Long bed vs. Regular Bed

[trcgolf]

I am switching from a 3/4 ton GMC 6.0L Crew cab standard bed, to a 1 ton GMC crew cab8ft bed diesel. My current fifth wheel hitch is a 15K rated slider unit. My max trailer weight is 11,200 lbs so the set up is plenty big enough.
Now that will have a 8 ft bed I shouldn't need the slider option for my set up.
Can I use what I have or do I need a need fifth wheel hitch.

[kjchipmunk]

I have a 6.5' bed with a slider now and am looking to moving to an 8' bed. My Pullrite is fairly sloppy when I stop and go. Clunk Clunk Clunk. I'm actually looking forward to swapping that out for a standard hitch and eliminating the extra clunking.

[Water-Bug]

"Weekend Warriors" use to be the National Guard, not some part time home remodeler. "Gang bang" use to be a sexual act, not a street fight. Truck beds use to be able to carry a 4 X 8 sheet of plywood inside the bed, not hanging out the back. Truck beds are now standard for their "class", whatever that means. Never have figured out what or who determines a vehicle's "class" . Sometimes I think that every vehicle model is in it's own "class".

[Mile_High]

trcgolf wrote:
Thanks everyone.... I will keep the slider for the regular/long/ whatever length bed.

Good grief - I'm not sure the correct term is even "Bed" anymore, or whether 3/4 ton is a correct term, and without a "crew", is it really a crew cab? I think you are out of line calling it a "5th wheel" now too, especially because it became a TV show and they have copyrights now. Hitch is no longer a word either - it's "civil union". 🙂

Isn't it wierd after you say all the wrong stuff, the smart a$$es still know what you are talking about 🙂

[rhagfo]

I see two options;
1 keep the current hitch and don't install the plate on the pin.

2 Sell the current hitch and buy a standard 5th wheel.

Your choice!

To bed length I will never have a "Standard Bed" by today's standards, only 8' for me! I
Will say I back in to most parking spots.

[SlickWillie]

trcgolf wrote:
I am switching from a 3/4 ton GMC 6.0L Crew cab standard bed, to a 1 ton GMC crew cab8ft bed diesel. My current fifth wheel hitch is a 15K rated slider unit. My max trailer weight is 11,200 lbs so the set up is plenty big enough.
Now that will have a 8 ft bed I shouldn't need the slider option for my set up.
Can I use what I have or do I need a need fifth wheel hitch.

I was faced with the same issue when we went to the 1 ton dually. I decided I was tired of the rails in the truck bed. Had the turnover ball installed locally, and ordered the 20K B & W Companion online. No regrets here. Did have trouble ever selling the 16K Reese slider tho.

[Toolguy5]

Yes I know both Ford and GM the standard bed is the short bed.

[trcgolf]

Thanks everyone.... I will keep the slider for the regular/long/ whatever length bed.

[jaycocamprs]

Should work just fine. And in the slid back position gives 2 advantages over a fixed hitch. 1 if you need to hook up at an angle with the tailgate down you shouldn’t have to worry about the tailgate hitting the trailer. 2 slid back would make the trailer turn faster backing, more like a TT.

[NMDriver]

cbshoestring wrote:

drfife wrote:

Water-Bug wrote:
Actually, the 8' bed IS the regular bed and anything shorted is a short bed.

Not according to GM literature.

In the HD series (2500 & 3500) they refer to standard bed as 6.5' and long bed as 8.0'.

The 5' 8" short bed is only available in the 1500's.

Problem is all these four doors with short beds, have just about done away with 8' beds, so now they are considered LONG. Four door trucks have replaced the SUBURBAN as the family car. Soccer mom might want to stop on the way home from soccer practice and buy a bag of mulch or two---"I need a truck"---she needs the four doors for junior, sally & fido, but not the 8' bed.

Just because they convinced you that a 6.5 bed is "regular" does not make it so. A regular truck bed should be able to hold a 4x8 sheet of WHATEVER, between the wheel wells with the tail gate closed. Anything less is a short bed.

Then again...no one every asks me before they change the "norms".

I remember when most trucks had 2 doors and an 8' bed. Four door trucks (used mostly by work crews)were not that common on dealer lots, unless they sold commercial trucks.

I played hell to find a 2 door, 8' bed (RAM calls it long). Ended up with a stripped down "tradesmen" model.

Yeah, I remember that too----when trucks were cheap, stripped down, tools for WORKING.

None of which answers the posters question :h.

Yes keep the slider. It may not be needed but until you decide you need something else and sell/trade it off, it can be of use.

[drfife]

cbshoestring wrote:




Problem is all these four doors with short beds, have just about done away with 8' beds, so now they are considered LONG. Four door trucks have replaced the SUBURBAN as the family car. Soccer mom might want to stop on the way home from soccer practice and buy a bag of mulch or two---"I need a truck"---she needs the four doors for junior, sally & fido, but not the 8' bed.

Just because they convinced you that a 6.5 bed is "regular" does not make it so. A regular truck bed should be able to hold a 4x8 sheet of WHATEVER, between the wheel wells with the tail gate closed. Anything less is a short bed.

Then again...no one every asks me before they change the "norms".

I remember when most trucks had 2 doors and an 8' bed. Four door trucks (used mostly by work crews)were not that common on dealer lots, unless they sold commercial trucks.

I played hell to find a 2 door, 8' bed (RAM calls it long). Ended up with a stripped down "tradesmen" model.

Yeah, I remember that too----when trucks were cheap, stripped down, tools for WORKING.

Don't shoot me, I'm just reporting the news.

[cbshoestring]

drfife wrote:

Water-Bug wrote:
Actually, the 8' bed IS the regular bed and anything shorted is a short bed.

Not according to GM literature.

In the HD series (2500 & 3500) they refer to standard bed as 6.5' and long bed as 8.0'.

The 5' 8" short bed is only available in the 1500's.

Problem is all these four doors with short beds, have just about done away with 8' beds, so now they are considered LONG. Four door trucks have replaced the SUBURBAN as the family car. Soccer mom might want to stop on the way home from soccer practice and buy a bag of mulch or two---"I need a truck"---she needs the four doors for junior, sally & fido, but not the 8' bed.

Just because they convinced you that a 6.5 bed is "regular" does not make it so. A regular truck bed should be able to hold a 4x8 sheet of WHATEVER, between the wheel wells with the tail gate closed. Anything less is a short bed.

Then again...no one every asks me before they change the "norms".

I remember when most trucks had 2 doors and an 8' bed. Four door trucks (used mostly by work crews)were not that common on dealer lots, unless they sold commercial trucks.

I played hell to find a 2 door, 8' bed (RAM calls it long). Ended up with a stripped down "tradesmen" model.

Yeah, I remember that too----when trucks were cheap, stripped down, tools for WORKING.

[drfife]

Water-Bug wrote:
Actually, the 8' bed IS the regular bed and anything shorted is a short bed.

Not according to GM literature.

In the HD series (2500 & 3500) they refer to standard bed as 6.5' and long bed as 8.0'.

The 5' 8" short bed is only available in the 1500's.

[Water-Bug]

Actually, the 8' bed IS the regular bed and anything shorted is a short bed.

[Bamaman11]

Just move your current hitch. If you decide to change to a different hitch later, it's a 5 minute job to swap'em out. No reason to spend more money unless you get a heavier trailer.