TV: 8' truck bed, or shorter?

[civeng99]

Have been working on the civil side of engineering for a LOOOONG time. Parking spot sizes have actually gotten incrementally bigger on the design standard side over the last four or more decades. These trucks are absolutely gargantuan now.

Originally Posted by John Ware

I had a SuperCab F250 with an 8' bed and as far as towing it was great. Finding a parking space unhooked was a different story. These days parking lots and garages are made for tiny cars. I also carried 2 sacks of concrete for added weight over the axles for traction.

[4RXLA]

The Transfer Flow tank replaces the factory tank. It’s a metal tank and the extra 25 gallons does add weight and will reduce payload capacity. The cost is prohibitive for many and may outweigh the convenience of having the additional range-500-800 mile range towing-not towing.

[DonRich7878]

Originally Posted by SallyForth

We towed our toy hauler with an F350 extended cab with a 8-foot bed. The longer wheel based added to stability.

But, like a government job that consumes all of the money allocated for it, you will fill the 8’ bed of a tow vehicle as quickly as a 5-1/2’ bed.

and then some..

[crispyboy]

I would rather have a long bed crew cab truck but I am one that likes to keep a vehicle under roof when not using it. I would need a pole barn for the long bed. My current truck is a 6.5' short bed. It does fill fast and I only bring things that I am going to use. One time I towed with a crew cab long bed and it definitely rode better down the highway. Both trucks towed about the same - only the wheelbase was different.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by civeng99

Have been working on the civil side of engineering for a LOOOONG time. Parking spot sizes have actually gotten incrementally bigger on the design standard side over the last four or more decades. These trucks are absolutely gargantuan now.

Maybe where you live, but where I live and travel, I don't see larger parking spaces in "new" shopping areas; many times, I actually find smaller spaces with some new "big" grocery/shopping locations. Even pay parking lots. Even driving the wife's GLE350 sometimes, it is "tight" in new locations. Real-estate is expensive!

[thiel]

I have an F150 Supercrew with a 6.5 foot bed. The long wheelbase makes it difficult to park at Whole Foods, but works a treat when towing. I use the bed A LOT of all sorts of macho adventures and have never really craved an 8 foot bed... but could not imagine getting by with anything smaller.

The 36 gallon tank was an option because of my longer wheelbase, and the longer wheelbase had higher cargo capacity as well.

[civeng99]

It’s a set of size ranges. Min., recommended, etc. Some of the garage parking spots are a challenge in my little Subaru.

When a pickup is as long as a day cab tractor, no thanks.

Originally Posted by gypsydad

Maybe where you live, but where I live and travel, I don't see larger parking spaces in "new" shopping areas; many times, I actually find smaller spaces with some new "big" grocery/shopping locations. Even pay parking lots. Even driving the wife's GLE350 sometimes, it is "tight" in new locations. Real-estate is expensive!

[jwpaquette]

Since 2018 I’ve owned
‘18 2500 crew cab and 6’ bed (standard)
‘20 3500 crew cab and 8’ bed (long)
‘22 2500 extended cab ‘6 bed

Based on the three - I’m going to order a ‘23 3500 crew cab w/ standard 6’ bed.

Loved the 8’ bed - as mentioned, combined with the crew cab, parking that truck though anywhere besides the widest of wide open space was always an experience. If we didn’t have two large dogs that rode with us on our trips I would likely shrink the cab down to the extended from crew as well to give me the shortest possible length. The crew with standard bed is the best combo for our use case. Good luck!

[BillTex]

Originally Posted by Makib

On Fords you get a larger fuel tank with the 8 foot bed I believe.

This. Our CC/LB F350 = 48 gal OE tank. Love it. LB is so useful, I can’t imagine having a SB again.

[steilkurve]

I have a RAM 2500 and it comes with a 6.4 bed. Love the extra length. Allows me to slide in our Kuma bear den in. Would not go longer though for parking, as others have mentioned, but also overall length of the rig. Don't mind length on the road but it gets more tricky at tight gas stations, public parks, etc.

[Boxite]

We have used our Ram 1500 Crew-Cab, Short-bed with RAM-BOXES…. for 3-month trips and found it Very Satisfactory. Those Ramboxes are the cats-meow for tools, air compressor…all sorts of stuff…which are kept out-of-the-way …and take up zero space from the bed. This makes the short-bed virtually as-useful as a long bed, IMO. (I’ve owned both.)
Hope this helps.

[jlydell]

I originally had an order in for a F-350 Crew Cab with an 8' box. I wanted the larger fuel tank size and the extra space.

I ended up getting my trailer last year with no progress on my Ford build, so I ended up buying a Ram 3500 crew cab with a 6'4" bed. After owning it for a while I'm happier for the medium bed for the following reasons.

- When not towing, the Ram is the 2nd vehicle in an urban environment. I struggle enough to make tight turns, and don't need another foot and a half of length to contend with. I can't navigate the small traffic circles in my neighborhood without a 3-point turn as it is.
- When parking the trailer, I have a relatively narrow lane to navigate, and it takes a few extra turns to keep my truck's nose off the neighbors fence. Longer wouldn't make that better.
- Range on a 31 gallon tank has been just fine while towing. I see 500km with a diesel engine, and driving all day on long trips I've only needed to stop twice.

Extra bed space would be nice, but even packing heavy for a family of six, we can fit everything we need in the bed we have.

[trikdacy]

Originally Posted by Makib

On Fords you get a larger fuel tank with the 8 foot bed I believe.

I have a 48 gallon tank on my 2019 F350 with a crew cab with 8' bed. Parking is a challenge. Great range. Paying to fill from empty not so great.

[DonRich7878]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

Maybe where you live, but where I live and travel, I don't see larger parking spaces in "new" shopping areas; many times, I actually find smaller spaces with some new "big" grocery/shopping locations. Even pay parking lots. Even driving the wife's GLE350 sometimes, it is "tight" in new locations. Real-estate is expensive!

Marked parking spaces are typically nothing more than a recommendation. Its OK if your truck extends into the nearby spaces.. Go big my friend..

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by DonRich7878

Marked parking spaces are typically nothing more than a recommendation. Its OK if your truck extends into the nearby spaces.. Go big my friend..

Wow! Never heard that one...but I have seen how some folks don't seem to care if they take up 2 spots when parking; that's not me nor most folks I know. I do know that can make folks angry....key to the side, broken antenna, nasty note on the windshield for taking up 2 spots. Not for me...I will go out of my way to move further away rather than cause an issue.

[Gibson3798]

Is parking a 2500 really that challenging for those of us who tow a 20-30' trailer through Dallas or Cincinnati on a weekday?

Personally, the pucker factor has never hit me at Walmart.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Gibson3798

Is parking a 2500 really that challenging for those of us who tow a 20-30' trailer through Dallas or Cincinnati on a weekday?

Personally, the pucker factor has never hit me at Walmart.

Now, that's one place where I do park, extended over the parking lines while connected, but always out in the "boondocks" away from folks.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

Now, that's one place where I do park, extended over the parking lines while connected, but always out in the "boondocks" away from folks.

Hi

Yup, leave an open bunch of spaces between your parking and the crowd. If you watch how most folks set up RV's in parking lots for overnight stays, it's the same idea. You also will find semi's parked the same way.

Many outfits do their parking lot layouts in a very similar way. I can pretty much guess the location "truck" parking in a Costco lot. (it's over there, and out on the edge of the lot ....). That assumes it's not one of the ones with oversized parking already.

Bob

[DonRich7878]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

Wow! Never heard that one...but I have seen how some folks don't seem to care if they take up 2 spots when parking; that's not me nor most folks I know. I do know that can make folks angry....key to the side, broken antenna, nasty note on the windshield for taking up 2 spots. Not for me...I will go out of my way to move further away rather than cause an issue.

Animals who commit vandalism are not "folks", not even close and I do not fear them.. nor the jealous hive mind that motivates them.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by DonRich7878

Animals who commit vandalism are not "folks", not even close and I do not fear them.. nor the jealous hive mind that motivates them.

Now there's an interesting take on my post! Have to go look that one up!