Short or long

One thing to consider that has only been mentioned in passing, the wheel bases of regular, extended, and crew cab.

I have had crew cabs since 1975, but even with a 6.5 bed, they don't turn sharp.

We towed for 10 years with a shortbed and it was an ideal truck for towing for what we had. Even better with the new trailer that eliminated the slider hitch.

However, higher weight pushed us beyond the SRW, so by-by short bed. I now have the capacity, but several feet of completely unused space in front of the hitch and less maneuverability in a campground.

ken burke wrote:

Dtaylor wrote:
Which is better, or does it matter, a long bed or short bed for towing a fiver?

All depends on what your used to. Personally I like and use the extra storage room of a long bed. You don't need a slider hitch.

Check . . . does the short bed have less fuel capacity?

Nobody looks at a short bed truck. Short bed trucks are like short people.

ken

I don't think I would ever just come out and tell someone, "you don't need a slider"....I had one for years with all my short bed trucks, (yeah, I'm one of those short people no one looks at that owned short bed trucks that no one looks at:R)...and the ONE time I didn't use it, I put a dent in the upper drivers side of the back of the cab on my extended cab truck ..so to tell someone they don't need a slider might be over simplifying something that may need to be "considered" at the very least.

Dtaylor wrote:
Which is better, or does it matter, a long bed or short bed for towing a fiver?

All depends on what your used to. Personally I like and use the extra storage room of a long bed. You don't need a slider hitch.

Check . . . does the short bed have less fuel capacity?

Nobody looks at a short bed truck. Short bed trucks are like short people.

ken

mileshuff wrote:

bpounds wrote:
Question was, which is better for towing a fiver. No question in my mind, long is better for that task. No need for a slider, more space for stuff, and bigger fuel tank.

Better is a subjective term. My trailer has more than enough storage. No need to have to pack stuff into the bed of the truck which is a PITA to have to unload each trip anyways! I do have a slider although not needed with many new TT's. Sliders do help when backing by moving the TT further back thus making TT more responsive to TV's movements. My truck has a stock 35 gallon tank which is plenty for me. My legs and bladder can't last any longer anyways!

Shortbeds as many have pointed out is much easier to handle in tight campgrounds and parking.

Believe you meant 5er or 5th wheel instead of TT. Some, when towing, though not me, like to haul wood along with other stuff in the back of their trucks, thus, something I wouldn't want to put in my 5er's basement, but in the bed of the truck.

Guess it depends also on what all the OP is planning on putting in the bed of his truck along with the hitch...just another consideration..

Dtaylor wrote:
Which is better, or does it matter, a long bed or short bed for towing a fiver?

I've owned and towed with both long bed and short bed, and "I prefer" the long bed...Offers more space to haul/stow "stuff", and as stated by some, depending on how the front end of the 5er has been manufactured, you may or may not need a slider hitch in a "short bed' truck.
But I'm one to believe, it's better to have a slider and never need it, than to not have one and need it, "IF" towing with a short bed truck.

well said

bpounds wrote:
Question was, which is better for towing a fiver. No question in my mind, long is better for that task. No need for a slider, more space for stuff, and bigger fuel tank.

Better is a subjective term. My trailer has more than enough storage. No need to have to pack stuff into the bed of the truck which is a PITA to have to unload each trip anyways! I do have a slider although not needed with many new TT's. Sliders do help when backing by moving the TT further back thus making TT more responsive to TV's movements. My truck has a stock 35 gallon tank which is plenty for me. My legs and bladder can't last any longer anyways!

Shortbeds as many have pointed out is much easier to handle in tight campgrounds and parking.

a slider is not the question for me if i had a long box i would still use a slider but for now short box is fine

I believe that my 2012 GMC CC D/A short bed combo has a 36 gallon tank, at least I have put over 34 gallons in it when the little yellow gas tank came on in the fuel gauge.