Bed size matters.

[AH64ID]

I have owned pick ups for the last 49 years, all have been 8' beds. Never thought I would rather have a short bed, but have thought many times how glad I am that I don't have a short bed.

Exactly. I’ve never once thought I’d rather have a short box, but I have wondered when the “standard bed” became the short bed.

 

[CRHardie]

I recently purchased a new used truck and had a difficult time finding a truck with a 8 foot bed. Since 1989 all of my trucks have been 8 ft. Used to be this was a standard bed. Short beds were for half ton trucks used to get groceries. I have had the same tool box in every truck since my 92 D250. I can haul a sheet of plywood and close the tale gate. No fancy hitch needed for the 5th wheel. 50 square bales of hay is no problem. The 4 wheeler fits in with the tool box and the tailgate closed. I just don’t think I would be happy with a short bed. Keep looking you will find one. The bad part is dealers know they are rare and if you are specifically searching for one they know they have you. Another thing to keep in mind is a 4th gen 2500 is around 6 or so inches taller than your 3rd gen. I absolutely hate that and see no reason for it at all.

 

[Turbo Terry]

You gots to have a tool box in a pickup I think. And your 4 wheeler should fit also. You get about ten foot with the tailgate down long bed

 

[slowmover]

If on the road a shortbed CTD is seen with a 27-MHz antenna, “Hey, that’s a good-lookin’ Honda Ridgeline!”, (borrowed from a friend who’s a New England farmer says they give’em hell up there),

A V6 1500 grocery-getter? Okay, who cares?

But a 1T with a medium-duty diesel engine?
Never made sense.

— Gave up two-feet of bed length directly behind cab to carry the xtra heavy stuff on & ahead of the Drive axle. Run that up as cubic feet (to cab height).

Single-cab shortbed DRW on a lift kit . . there’s the true wiener. Had that “custom” pass me yesterday in New Mexico.

.

 

[wyosteve]

I'll have to try and find the photo, but in the mid 90's, Dodge had a concept truck at the Sturgis motorcycle rally that they called T-Rex. Had dual rear axles, single wheel and a 9 foot bed! Wish it had come to fruition.

 

[AH64ID]

I'll have to try and find the photo, but in the mid 90's, Dodge had a concept truck at the Sturgis motorcycle rally that they called T-Rex. Had dual rear axles, single wheel and a 9 foot bed! Wish it had come to fruition.

I remember that concept truck.

 

[NIsaacs]

I'll have to try and find the photo, but in the mid 90's, Dodge had a concept truck at the Sturgis motorcycle rally that they called T-Rex. Had dual rear axles, single wheel and a 9 foot bed! Wish it had come to fruition.

#ad

 

[Diesel85]

It's interesting. Looks like they are both driven axles, and one not just a tag axle.

I remember seeing that picture a lot for years... but just noticed the extra differential.

 

[Tuesdak]

A Short Bed to park in a garage I noticed was termed "Urban Cowboy".

So what do you call a 3500 Crew Cab Long Bed, they don't make a longer frame at the factory, that's parked in a garage?

Hint: If you get the "C" Logo just right opening the door on my 2018 it lines up with the "RAM" lettering and it spells:

CRAM As in Cram Trucks...

So I Urban Cowboy a Crew Cab Long Bed by parking it in the garage.

What about a name for parking a tall two level boat behind a 2500 crew cab long bed in the garage? (I could back my 5th wheel into that garage, park another identical rig beside it and have room for a couple cars and still shut the door.) Asking for a friend.

When a reg cab 1/2 ton short bed squeaks the bumper on the garage door probably time for a bigger garage, a second garage, or ... just park it outside. My Buddy who does just that with his reg cab 1/2 ton parks his New Power Wagon out back. He did build a stand alone car port to keep it cool in the summer though.

I am still jealous of my buddy's enormous garage. He built it that way while leaving just one wall up on what was left of the house (for ease of building permit reasons) and leveled the rest of it to rebuild the home the way he wanted it.

I would seriously consider one of these RAM Long Haulers if they ever made it, but, even my garage has limits and the small econobox parking spots narrow minded business owners and cities/towns, including pickup heavy hardware stores, push on us is a challenge as it is. Wait, What?! A place for customers to actually park and shop here? No, No, we need more green trees instead to block the roads during/after a storm for aesthetics...

https://moparinsiders.com/rams-long-hauler-concept-is-the-ultimate-cross-country-hauler/

https://www.motortrend.com/features/ram-long-hauler-concept-first-test/

 

[Diesel85]

A Short Bed to park in a garage I noticed was termed "Urban Cowboy".

So what do you call a 3500 Crew Cab Long Bed, they don't make a longer frame at the factory, that's parked in a garage?

Hint: If you get the "C" Logo just right opening the door on my 2018 it lines up with the "RAM" lettering and it spells:

CRAM As in Cram Trucks...

So I Urban Cowboy a Crew Cab Long Bed by parking it in the garage.

What about a name for parking a tall two level boat behind a 2500 crew cab long bed in the garage? (I could back my 5th wheel into that garage, park another identical rig beside it and have room for a couple cars and still shut the door.) Asking for a friend.

When a reg cab 1/2 ton short bed squeaks the bumper on the garage door probably time for a bigger garage, a second garage, or ... just park it outside. My Buddy who does just that with his reg cab 1/2 ton parks his New Power Wagon out back. He did build a stand alone car port to keep it cool in the summer though.

I am still jealous of my buddy's enormous garage. He built it that way while leaving just one wall up on what was left of the house (for ease of building permit reasons) and leveled the rest of it to rebuild the home the way he wanted it.

I would seriously consider one of these RAM Long Haulers if they ever made it, but, even my garage has limits and the small econobox parking spots narrow minded business owners and cities/towns, including pickup heavy hardware stores, push on us is a challenge as it is. Wait, What?! A place for customers to actually park and shop here? No, No, we need more green trees instead to block the roads during/after a storm for aesthetics...

https://moparinsiders.com/rams-long-hauler-concept-is-the-ultimate-cross-country-hauler/

https://www.motortrend.com/features/ram-long-hauler-concept-first-test/

That Long Hauler concept is pure truck porn... my golly would I love to have one of those...

 

[Jim W]

You gots to have a tool box in a pickup I think.

Well, my little short box Mega cab carries two toolboxes. One under the rear seats along with a flare kit and torque wrench. Behind the rear seats are two blankets plus a tow strap. In the storage compartments behind the rear seats are extra filters for both fuel and oil plus rags. In the low-profile toolbox in the bed is stored other items that are switched out as needed. Plus, my Demco auto slider hitch for my 5er and behind the hitch frame but in front of the tailgate when hauling my 5er is the firewood.

Now if I need to go and get lumber since I do woodworking, I have a wood frame that fits over the hitch and will support 8' plywood, furniture grade. So, to me the Mega Cab with the 76.3" short bed is more than adequate. In fact, I can and do keep more tools in my truck than my one son with his 8' bed, Ram.

Plus, my almost 21' long Mega Cab will fit in my garage.

 

[6401nohl]

Always had 8' Beds, but wanted a Mega Cab this time around. So 6'-4" was it. When I need an 8' Bed, I simply flip out my Bed Extender and problem solved.
#ad

 

[AH64ID]

Always had 8' Beds, but wanted a Mega Cab this time around. So 6'-4" was it. When I need an 8' Bed, I simply flip out my Bed Extender and problem solved.
#ad

As long as you're not towing or need the 8' bed enclosed.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Again, a compromise.

 

[promisedland]

Size matters
,
I love my 8' bed, a shorter truck would be nice sometimes, like when off-roading.
]
]

I wasn't intending to put 2 pics on,... oh well.

 

[p-Bar]

Here's my little ram 8' bed. 1989 Dakota

 

[Tuesdak]

When I need an 8' Bed, I simply flip out my Bed Extender and problem solved.

I don't recommend using the weak tailgate to extend the bed to 10'. Just picking up a couple items for Mom's place and the load left a imprint (dent) in the tailgate.

Nice thing about Lowes is they have an air compressor by the Pro loading zone so one can "add air" to rear tires to bring a couple things home you buy there that take a forklift to load up...

 

[Diesel85]

I don't recommend using the weak tailgate to extend the bed to 10'. Just picking up a couple items for Mom's place and the load left a imprint (dent) in the tailgate.

View attachment 139208

Nice thing about Lowes is they have an air compressor by the Pro loading zone so one can "add air" to rear tires to bring a couple things home you buy there that take a forklift to load up...

Nice truck!

There was someone on here that said their Harley's rear tire left their tailgate bent.

 

[bcbender]

that take a forklift to load up...

Warning.. those monkeys they have driving the forklifts dont know how to load w/o damaging the trucks... i had a pallet of concrete put in ... and they pushed the mast against the top of my tailgate leaving a "swale" in it... I know its there, not too bad, but I wont allow them to load anything again,.. I take my GN flat bed now when I need bulk materials.. they cant really mess that up too much.

 

[6401nohl]

I don't recommend using the weak tailgate to extend the bed to 10'. Just picking up a couple items for Mom's place and the load left a imprint (dent) in the tailgate.

In my case, it's a 6'-4" bed, extending to 8' when the tail gate is down. I've picked up 2 pallets of Sod onto the tail gate/bed with no issues. Obviously the weight is shared into the bed as well, so not fully onto the tail gate when loaded. Actually it was 20 pallets total (so 10x trips). YRMV.

Have loaded Dirt bikes (about 250 lbs each) and Sportbikes (about 400 lbs or so) onto/into it without any issues noted. Don't think I'd try a Harley (at least not a Bagger at 7 - 800 lbs) trying to get it up in there that high without dropping it.... That would be trailer time.