Long/Short Bed?

[Mel Swanson]

Well, it Looks like I will order a new pick up when the prices arrive.

Please help me out. Had a 3500 long bed dully to pull a 5th wheels. I prefer the shorter truck, 4X4. In the future I will be pulling a TT. Will the short bed be a good option for that job, 4X4? On an empty truck I can’t imagine that the short bed will ride any worse than a long bed. What do you think?



Anyone have experiencs with the options of: electric winch or the diesel space heater?

 

[Bertram65]

I would say the quality of ride from best to worst for the 3rd gen trucks would be, long bed SRW, short bed SRW, DRW. I do not think 2 wheel drive or 4 wheel drive really matters much as the majority of ride unpleasantness comes from the rear.

 

[Matt400]

I have a SB and 25'TT, its plenty long for where I like to go.

I have never owned a 5th wheel but have maneuvered them around in parking lots and even an occasional test drive while at work.



I don't think I would want a LB and TT, the added wheelbase IMO would be more of a drawback in maneuverability than a payoff in ride quality.

In your case coming from a long bed 5th wheel I would bet a SB, TT will feel longer and less maneuverable.

 

[C. Harlan]

I cannot figure out how y'all think that a few more inches in bed length really makes such a big difference in maneuverability. . A neighbor down the street from my mother who was trying to keep up with the jones' purchased a shortbed 3500, after asking my opinion on which he should get to tow his large equipment his goosenecks that were very wide in the front. I told him time and time that a Longbed was the way to go. . When I came by mom's house to drop a few things off one day, and saw the back of his cab crushed in, I sat there and laughed for about 5 min. . Sure, you may be able to use a shortbed to pull your trailers, but to me, they are just cute trucks. I am not concerned about maneuverability, but rather having a real truck that gets the job done; you learn to work with what you have. My 04. 5 3500 4x4 DRW Rides great, almost better than my 98. 4 2500 QC LWB. . It turns good, gets into parking spots, and does all the things a shortbed can do.



Good luck with your choice, but it's better to have more truck than not enough, wishing you had more space in the bed to put your little knick-knacks!



Merry Christmas, and keep us posted!



-Chris-

 

[Matt400]

I cannot figure out how y'all think that a few more inches in bed length really makes such a big difference in maneuverability.

Hop in a short bed and you will see the wheelbase makes for tighter turning. I drive them both at work and in places where you have to stop and back up with a LB you don't with a SB.

Sure, you may be able to use a shortbed to pull your trailers, but to me, they are just cute trucks. I am not concerned about maneuverability, but rather having a real truck that gets the job done

Well darn... and I thought I made an upgrade from my Ranger, at least I can say Mine is cuter than yours :-laf

 

[Bertram65]

It is repeated time and time again on here from all the dually guys, anything less than a dually is just slightly more capable than a Dakota.

 

[Cummins Pilot]

Driven lots of LB & SB while towing various sized trailers (36' down to 10'). I'd take the LB every time. I can tell a small difference between the SB & LB. For me the advantage of the SB in small areas isn't worth it. A lot of it comes with knowing your rig and how to setup when you need to maneuver.



Now moving 40' flats & vans around a tight yard I like a single axel tractor. Kicking trailers around with a OTR tractor with a sleeper ect SUCKS!

 

[C. Harlan]

It is repeated time and time again on here from all the dually guys, anything less than a dually is just slightly more capable than a Dakota.

Too bad I never said that... see my sig, or my pic gallery. . Black Betty is a Single Wheel. . I love that truck! There are some times I would rather use my single wheel for certain jobs than my big boy. . I have had 19 mama cows and 7 calves on the back of my single wheel. Sure it was overloaded, but we got the job done.

Hop in a short bed and you will see the wheelbase makes for tighter turning. I drive them both at work and in places where you have to stop and back up with a LB you don't with a SB.

I will take your word on it. . I rarely if at all have to stop and back up; I know what you are talking about, but I am the @ss who takes up the whole parking lot to get into my spot. . :-laf



Hope y'all's Holidays are great!!



-Chris-

 

[wildmanben]

I like my SB. Works great for everything that I have needed it for. The only time I wanted a long box was when I was hauling small square bales in the back.

 

[GOlsen]

According to an article I read in Diesel Power Magazine, with a long bed you can get more leverage on a trailer while towing. I don't remember exactly why they said it's that way though. Just a thought.

 

[Scrappy]

According to an article I read in Diesel Power Magazine, with a long bed you can get more leverage on a trailer while towing. I don't remember exactly why they said it's that way though. Just a thought.

The longbed's wheelbase is longer but the distance from the rear axle to the ball is the same(between the LB and SB). so the longbed will have more leverage to resist trailersway. I also noticed that when the rearend of my longbed truck breaks loose on ice it seems(to me) that it rotates alot slower

than my previous QC SB truck making it easier to reel it back in.



Driving a longbed isn't that much more difficult once you know how to do it.

 

[brista]

Well, it Looks like I will order a new pick up when the prices arrive.

Please help me out. Had a 3500 long bed dully to pull a 5th wheels. I prefer the shorter truck, 4X4. In the future I will be pulling a TT. Will the short bed be a good option for that job, 4X4? On an empty truck I can’t imagine that the short bed will ride any worse than a long bed. What do you think?



Anyone have experiencs with the options of: electric winch or the diesel space heater?

It depends on the length of the TT. I have a 34' TT and towed it with my 03 SB and the new truck. The long wheelbase (and dually) is a big plus with the longer trailer. I won't buy another short box truck but as far as looks go the SB looks better IMHO.

 

[Simplysmn]

Lb Or Sb

You mean they really made a truck with less then a 8 ft bed no wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy :--) long bed or you might as well buy a dakota in my eyes

 

[Matt400]

:-laf So where do the LB RC owners fit in? Do they have real trucks cuz of the bed length or are they some sort of 1/2 bred Dakota cuz they have the same wheel base as a SB QC?

 

[AMink]

I think the longer wheelbase makes for a more stable tow platform. I don't tow a 5er, but my long bed 97 and now my Mega tow my 30' very nicely. If Megas came w/8' beds, I'd have one!

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I think it would be dang near impossible to get a quad/long truck up to our cabin. it's a tight squeeze with a quad/short... The switchbacks on Cinnamon Pass require 3pt turns w/ a quad/short, I wouldn't even attept to take a quad long up there! different strokes, for different folks.



I will say that if you're going to have a trailer hooked up a majority of the time, get the long bed unless you get a sliding hitch.

 

[Bertram65]

Too bad I never said that... see my sig, or my pic gallery. . Black Betty is a Single Wheel. . I love that truck! There are some times I would rather use my single wheel for certain jobs than my big boy. . I have had 19 mama cows and 7 calves on the back of my single wheel. Sure it was overloaded, but we got the job done.







I will take your word on it. . I rarely if at all have to stop and back up; I know what you are talking about, but I am the @ss who takes up the whole parking lot to get into my spot. . :-laf



Hope y'all's Holidays are great!!



-Chris-

Your right, I should have said short beds are just slightly more capable than a Dakota, as short beds are not "real" trucks and are just "cute" :-laf

 

[WadePatton]

:-laf So where do the LB RC owners fit in? Do they have real trucks cuz of the bed length or are they some sort of 1/2 bred Dakota cuz they have the same wheel base as a SB QC?

Reg Cab drivers have the REALEST trucks. It's either in the truck or in the bed! None of that la-la land in the middle where my overalls, sleeping bags, rifles, dogs, 12 packs, blankets, boots, tackleboxes, tools, and lotsa lotsa more stuff gets swallowed up.



Not that I have a reg cab. Am considering one when I find a dually C/C that fits my requirements! (12v/5sp/4x4)

 

[Forrest Nearing]

You mean they really made a truck with less then a 8 ft bed no wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy :--) long bed or you might as well buy a dakota in my eyes

pfft, real trucks have at least a 12ft flat bed

 

[JLibert]

If your trucks dedicated purpose is pulling the trailer, get the long bed. I have a short bed, and I love it BUT - on more that one occasion pulling different trailers, I have almost smashed the back of the cab. I can't even pull one of my friend's horse trailers because any more than a slight turn will result in the trailer hitting the cab. Long beds make it easier to hook up to as you can see the ball in the bed (gooseneck anyway).