6' vs 8' truck bed

[Rock_Wells]

Howdy all,
Looking for some guidance. Do I have to have an 8' bed? I'm hearing that there is a hitch or two on the market that will allow me to use a 6'bed. I would have to special order an 8'. Thanks for your help...

[Rock_Wells]

Thanks for all the observations & advice. Will advise the outcome...

[tomthyme]

Another vote here for the extra fuel and tool box in front of the hitch. That extra 75 gal sure is nice. Still got room behind the hitch too. Like everything, it depends on how you want to use it.

Good luck!

[Splashers3]

I've had my short bed Sierra as long as I have pulled my sig 5ver...I have room for 2 bikes in front of my slider hitch....which I have never had to use in the 9 yrs of hauling. My trailer has the corners cut out, and the dealer proved to me that I could get it to 90 deg without using the slider when we bought it new.

I replaced the OEM 26Gal tank with a titan 52Gal tank. Many of the new p/u trucks tanks are still smaller than 52Gal.

I have garage issues, so my next truck may still be a short bed. I'm not sure how long I could tolerate having to move my truck out of the garage just to get to the other side of it where my tools are.

Go with what you are most comfortable with.

Good Luck,
Mike

[memtb]

Rock Wells, Unless the long bed will give you parking issues (small garage,ect.), go long. Slightly improved ride, much more bed room, sometimes a larger fuel tank, and the ability to use a standard hitch! memtb

[phillyg]

I've only owned short beds and you definitely need a slider, preferably an auto slider, because sooner or later, you'll think you're okay and will bust out the rear window.

[JIMNLIN]

I've had several of both in my business. Bed length had nothing to do with ride quality. Some long beds can ride worse than some short bed trucks. Wheel base and suspension packages and the load on them has more to do with ride quality.

A long bed isn't necessary unless you just want one.

Some points;......
Some new 5th wheel trailers have the rounded/notched front corner profile that eliminates the need for a sliding hitch.

The Reese Sidewinder pin box replacement works with a std 5th wheel hitch and short bed trucks.

The Andersen hitch system eliminates the need for a slider.

And of course the holy grail of auto sliders the PullRite Superglide auto sliding hitch.

[alexleblanc]

If my truck did not see a fair bit of daily driver use I would have a longbed DRW but it would be more of a pain, and frankly my fiver would be a waste of a DRW trucks capacity anyways!

[dave17352]

Montara24d wrote:
Don't know which brand of truck you are looking at, but when I ordered my 2016 long bed Ford, the short bed carried about 12 Gal. less fuel. Once you add the extra fuel tank to a short bed truck, that much more storage space is gone, & you have added more weight to the rear of a SRW truck.
John

X2 I used my aux tank on my 08 duramax because of the 26 gallon tank. That used up almost all my truck space with tank and slider. Now with my long bed my aux tank is in the shop cause I don't need it with my 36 gallon tank. Now I have tons of storage space when pulling the 5th wheel.

[dave17352]

guidry wrote:
From my experience (I've had both long and short bed trucks pulling my 5'r) the long bed is better towing and storage. Smoother ride and not as much bouncing/chucking.

X2 I have had both two.

[ACZL]

Personal preference really. Reasons for the long bed are valid. Myself, have had short beds since '97 and love them. Only way I'd get a long bed now would be if I got a dually. Never have had a problem turning w/ 5er or so tight a situation I couldn't get out of. I figure that's what "D" is for or if in a tight spot, may be S-O-L.

[Veebyes]

Can't imagine not having the space for extra tank/storage plus room for usual length cut wood between hitch & tank/storage box. Nice to be able to stand on said storage box too & reach front cap for cleaning easily.

Yeah, sure the truck is a bit of a nuisance in the carparks with the length & being a dually but you get used to it.

[allimax]

I had 2 short beds before this truck. Had it been available in short bed, I would have bought it. Now, 10 years later, I wouldn't want to have the short bed truck. It is definitely a no-brainer in my opinion if you're pulling a 5th wheel. The extra space is very useful. You can see what others do with the room. I either put firewood in there or an extra bicycle or 2 mounted sideways. You will use the space, for sure.

[Montara24d]

Don't know which brand of truck you are looking at, but when I ordered my 2016 long bed Ford, the short bed carried about 12 Gal. less fuel. Once you add the extra fuel tank to a short bed truck, that much more storage space is gone, & you have added more weight to the rear of a SRW truck.
John

[donn0128]

Be really careful. My last two trucks have weighes 7500 and 8000 pounds respecivly ready to go. One was a 2500 the other a 3500 dually. So, if your truck scales around those numbers you may possibly not have sufficient rear axle capacity to handle a 15K + fiver, which would add 3500 or so pounds pin weight to the rear end of your truck.