Short box vs 8 foot box

[BXRICK]

I drove regular cab pickups for a number of years.
Then, in the mid-90s, I bought an extended cab - still 8' box. I was (in a minor way) worried about the length - it was about 18" longer. I quickly discovered that as long as you're going forwards, which is most of the time, it doesn't matter. And parking really isn't that much different.
After two extended cabs, with 8' boxes, I stepped up to my current F350 CC SRW long box. It's long, but again, it's really not THAT much longer than the extended cab. It is another maybe 20" longer. But it just doesn't show up in most of my daily driving.
And, I have the best of everything; lots of seating, and a full size box.

Which all largely, I think, gets back to what you're used to.
If you're buying a full size as a step up from a shortbed mini-truck, the length matters, since you're used to a much smaller truck. But adding a few inches to what you've been driving for years just won't make much difference. YMMV.

I've also realized that the width of a full size truck (all bed lengths are of course the same width) probably matters more in terms of general nimbleness than the length. The parking space just isn't usable if you can't open the doors. The length of the truck doesn't matter nearly as much.

As an aside, the better turning radius on the newer (after they switched to front coil springs c. 2005) is a huge help as compared to the earlier SDs that had front leaf springs.

Oh, and when we designed our garage, even though I was currently driving an extended cab, I planned it to fit a crew cab. Which, in New England, was a great decision.

 

[Pops15]

I can't imagine the circumstances that would lead me to ever buy a short bed truck. I'm a contractor so my truck gets a workout hauling material. I have BIG home made tool boxes and ladder rack, and I can't haul everything I need with a regular cab, which I currently have. I sure miss the extended cab I had before.
Judging by what the OP said he needed to use a truck for I'd say 8' bed, extended cab, 3/4 ton.

 

[bdeboer]

One thing I do not like about a 6.5' bed is not being able to carry a prehung door with the tailgate up. The deeper bed in the newer trucks also helps. I pull a dump trailer or flat bed where a forlift or loader is required. Trailer fenders dents hurt less than truck beds.

We have a crew cab 6.5' bed truck that is also used to pull the camper, and it would be difficult to park with an 8' bed in tourist areas.

 

[picker77]

Drove nothing but conventional cab long beds for 40 years until I bought a new Duramax 2500HD crew cab 4x4 short bed in '01, and kept it ever since. Has a whopping 70,000 on it now. I very rarely (about once or twice a year) pull a 10,000 lb 30' 5th wheel to New Mexico and/or Colorado with it, and with a Reese 16K roller hitch in it I've never once had a backing/turning problem. 98% of the time I keep the hitch off the truck. In fact, only once have I even needed to unlock the hitch and let the roller mechanism work on it. Once in a while I'll admit I could use a couple of feet more of bed to haul lumber, etc., but all in all I love the big roomy crew cab interior so much I it overcomes that. The truck is easy to handle in a tight parking lot, too. The wheelbase on this short bed crew cab is about the same as a conventional cab long bed. The main drawback I saw was fuel capacity. No dual factory tanks, and the single tank is a measly 26 gallons. Sheesh. I finally put a 50-gallon tool box/tank combo in the back with a remote electrically switched valve and had it plumbed up to the factory gauges (by American Tank & Toolbox of Frisco, TX, ATTB - Auxiliary Fuel Tanks). Nice installation and works great, but they ain't cheap.

Unless you pull big stuff a LOT, I'd sure recommend at least test driving crew cab short beds before you jump.

 

[LBrown59]

Hi all
I have always been a die hard "you gotta have an 8 foot box' guy.
1*Any comments?

1* Hard to haul a 24' extention ladder on a short bed.

As for the bed length the few times I needed more room 2*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.
2*Chris

I'd hate to hitch up a trailer just to haul a few 12 footers.

3*I have always had long box trucks and would not have a short one.
4*I like to put have a goose neck hitch in the bed.
Dan

3*I haven't owned a full size pick up since 1971 when i bought a new ford F250.
4*No hitch in the bed for me as I want a 1 ton SRW regular cab with an 8' dump flat bed.

5*What's tempting me is a sweet Ford F350 (not dually) deisel short box 4 door 4x4 that's for sale near me.
:confused2:

5*It would tempt me it it was a regular cab 8 foot bed .

The only reason I have an 8 foot box is because they don't sell a 9 foot box.
6*If you decide to tow 5th wheel for whatever reason the long bed rules.

6*I need a dump bed for hauling stuff like sand dirt etc.
That and a fifth wheel don't go well together.

7*All the new trucks have an average of 3 inch deeper boxes.
8*Didn't like that
9*at first can't reach over the top as easy. a little for being shorter.

8*Just what i don't need - cant use.
9* Strike one
Strike 2 Makes it hard if not impossible to load with my BX23.
Solution a dump 8' flat bed .

 

[rdbrumfield]

Yes I have a dakota extended cab that will haul the quad and pull a trailer. It will haul the groceries and is easy to park in town.

If I want to get to the heavy work like pull the big 5th wheel, I put the quad, enduro, generator grubox and what have you on the forward part of the bed and the 30ft trailer on the back of the bed. It is not my everyday driver and most folks would shy away from one, but it sure does the job and was cheaper than a full size pickup at 29000.

5500 dodge with 12X8ft bed with 14t hoist.

 

[Duffster]

Hard to haul a 24' extention ladder on a short bed.

No more difficult than hauling one on a long bed.

 

[Diamondpilot]

No more difficult than hauling one on a long bed.

I was thinking the same thing.

Chris

 

[scoutcub]

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?

Each option has their pros/cons, as you can see from all the previous comments. I used to have a 02 supercrew with the short bed and liked it for it's application at the time.
Now have the crewcab/8' box, and love it. Don't mind parking wayy out in the parking lot, like the extra exercise. (unless it's raining) There are times it can be detrimental, like yesterday when I went to the BMV, which is tucked behind the courthouse, which is surrounded by one-way narrow streets....I had to do a few several point turns to get in and out! But, had I known what I was up against, I would've taken the 4runner.....(new to the area)

They're certainly more popular these days for all the stated reasons, which is why you see lots of em out there. But, there's also a fair share of long boxes as well, might just take a bit longer to find the right one.
Given your application, (hay bales, atvs, sleds, dump runs. etc) I just don't see how you can be better off with anything less than 8'.....

 

[bdeboer]

Quote:
Originally Posted by LBrown59
"Hard to haul a 24' extention ladder on a short bed. "

Another advantage to the deeper bed, throw the ladder in with the tailgate up. Ratchet strap or tarp strap to hold it down.