

 

[buck12]

OK, post #61 says he's decided so let's hang it up.

We have to have something to talk about Besides its better than the thread a couple of weeks ago discussing the finer points of man/woman relationships.

 

[mjncad]

Please see interspersed comments.

My 04 F350 crewcab, 8' box is as long as they get, but you get used to it. I've never really had a problem with turning & parking because I don't push it or try to get "next" to the front door. I get more nasty looks from people about the height of the truck (completely stock) than its length.

My '99 F-250 extended cab long box has leaf springs up front so its turning radius is large to begin with; but like Mike, I don't try to park next to the front door. I try to find spaces so I can pull in and pull out. I have two good legs, so walking to the parking lot boonies isn't an issue. I avoid reverse gear in all my vehicles as much as possible in public parking lots.

I once got dirty looks from a tree hugger type lady who was driving a Toyota Prius with a license plate frame that said $10.00/ gal. gasoline is NOT expensive enough. She must have stayed with me for several miles, all the while never changing her attitude. So, at the first opportunity, I freshened up her interior with some diesel perfume. Mike.

Ah yes, a pious Prius driver...they suck.

She must have been in Europe... we pay 1 euro and 60 cts per liter which is 7.88 dollar per gallon. Most of it is tax: 19% VAT means its 1.30 without VAT. Then another 70cts is excise, which leaves 60cts for the oil company....

Few years ago our prime minister (a lefty) had a great plan: add 25 cts to the fuel price to solve the traffic jams: When it proved it wont work, the extra tax would be turned back.
Off course the extra tax on fuel didnt help a darned thing, but we never got that 25cts per liter back, and its 10 years ago now !!

You guys have no reason to complain (yet !!)


And about treehuggers: put them in a reservation, without all the modern appliances they reject so much. Lets see if they survive without fossile fuels to heat their homes, cook their dinner, no domestic animals nor crops to feed them, etcetera... Most of them will be extinct within months, because its usually the treehuggers that live so far away from nature that they invent these crazy ideas without realising what it would mean for their everyday lifes...

People with the skills to survive in bare nature, usually appreciate what ages of civilisation have brought us, and dont get these crazy ideas...

Well said Renze!

 

[scoutcub]

Besides reduced cargo volume, my big gripe with short box pickups is that the fuel tank is smaller, meaning more frequent stops at the gas station. My truck has a 38-gallon tank, the equivalent short bed Ford has a 29-gallon tank. An aftermarket RV oriented company makes a 57-gallon tank for long bed Ford's; but at about a grand as I recall, that's not in the budget.

I couldn't agree more. I have the 57 gallon tank, and love it. Wish I could squeeze second one somewhere!

 

[mjncad]

I couldn't agree more. I have the 57 gallon tank, and love it. Wish I could squeeze second one somewhere!

Is the tank just longer than OEM, or does it hang closer to the ground too?

 

[two_bit_score]

jimmyj, you are absolutely right about finding a 3500 or even a 350 SRW extended cab. The are rare. Very few to be found at dealers. I've been looking for a while for a 350 or 3500 SRW with some convenience options like PW for about a year and think I'm going to just have to order one.

You can find stripped down W/T's and XL's but not a LT or XLT level trim in that truck.