8ft. versus 6ft. truck bed on crew cab

[Antique Pedaler]

Our D-Max 6-passenger crew cab has the 8 foot box to carry our tandem bikes. The truck's 22+ feet long, about the same length as our AS, so the tail never wags the dog. Parking's not a problem because we always park at the far end of the lot....out in the open in two spaces.

[fred bartlet]

My dealer talked me out of the 8 ft box when I ordered the truck. GM was suppost to have the 4 wheel stearing in the 3/4 T 4x4 trucks by then, and I would have ordered the long bed with that combo.. But for the long wheel base. CC, I went with the 6.5, bed rug and cover. It works fine to carry all of the out door gear that one doesn't like to put in the AS. With a AS step receiver, a lift gate door, I can jump into the bed without a problem to pull out any of the gear I need without busting my chops.

Unless one has to have the capacity of an 8 ft bed, I see very little reason to add that much more wheel base to horse around. It's bad enough as is and I do find lots of curbs also.

[safari 28]

I am not an expert but with a 31 classic a larger vehicle such as what you are looking for is needed. We looked at the f250 series with the 8 foot box and it would not fit in our very large 3 stall garage. Too long. It is the main reason we went the 28 safari. Lots of living room with a UBW of just 5700 lbs. The f150 crew cab with short box just pulled her 7900 miles and did a great job. I would suggest the shortes box they make however, for parking if anything.

[BillTex]

Originally Posted by fred bartlet

a lift gate door

Hi Fred, what's that????
Got any pix or a link?

You can pm me so we don't hijack...

Thanx, Bill

[fred bartlet]

Bill, the ARE model MX is the only truck topper with that rear lift door option. I love the way it works, a step from the hitch stepper and your in the bed. The bed rug mat inside makes working on your knees OK and the height inside is good enough for my bikes.

[leefields]

what 2air said.....i feel the same...

my last 3 trucks have been long beds...my current is a F350 SD CrewCab (4 full doors) dual rear wheels and an 8 foot bed....22 ft...oooo it diesel as well....only an XL model because it is just a work truck for me.....

this one of the most stable and comfortable trucks i have driven...this rolls along like a "couch" at 80 mph.....i park in the open lots....at walmarts i just park within walking distance or near the garden center....

that 2 feet make a nice difference...

[chaimemet]

I want to give thanks for the expert real-time advise I received from all the veterans on this thread. I bought a 2007.5 GMC Sierra 2500HD Crew Duramax short bed (6.6'). GMC is offering 0% so being over my lease mileage in the 3/4tn burb I chose to get out early throw the few remaining payments other than the pull-ahead into the 0% financing for 60mos.

[chaimemet]

I drove a long bed silverado with 4x4 but w/o the Z71 option and it did have a nicer down the road ride than the the shorter bed GMC. I felt it was a little slower the color was nicer but the wife freeked at the length! It was silver birch with black interior. She could not stop looking at the tire well gap wheel well with the 16" tires being obscene. The GMC we bought is black(slim pickings were only left at this point) the black merges with the space and you dont notice the gap. The GMC is an SLT Z71 so it has heated seats, turned out to be important for my wife's bad back. I also am turning around to getting used to the color.

On driving her home for the 65 mile trip I was elated to find I was getting 20-21mpg on the turnpike. The second day around town went down to 15mpg. Brand new means nothing but the burb averaged 10.5-12.5mpg.
I am installing today bed rug,bed rail, and soft toneau cover. I ordered a Leer XQ topper but the mold has just been finished for the GMC new body, so it will be a while before I will get delivery. I will reinstall the prodigy brake controller and put in a license plate rear video camera and then a wired one to the back of the AS. The soft cover is better than husky contracter bags! Next week we leave for Topsail.

I am most interested in knowing if an air intake mod and computer chip programming is something to look at now. There is a strong possibility that biodiesel production will be added to my back yard.

[Foiled Again]

I got my new 08 crew cab long bed RED Silverado the day before Thanksgiving. It's humongous! It has many similarities in instrumentation to my 03 Suburban, but the wheelbase is noticibly longer. Parking was not a joyful experience for the first week or so, but I am adjusting nicely. (If you ever see me parallel parking it - hell will have frozen over.)

I still have "new vehicle-itis" so I park at the far end of parking lots, and whenever possible find a pull through space.... where I can drive out, not back out. In an uncrowded lot, I'll choose to have the back end hang into another space rather than having the nose stick out into traffic. At work I always back into a spot that's over the lawn to keep the front of the truck somewhat less prominent. Backing in a parking lot is hazardous - I cannot see that a small low car behind me is also backing up. A backup camera may be a good idea. I've figured out why so many people remove the tailgate and put in those nets - visibility! Mine doesn't have the towing mirrors - but they are on order. I hope they resolve some of those blind spot issues... though the standard mirrors still had pretty good visibility when I was towing the Airstream.

Paula

The limited towing I've done so far has been FANTASTIC. I'm looking forward to taking a weekender or two in Jan-Feb just for the towing practice.

Making a legal U-Turn is something I'll only do on a six lane or wider road.

I'm happy; and when I go to a rally and want to take including food for 30, 1000 feet of white hose and extension cords - I'll surely have the room. I may just have to get a scooter or ATV to fill up the bed!

Paula

[chaimemet]

Mr. Foiled Again,

Congrats on your new TV. I noticed the mirrors that came with my vehicle though being not the rubber gasket electric accordion type that the burb had, do offer a better blind spot coverage. But I could not find one with the camper mirrors. Those camper mirrors also are redisigned for the new body and they do not retract close to the body therefore they stick out quite a bit. I called GM parts and they wanted an obscene price for purchasing the camper style. Where did you order yours?

[TIMEMACHINE]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

I got my new 08 crew cab long bed RED Silverado the day before Thanksgiving. It's humongous!

Parking was not a joyful experience for the first week or so, but I am adjusting nicely. (If you ever see me parallel parking it - hell will have frozen over.)

The limited towing I've done so far has been FANTASTIC. I'm looking forward to taking a weekender or two in Jan-Feb just for the towing practice.

Making a legal U-Turn is something I'll only do on a six lane or wider road.

I'm happy; and when I go to a rally and want to take including food for 30, 1000 feet of white hose and extension cords - I'll surely have the room. I may just have to get a scooter or ATV to fill up the bed!

Paula

So I am guessing that your vote would be for a long bed! Another new Red truck on the forum, must be contagious....everyone is going to know when you arrive.....

And I bet you will parallel park that baby way before hell freezes over, soon it will be just as easy as driving a compact...kinda.

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS.

time