LB, SB dimensions (applied to Megacab)

[WOT]

I am thinking about the "megacab" and from what I read they are going to use a quadcab longbed frame with a shortbed box and the bigger cab. I thought that the distance from the axle to the back of the bed was more on a long bed. If that's the case how can they stuff a shortbed on it? I might be wrong here. I guess another way to tell is if I can get someone with a long bed to measure from center of axle to the back of the cab and then someone with a shortbed do the same. The longbed dimension should be 1' 9" longer (8' - 6' 3"). It would really suck if the megacab had even less space from the axle to back of the cab - would be worthless for towing 5th wheel!



WOT

 

[XJSuperman]

I thought they made it longer by making the wheelbase longer. Meaning the longbed has a longer wheelbase vs a shortbed. You get the extra 2' of bed from an extra 2' of wheelbase.



Makes no sense if the axle to tailgate length is longer... . ???



If you are right and they make the megacab on the same frame as a longbed quad cab... then it sounds like they will not make a megacab longbed. It would have a 6'6" box so it's like a full 'shortbed'. So then they can still make all their 2500 and 3500 trucks on a small number of chassis sizes.

 

[klenger]

You can find all the dimensions at http://www.dodge.com/bodybuilder/



Good point about the location of the wheels vs. front and back of the box. I assume that they could use the LWB frame and rework the box to fit, but if they did, the axle sure would be close to the cab. Not much good for a 5er or gooseneck.



Do we know how much they are extending the cab?

 

[CChase]

I have read they shave 3" off the box to make the MC fit the current LWB QC frame work. It is a question I have had for a while about the MC. If you take and add the 4-6 inches needed to make a true crew cab, the 8' box does not go down to a 6' 6" box.....

 

[XJSuperman]

I have read they shave 3" off the box to make the MC fit the current LWB QC frame work. It is a question I have had for a while about the MC. If you take and add the 4-6 inches needed to make a true crew cab, the 8' box does not go down to a 6' 6" box.....

That's a good point also.



I guess we'll have to wait until they put one on a lot for sale before we'll really know.



If they did make it a short box... not like what I have with the 6'3" box but a true 6'6" short bed... it wouldn't be any different than what the ferd and chebbie guys have now with their crew cab/shortbed when talking about the axle being too close to the cab. In fact the axle would be farther from the cab than it is on my 6'3" box. But I think CChase has the best theory yet that it will be a 'short'-long bed.

 

[JRMora]

II thought that the distance from the axle to the back of the bed was more on a long bed.



It would really suck if the megacab had even less space from the axle to back of the cab - would be worthless for towing 5th wheel!



WOT

I thought the distance from cab to axle was greater than from axle to rear so that you could put the fifth wheel pivot ahead of the axle (to put some load on the front end of the truck) and still be able to turn a 8' wide trailer 90° without hitting the cab (not you short bed guys!)



Maybe Pullrite will come out with a "Super-Duper Slide" hitch. (I believe they make one for the Ferd Super Crew 1/2 Ton). I'll but it really squats in a tight turn.



Juan

 

[KCJackson]

You guys are forgetting oine thing...



The third-gen Rams were designed and dimensioned so that the frames could be shared by different configurations. The QC short box uses the exact same frame as the RC long box - same wheelbase, same rear overhang. The MC is stretched so that it can use the current 6'4" short box, and use up the rest with the cab.



There was a little bit of trickery used with the new QC dimensions. The new QC is approximately 6 inches longer than the old one, but not all 6 inches came from the short box. If you check the wheelbases, here's what happened:



94-02 QC long bed: 154. 7 wheelbase

03-05 QC long bed: 160. 5 wheelbase

a gain of 5. 8 inches, all dedicated to the cab, since the CA length is the same.



94-02 QC short bed: 138. 7 wheelbase

03-05 QC short bed: 140. 5 wheelbase

a gain of 1. 8 inches in wheelbase, the remaining 4 inches came from the bed.



Here's the "magic" the 94-02 trucks had the following bed lengths: 80 and 100 inches, or 6'8" and 8'4". The new trucks are 76 and 98. Two inches were removed from the rear overhang of both beds, 2 more inches were taken from the front of the short bed. What people forget is, the regular cab also gained 5. 8 inches (all behind the front seat). All this, just so the QC-short and RC-long could use the same wheelbase. The Mega Cab was similarly spec'd so that it could use the QC-long frame wiuth no changes.



On the other hand, a Mega Cab long bed would have a 180. 5 wheelbase, 8 inches longer than a Ford SD crew cab long bed. That would be a serious turning radius issue.

 

[Oakwood]

KC:

Impressive analysis. Pretty good with the logic and the numbers. Ya gotta be an engineer... or you have a slide rule hanging off your belt just like a real engineer.



I'm just jealous that the nuns held me back a year in grade school just as I was getting to those formative "goesintos. "



Thanks.

 

[KCJackson]

(hanging head) I took Mechanical Engineering courses in college. I'm so sorry...