Short Bed Silverado

[travelnman]

I'm sure this has been talked about some where on the forum but what problems will I run into with a short bed Silverado Pick Up and a fifth wheel.It seems like there are issues, then what length bed is recommended and could I get away with a short bed. Looking at a 2016 Silverado with a short bed of course love this truck has it all
and even brown paint with brown leather. That's rare these days everything is black on black. Wish I knew more about this tempted to trust a sales person but I have learned a few lessons doing that. Mostly they don't really know themselves.

[Thermoguy]

I have the truck you are looking for only in a 2015. Have pulled my 5th wheel and a goose neck horse trailer all over. The 5th wheel is big and gets very close to the cab when backing. I did smash the back window once but fortunately at home. The front of the truck was in the bushes so I turned just a little too sharp. Needless to say I don't back up in that area any more. I do not have a slider hitch but a B&W Companion. If I was going to buy a new truck or do it over again I would buy a 3500 8' bed. Mostly because then I would be less limited in new trailers and I think it would ride better on rough roads.

[Dayle1]

donn0128 wrote:
Get real!
I have approx 150 pounds less weight with no slider hitch.

REALLY
You mean that extra 2 ft of truck length (actually 18 inches) doesn't weigh more straight from the factory? That would be a nice trick.

Per GM's weight calculator the 2018 2500HD long bed weights 157 lbs more than the standard bed. Since GVWR is the same for both, CC is reduced for the long bed. Many SB owners don't use a heavy slider. But seriously, 150 lbs just isn't going to make or break any HD truck setup.

[TazFord]

donn0128 wrote:
Get real!
The difference between a short and long bed is approx 2 feet. That 2 feet allows me to carry air compressor, extra stuff, fishing gear full sheets of plywood all with the tail gate closed and stuff flat on the floor!
With my fold a cover in place and open, I have 2 feet of space under cover. I have approx 150 pounds less weight with no slider hitch. I can take my hitch out in two pieces by my self. Short bed trucks ARE a rarity in 2500 and 3500 configuration. Go look in dealers lots and try to find one! Like I said "YOU MAY NEED OR WANT" I did not say you must have.
The OP is totally free to do what he wants. It is his money afterall. All I was trying to do was give hom things to think about, not get into an argument with you.

Sorry donn0128, I currently own 2500 Duramax with 6’6” bed and have family with 3500 RAM that are also short beds. When going through dealerships or seeing what’s on the road one would see that shorts are the more popular in 3/4 and 1 ton. This is I’m sure why hitch manufacturers sell so many sliders and why fifth wheel manufacturers rounded there corners and made the more short bed friendly.

[SugarHillCTD]

MFL wrote:

SugarHillCTD wrote:


Maybe I need to change my signature to say standard bed.

Looks like you've got it covered John, sb will work for standard bed also.

Jerry

Maybe stb and shb should be the new abbreviations? Or rb and sb?

[MFL]

SugarHillCTD wrote:


Maybe I need to change my signature to say standard bed.

Looks like you've got it covered John, sb will work for standard bed also.

Jerry

[SugarHillCTD]

As an add on to my reply above and other's input- this wil be old news to most folks here, but...

Pickup manufacturers recently made bed length designations a little confusing.

Years ago there were only long bed (8') pickups. Then they started to sell long bed (8') and short bed (approx. 6.5') trucks.

Within the past few years they changed the short bed designation to "standard bed" when they started to produce REALLY short bed trucks.

So we have long bed (8'), standard bed (6.5') and short bed (5.5').

Maybe I need to change my signature to say standard bed.

[IBcarguy]

I tow my FW with a short bed GMC. I've never had any problem. If I had to jack knife the rig to 90 degrees it would kiss my back window for sure. I just make sure I never do that. Someone else mentioned that it's also hard on your trailer tires and it is! Like someone else said,I just just move forward a few feet and make several runs at a tight spot.

[Poppy_s_5th_Whe]

donn0128 wrote:
Ypu can tow with a sjort bed. The trade off is,,,,,,
You loose 2 feet of useable cargo space,
You cannot carry a sheet of plywood or sheetrock with the tail gate closed,
You may need or want a much heavier slider hitch, thereby reducing your available cargo capacity,
You likely could not fit the truck with a folding bed cover,
Rarely have I ever seen a 3500 short bed truck. Which indicates to me your interested in a 2500 series truck? Which is fine as long as your looking at a short, light fiver. Once you go over about 12,000 pounds gross your going to want a 3500 series truck.

Crazy ....

- Long bed gains 2 ft which I don't need. I never "lost" 2 ft!
- I carry full 4x8 sheets of whatever I need with the tailgate closed. - They just sit on the bed rails.
- I don't use a slider (AUH) and have zero problems. Over 40,000 miles towed.
- Don't have or want a bed cover.
- Not sure at all about this comment regarding rarely seeing 3500 shorts beds. My GMC Denali 3500 is a 6'6" "regular" bed truck bought off the lot and I see them all the time.
- My 5th wheel is 36 ft. with a GVWR of 13,599. My truck payload is 3,570 lbs. Fully loaded truck and trailer maintains my payload within limits.

[SugarHillCTD]

The truck and 5th wheel in my signature with an Andersen rail mount.



Last weekend I had it jackknifed 90 degrees to turn around in a small parking lot. No problems.

[RollandB]

Dave H M wrote:
I just do not understand the issue of "you can't haul a full sheet of plywood or sheet rock in a short box and close the tail gate".

I haven't seen anyone preface this statement with "I am a sheet rocker, or I haul a lot of plywood with my TV".

As I mentioned I’ve had both and have a long box now. I completely agree with Dave. Even when I had a SB, I didn’t have an issue with hauling what I need. More than the bed length is the hitch in the middle of the bed.

[alexleblanc]

I've had two "short bed" Ford trucks with the 6'9" bed with fifth wheels and never had an issue on my end, i'm sure the equivalent GM or ram truck would be just fine.

[AUwing2]

no problems with a 3500 Silverado equipped with a 6 1/2 foot box and no slider.

[MFL]

Dave H M wrote:
I just do not understand the issue of "you can't haul a full sheet of plywood or sheet rock in a short box and close the tail gate".

I haven't seen anyone preface this statement with "I am a sheet rocker, or I haul a lot of plywood with my TV".

I agree Dave...just another parroting remark from someone with no clue! If the average Joe FWer needed to haul a sheet of plywood, he'd first have to remove his hitch, no matter the bed length, then only have to leave the tailgate down, if standard bed. IMO, a truck used as a commercial work truck should be a long bed, or a full time RVer may make use of the extra 1.5', otherwise a standard bed works best for most.

As to the OP, a 6.5 bed will work just fine, and in most cases with a non-sliding hitch.

Jerry

[Dave_H_M]

I just do not understand the issue of "you can't haul a full sheet of plywood or sheet rock in a short box and close the tail gate".

I haven't seen anyone preface this statement with "I am a sheet rocker, or I haul a lot of plywood with my TV".