How do YOU deal with longbed withdrawal?

[NPauli]

I've known nothing but longbed regular cab pickups, and am about to take the plunge and go for a Mega Cab. My wife won't let me take our baby daughter in a reg. cab, since "the back seat is the safest. " I'm not arguing if that means I get to go truck shopping.



Anyways, how have the rest of you felt about giving up that extra 2' of bed to get more cab? How have you changed your ways to use what you've got? I very rarely fill the longbed I've got, but for those rare occasions when I need to haul a 14' canoe, 2x12'extension ladder, long lumber, etc. , I figure I'll have to do something special to get by, like:



1) Get a ladder rack that's easy to take off when I'm not hauling long stuff

2) Borrow a longbed truck when the need arises

3) Borrow a trailer



I think the ladder rack sounds most appealing for all but the most serious of hauling duties. Any recommendations?

 

[jgillott]

I went from a regular cab long bed to this current Quad Cab short bed. I can tell you that I miss the long bed very much. Lately, I find myself just using my bed for gear/tools and using my utility trailer to haul anything of size.



If I had to do it over again, I would have purchased a Quad Cab with the long bed.

 

[p-Bar]

Bought a short bed 99 new, tough for work , couldn't haul sheets of plywood or long lumber. Traded it in 4 yrs. later and bought the long bed. Now much happier. I use it for my business.

 

[Simplysmn]

Real truck's don't come with bed's shorter then 8 ft IMO:-{}

 

[hwebster]

Went from a Club Cab Long Box to a Quad Cab Long Box... I can't imagine having a short box, too many things that just won't go well in the short box.



Of course it's hard to find downtown parking!!!

 

[AH64ID]

I bought the truck for a long bed... I grew up driving a chevy short bed, and much prefer the long bed. . . Sure the mega may be nice, but the bed is just too short. As it is with an 8' bed there have been times I wished it was 10'.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

why not get a quad/long vs. a megacab

 

[seafish]

why not get a quad/long vs. a megacab

X2... I have a 9 yo and 14 yo and both do fine in the back of my QC longbed. Wouldn't want to be without the longbed!

 

[Grizzly]

I can't imagine life without a Quad Cab Long Bed. Short beds are only good for delivering flowers to a funeral home.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I can't imagine life without a Quad Cab Long Bed. Short beds are only good for delivering flowers to a funeral home.

yup, they'll only deliver 3/4 the flowers a long bed will



but if the funeral home is really busy, you won't have to make a 9 point turn to park!

 

[LRutigliano]

Quad Cab Long Bed with cars seats for a 5yo and a 3yo... works great.



Also worked great when the car seats were turned backwards for when they were babies.



Quad is also great because my wife can reach back there very easily to give them food, etc. Mega puts them another 18" back, I think...



I personally can't get used to the look of the Mega (with its too large back door and window) and a short bed.



However, if they made one with a long bed, I would definately get it next time...

 

[NPauli]

Wow! So it sounds like a bazillion votes for long bed/QC.



I've always thought a 6' bed was just about worthless too, but have just recently started to consider skimping on cab space even worse than giving up my precious 8' bed. This last year with my baby daughter we've spent so much time idling somewhere to nurse, diaper, rock to sleep, change, etc. In weather that's too hot, too cold, too wet, too windy etc. , our only shelter is the cab. So when you're pulled over at the side of the highway in winter and need to change your baby's diaper blowout, where do you do it in a quad cab? With 2 adults, 2 carseats, and a few misc. bags and things?



I don't need a truck bed for work anymore (sob sob), and I've had the above scenario happen more often in the last year than really needing a 8' bed.

 

[Bernie]

I must be the only one who doesn't like thier long box!

I went from an 06 QC short box to an 03 QC long box. Honestly, I don't like the long box. The truck is a pain to park and it takes a lot more work to plan when towing the long trailer in tight quarters.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

if you don't need the long bed, definately get the mega cab!

 

[ECasey]

You can always get the Mega Cab, then do the Long Bed Conversion.....

Mega Cab Long Beds, Dodge Mega Cab Conversion by KS Conversions in West Texas

Welcome to LongBedMegaCab

Custom Mega Cab Long Bed Dodge Trucks | Innovative Customs - Innovative Customs

 

[HOBrian]

if you don't need the long bed, definately get the mega cab!

X1000000000000



Get the QC LB if you want the back of seats dirty from the kids feet and don't mind the "back massage" you get from the on going kicking of the back seat. (I wish they made the Mega when I was looking, with twins my back seat is very full:{) My twins are only 8 months old and I am dreeding the time they start to sit forward.

 

[AH64ID]

I must be the only one who doesn't like thier long box!



I went from an 06 QC short box to an 03 QC long box. Honestly, I don't like the long box. The truck is a pain to park and it takes a lot more work to plan when towing the long trailer in tight quarters.

Well that issue is still there with a mega cab...









As far as changing we do it on the fold down middle seat in the front.

 

[AMink]

I went through the same thing. Came from a 97 LB to a 06 Mega. There are times when I wish I had the LB, but for the most part the Mega is the ticket. A lot of the stuff I had in the bed is now behind the seat (tools, come-a-long, bungies, rope, chains, etc. ). I put a rack on for the long stuff from Home Depot and my 12' boat. Having a tall 14yo and a 10yo, the Mega is the ticket. I looked at QCLB's and there wasn't much more room than the Xcab I had. Plus, I can sleep in the cab with the seats folded down, should the occasion arise!

 

[Forrest Nearing]

Well that issue is still there with a mega cab...

that's why I've got a quad/short



(I do still have the quad/long 98 for work though )

 

[Jeepr]

Has anyone else noticed that if they had made the short be just an inch or two bigger, it would help with many of the situations? Two examples I have encountered where an inch or two would have been I could have closed the tailgate are a double matress & boxspring and my Honda Foreman ATV. Kind of frustrating. I mean I know that if they had gone another two inches someone would have wanted two more inches, etc. But a boxspring and matress seems like something the engineers might have tried out.