2013 2500 Ram: Short bed vs Long bed?

[Zigidachs]

Hello to all experienced AS owners.

We wish to buy a 2013 2500 Crew Ram to tow our 30' Classic. ( Pro Pride Hitch)
Brief specs: towing capacity 17,000+ !!

BUT: short bed or long bed? Issues: Ride comfort & towing stability.
(Wheel base difference approx. 18")

We currently tow with a long bed truck..... Is moving to short bed truck an advantage with regard to towing stability and comfort?

Thank you all who take the time to share your experiences and opinions.

Zigi....

[Bill M.]

We tow with a short bed (2007) Dodge 2500. I think it does a great job towing. We drive it daily also. It rides fine on smooth roads. On rough roads it beats heck out of you. The only disadvantage I see to the longer truck is that it is longer. Probably rides smoother. Maybe more stable, but the short one is pretty solid towing. My take would be to just get the one you like the best.

[Foiled Again]

30 footer + LONG bed crew cab. Doesn't seem very agile for turning. I've got the Chevy equivalent of what you are considering. If someone stole it or wrecked it tonight I'd buy a new one with a short bed. Just don't like needing 4 lanes to make a U-turn!

Paula

[RUMSHIP]

It's more of a cargo issue. I have a long bed with a toolbox. It's basically a short bed at this point for cargo. I would still get a long bed over a short. It's a truck and cargo area is key. Don't need or use the bed, go with an SUV.

[overlander63]

I have a short bed and it is more than capable of towing. In fact, it would be pretty much the rig you would end up with, short bed extended cab with Hensley and a 31' trailer.

[slowmover]

Short beds seem kind of useless (having owned one). Mine has a 160" wheelbase. I see that some FORDS are up to 172". Be sure to see tech specs by the manufacturer for the numbers involved, then take out one of each and do some U-turns somewhere.

I'm long used to it not being a a zippy little grocery-getter.

.

[handn]

I would get a short bed unless you need the cargo space.
A long bed makes a 3/4 ton truck gargantuan and serves no ride, handling or towing purpose.

[SteveH]

I have a 2012 Ram 2500, Crew Cab, short bed. The newer models ride lots better than just a few years ago. It tows our 31' with no issues, now that I have upgraded the front shocks. Mine just barely fits in the garage, and I just barely can park it in most parking spaces. Wouldn't want it any longer.

[daveswenson]

I borrowed my best friends F350 crew cab long bed. When I turned it around I touched Idaho and Oregon.

[slowmover]

Also be sure to note any differences between 4WD and 2WD. I can turn inside a smaller circle than the 4WD Dodges of the same year & configuration.

.

[Alan3940]

I towed our 27 FB 35k plus miles with a 2004 Dodge 2500 Quad Cab long wheel base. I recently replaced the Dodge with a 2012 Ford F250 short bed, after the Dodge sucked a head gasket at 87,000 miles.

Advantages:

Long wheel base provided a very stable towing platform
34 gallon fuel take vs 20 something tank in short wheel base
Motorcycles fit in the bed with the tail gate closed
Happy guy on the freeway
Lots to see while walking in the from the outer edges of the parking lot

Disadvantages:

Turning circle similar to that of an aircraft carrier
Parking in a standard parking space w/o Airstream required several seesaw maneuvers.
90 degree turns require extra attention and a wide swing with or w/o Airstream
Maneuvering with Airstream that much more challenging in gas stations

Some disadvantages I've discovered with the short bed... 26 gallon fuel tank yields 22.5 usable gallons. I have a 50 gallon replacement tank sitting in my dining room. Less space to load weigh in front of the rear axel leads to more rear end sag, which leads to a set of Firestone air bags. Had to remove the tailgate to load motorcycles.

The short wheel base is a much easier daily driver in urban traffic. Relatively easy to park.

[switz]

My 2012 Dodge Ram Cummins Crew Cab with short bed "just" fits in the garage. A Mega Cab with short bed would be too long and the long bed with a Crew Cab would not work either. The shorter wheel base helps make for a shorter turning radius. The shorter vehicle also has a lower empty weight due to less steel so there is more payload.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Highly bias here... Pick up trucks have 8 foot beds. I drive a 03 3500 ram with a crew cab. I connot imagine driving anything else. I have no trouble backing up, doing a u turn, or have a rough ride. I would have preferred a 2500, but went with the one ton due to occasionally having to tow clients modern Airstreams which are much heavier than the old ones...

[RickDavis]

Wouldn't have anything but a long bed but then I have both a tool box and an extra 50 gallon fuel tank.
We live in a rural area and don't often have to deal with city size parking spaces. The short bed just doesn't offer enough cubic feet of storage.
It is unfortunate that Dodge (Ram) did away with the the extended cab as we don't really need the people carrying capacity but do like having some extra area for carrying stuff in the truck. I removed the rear seat from my 99 extended cab when I bought it. That was 570,000 miles ago

[mgriffrus]

I've got a 2008 Dodge Megacab 2500 4x4. I love it.....most times.

I grew up driving one ton long bed duallies, so the size doesn't bother me but the turning radius is a little bigger than the fords I remember. That may have something to do with the four wheel drive, its my first one so I don't have a reference there. I've also got a toolbox in the back, so that limits what I can put in it. I swear once input my grill and a few camp chairs and an ice chest it's full.

But.....

We absolutely love the Megacab. I've got two almost teenage kids, and they and a 75 pound Boxer dog traveled 2100 miles around atlantic coast of Florida and Georgia and back with no problems or complaints. There's actually more room in the back seat than the front and the rear seats can recline because of the extra room behind them,

That being said, I'm seriously thinking about getting a long bed one ton after the kids are in college just to travel with a motorcycle in back and still pull my airstream without worries. I'll need the space and the payload capacities if that happens.

[Wingeezer]

Our crew cab 4x4 has a short bed and is fine for handling our 31 foot trailer.

I suppose theoretically a long bed would make it an even better tow vehicle with the longer wheelbase, but with the hitch we have, stability has never been an issue at all.

I think one thing worth considering is whether or not your truck will be a daily driver. Ours is, and even with the short bed, it can be a pig to park at times. That would be enough to prevent me from considering a long bed for our use.

Brian.

[noreen&sal]

8 foot bed = smooth towing. Sal

[crispyboy]

I have a 3rd generation 2500, short bed, quad cab. It has a 34 gallon fuel tank which is fine for my purposes. Once in a great while I lack some cargo space but that's more of a sign that I'm starting to bring too much crap with me when camping......
The truck is heavy and long enough that stability is not an issue but I am also using a HAHA hitch which negates the stability factor.
A longer wheelbase will gain you more cargo room, a better ride and about 2 more gallons of fuel.
My brother owns a 2012 crew cab long bed and it compares to a school bus after driving my truck. He test drove the 3500 trucks in the same configuration before settling on the 2500 and he said there was a definite difference in the ride quality. A 2500 truck has more than enough payload and towing capacity to tow any Airstream trailer. I've been to the scales with my truck and 30' trailer fully loaded - I know this from fact. The 4th generation trucks in fact do ride smoother than previous generations.

[polarlyse]

I've always heard that longer wheelbase translates into a better ride. I believe that to be true but doubt it would be noticeable. I have an '06 Dodge megacab and they were only available with the short bed and I like it a lot. It comes down to your personal preference. It will be a long truck in any configuration and they all will tow just fine.

[jump]

Mgriffrus ... If you need a long bed, Check out longbedmytruck.com ... These guys and some others will convert it for you.

Mine is an 06 mega cab and I have found that the parking spots furthest from the door of the supermarket are better for me than closer ones. Less stressful and more walking.

The Megacab is great for taking the dogs with us and I agree with crispyboy, when the bed gets full I've got too much stuff.