New truck height's

[colliehauler]

Why do manufacturers raise the dang truck bed so high on new trucks? It's not conducive to towing or loading or unloading the bed. Are looks more important then function? Is there another reason besides vanity that they do this? I could understand if they needed to do so for larger brake rotors and wheels. Years ago GM took pride in the fact there truck had more ground clearance with less truck height.

[Wild_Card]

Reverse level the truck, then airbags to level when loaded. A reverse level will drop the rear 1.5 to 2"

[brulaz]

horton333 wrote:
I've seen people posting they have to flip axles to get to level. That added height to the centre of gravity must be hurt handling significantly, especially in an emergency turn. Victims to style.

Guess that's one advantage of a bumper pull with the newer HD trucks.

[Jebby14]

I like my ground clearance and better departure and approach angles thanks.

[4x4ord]

Durb wrote:
I find it easier to lift a bag of redi-mix waist high to load rather than hoisting it chest high. That and the fact that my trailer won't fit a new truck means I will drive my old one until it refuses to come home.

By the way 2017 tail gate heights: Ram 3500 DRW - 57", Ram 3500 SRW - 59", F350 SRW - 60 1/2"

Seems to me a forklift lifts a pallet of concrete 62" about as easy as it does 48". For towing an RV a tow body would work the best .... orflat bed but most rv'ers seem to want what everybody else has.

[colliehauler]

Durb wrote:
I find it easier to lift a bag of redi-mix waist high to load rather than hoisting it chest high. That and the fact that my trailer won't fit a new truck means I will drive my old one until it refuses to come home.

By the way 2017 tail gate heights: Ram 3500 DRW - 57", Ram 3500 SRW - 59", F350 SRW - 60 1/2"

I wonder if those same designers had to load said concrete (or anything else) in the bed all day what they would think of the bed height?

[Durb]

I find it easier to lift a bag of redi-mix waist high to load rather than hoisting it chest high. That and the fact that my trailer won't fit a new truck means I will drive my old one until it refuses to come home.

By the way 2017 tail gate heights: Ram 3500 DRW - 57", Ram 3500 SRW - 59", F350 SRW - 60 1/2"

[Huntindog]

Part of it is the bed sides/tailgate are higher. This means they can advertise that the bed volume/capacity is greater. It also means some older campers will not fit.

[DanNJanice]

Agreed! It sure doesn't say too much about the truck buying public.

[horton333]

I've seen people posting they have to flip axles to get to level. That added height to the centre of gravity must be hurt handling significantly, especially in an emergency turn. Victims to style.

[BenK]

Driven by the fashion statement crowd, who 'think' taller has more capacity/rating/etc...several locals 'think' their half ton is more truck than my 3/4 ton truck. Mine has higher GVWR/RGAWR/payload/etc and can enter local parking garages with a 6'4" entry height limit...while they can not...

Ditto the latest 'larger, blunted nose' for pickups, etc.

Ditto the larger dia wheels where they were considered low rider stuff and laughable to the TV crowd just a decade ago

Marketing to the herd stuff and of course it works so well in selling. Toss in "Kind of the Hill" stuff...

[hbrady]

I complained when I had to install my 'grampa step' just to get in and out of the bed but I was thankful for the clearance when back dragging 13" of heavy wet snow this winter. I've hung up trucks on the frame while plowing before, it's no fun.

[fj12ryder]

They may be a pain to get into and out of, towing, and loading stuff in the bed, but they sure do look manly. I would think a guy would grow chest hair just being around those things. 🙂

Apparently the truck companies are just following the fad. Look how many guys spend a ton of dough to lift their trucks and be rewarded with worse handling, and a higher center of gravity. All in the name of vanity. Extremely popular here in the midwest, and has been for many years. Still confounds me. :h

[BobsYourUncle]

That's a good question.....

And it's not just in the past couple years either. I bought my 07 dually in August 2006. I grumbled about the same thing. And my 03 before it. Seems to me it was either 54 or 57 inches to the top of the box sides. Why?

Never understood the need to have it so high off the ground that you could fly a small airplane through the enormous gap under the truck.

I actually looked in to having the whole truck lowered but the logistics of it made me decide not to. The design is such that lowering it would cause all kinds of issues.

Getting older now and with an ugly back injury and a really messed up shoulder, I now keep a 3 foot stepladder in the back so I can get in and out of the back without blowing a vein or something.

Yeah, good question you posed here....