Hey all,
I have always had good luck getting some advice on this forum, so I'm back to the well for some more info. I currently have an older (1996) "heavy duty" truck that has an 8' long bed. It's super great for picking up plywood sheets, longer stock, etc. BUT…it's old and heavy duty and needs about $600 worth of repairs every time I turn around, which kinda stinks since I probably drive it about 800-1000 miles a year. Plus it gets single digit gas mileage and is really only good for a trip to the Big Box Store. I'm considering selling my older truck and getting a probably 8-10 year old truck. My question to the group is this. Should I go with another long bed (aka 8' bed) truck or move to a shorter bed truck (which would probably work for 90% of the things I pick up) and get a trailer for the sheet goods and such? Thinking probably a truck with a 6.5' bed and a 6'x12' trailer. Thoughts?
My truck has the 6.5 bed and I've truly never wanted anything bigger. You can get those hitch extenders (if you have a hitch receiver) and those add some length to what you can haul. Even so, with the little use your truck sees I think I'd worry more about the vehicle itself and it's condition. Buy the best value to you with whatever length bed it has.
My truck has the 6ish medium bed and works fine. It depends mostly on the size of the material that you're picking up.
A rack would be handy for lumber that's longer than 10'. Though carpet scraps make nice bumpers any time you need to hang something out over the tailgate. Only reason I can see needing a trailer would be for large loads (volume) to make offloading easier.
Picking up plywood is easy enough with a quick 2×4 stand. Drop the tailgate, and set the sheets up on their long edge against the 2×4 stand. Couple straps and a flag and you're good to go.
My '98 short bed measures 8' to the end of the tailgate when it is down so 4×8 sheets are always fully supported.
10' lumber hands over 2', but that is fine with a flag and I can secure the end with straps running around the tail gate.
I made a "contractors" type rack that can handle anything longer up to 16' and under 400 or so pounds total.
I had a small (Nissan) pickup truck that had limited carrying volume so I added a rack. That enabled me to handle any and all hauling jobs, from 16' boards to 4×8 plywood. If it were me, I would go with the long bed and a rack.
My truck is a 2015 Chevy short bed bed and like sprintergroup is 8ft with tailgate down. Unless I'm getting flimsy molding from big box store, I am able to get full sheet goods and real lumber up to 12ft. I've thought about once of those extended hitch support things but haven't picked one up.
I have a F150 super cab (4 door) with the short bed I think 6 or 5 1/2 feet. I put ply in the bed either w the tail gate down or closed and at an angle. Works fine. There is an extender to plug into the trailer hitch for real long stuff.
I can get the truck in the garage and close the door too.
+1
Mine is the extended cab and I love the extra interior space. By giving up some bed length I can still park it where a car would fit.
I do also have a 6'x16' tandem axle flatbed, but that really is only used when I have quantity or weight to haul.
I have a 6.5' bed. There were a few hard requirements when I got my truck:
- Four real doors.
- Able to fit in my garage.
- Minimum bed length of 6 feet with tailgate closed.
- The ability to put a full sheet of drywall/ply/osb between the wheel wells.
When I narrowed it two makes, the one I bought met all four; the "also-ran" didn't meet the "fit in the garage" test.
I also have a 6X12 utility trailer. I have an acreage and I use my utility trailer several times each month. Even if the truck had an 8 foot bed, I would still need that trailer. Just this past month, the trailer has been used to haul my zero-turn mower, haul 5K pounds of compost (in two lifts), get 2500 pounds of mulch in bulk, and carry the logs from a downed apple tree. If considering a trailer, give strong thought to the ramp. My trailer's ramp has a 1500 pound weight capacity; I can drive my mower or ATV on and off the trailer.
I've got a 2011 Toyota Tundra with a 6.5' bed. It will tow near 10,000 lbs, I can fit 8' 2x diagonally with the gate closed, 8 foot sheets with the gate open. It's got 143,000 miles, and it is just getting broken in.
So what if I get 14 miles a gallon, I only drive it a few thousand miles a year and I can go out and scrap for a day to earn gas money for the month.
With the miles you are doing, there is no reason not to get something that you WANT to get as it should fit the bill not only for your needs, but for your smiles per mile.
I ve got a 2011 Toyota Tundra with a 6.5 bed. It will tow near 10,000 lbs, I can fit 8 2x diagonally with the gate closed, 8 foot sheets with the gate open. It s got 143,000 miles, and it is just getting broken in.
So what if I get 14 miles a gallon, I only drive it a few thousand miles a year and I can go out and scrap for a day to earn gas money for the month.
With the miles you are doing, there is no reason not to get something that you WANT to get as it should fit the bill not only for your needs, but for your smiles per mile.
Do you have a manufacturer's trailering recommendations chart? I have a '70 Chevrolet 3/4 ton truck with a 400 CI engine, specifically set up for towing (Custom Camper) and the manufacturer says that the specified (in my case) 10,000 pounds includes the truck and the towed vehicle. BTW, my truck is coming up on 1/4 million miles.
Steven, is your '70 a big block (402) or the small block?
I know that the SB 400's had issues with overheating/warping due to the Siamesed cylinders (helping people on the street with engine RnR when I was a teen).
My FIL sold his '72 3/4T Chevy LB that had the 400 badges, but it was the BB 402. Thing was a tank with about the same fuel mileage. Asked me if I wanted it, but didn't need another mouth to feed. I knew at the time that the body style was big for restorers (most demand for the step sides), but I declined. He sold it a few weeks later for $2k (about 20 years ago). Would certainly like to have it now!
Since trucks became fashionable cabs got bigger and beds got shorter. It's hard to find a long bed now days.
IF all your going to do is haul stuff in it I would prefer more bed space. So I would go long bed. Short beds work fine for most things. Just really comes down to personal preference
I have a trailer(s) I use a lot. But a pickup is less hassle. No unhitching, storing it, backing. Of your options I would go long bed.
My wife drives a 15-passenger hightop Ford Transit-350 van. It gets heavily used every day to take kids to soccer and whatnot, but also can haul a ton and a half with the doors closed if needed (and the seats out). Plywood on edge (or other 8' sheet goods) go between the seats without taking them out. Quite a bit of lumber can go up the aisle and under the seats too. I've hauled 14' boards with the doors closed.
I should say that the back center seats are always out - so it would be a 13 passenger van then. Otherwise you can't use the back doors. Most of the time there are 11 seats in it.
I ve got a 2011 Toyota Tundra with a 6.5 bed. It will tow near 10,000 lbs, I can fit 8 2x diagonally with the gate closed, 8 foot sheets with the gate open. It s got 143,000 miles, and it is just getting broken in.
So what if I get 14 miles a gallon, I only drive it a few thousand miles a year and I can go out and scrap for a day to earn gas money for the month.
With the miles you are doing, there is no reason not to get something that you WANT to get as it should fit the bill not only for your needs, but for your smiles per mile.
- MarkMog
Do you have a manufacturer s trailering recommendations chart? I have a 70 Chevrolet 3/4 ton truck with a 400 CI engine, specifically set up for towing (Custom Camper) and the manufacturer says that the specified (in my case) 10,000 pounds includes the truck and the towed vehicle. BTW, my truck is coming up on 1/4 million miles.
My 2015 Tundra's max trailer weight is 10,100 pounds per the manual. Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR; truck + trailer) is 16,000 pounds. Since my truck, as configured, weighs 6200 pounds with a full tank of fuel and nothing in the bed, my max trailer capacity is actually 9900 pounds.
for about 60 bucks on craigslist or offer up, pick up single post ladder rack, (meaning it has two posts and place for ladder, sets in bed hole and has support to bed.
one of my gals has a 6-6 bed on her cheebie, shes a trim carpenter, and sometimes needs to carry longer trim, crown ect. while it does not hold a bunk of studs, it does do in a pinch and easily installed and removed
rj in az
A crew cab (4 door) truck with a 6' bed plus a trailer works for me. But I don't use the trailer for sheet goods unless foul weather makes it necessary. Just lay the tailgate down and use cargo straps to keep the plywood from bouncing.
Crew cab means I can bring a team of installers, a bed full of tools and a trailer full of furniture or millwork in one vehicle.
With the popularity of four door trucks a short bed can now be as short as 5-1/2 feet. I have an extended cab Ford F-150 4×4 with a 6-1/2 foot bed. With the tailgate down 8 foot materials are not a problem. I've hauled 10 and 12 foot lumber a few times for short distances. I just have to strap it down front and back to keep it stable. It gets driven very little; mostly for lumber runs.
If you're interested in Fords, you may want to avoid the three valve Ford engines that use two piece spark plugs.
The last truck I had with a 8' bed was a 1990 Silverado. My last two trucks we quad cabs with a 6 1/2' bed on them. I do miss an 8' bed, but there are work arounds, bed extenders, hitch extensions and trailers. I don't buy in "bulk" anymore, so there is not a lot of weight in the lumber/sheet goods I do purchase and haul back to the shop. For me it is less than 5 miles from purchase point to home, so I just let the material hang over the tailgate with it being closed. I have a trailer available to me if needed.
Point is, if you fall into similar circumstances as I have, then the adjustment to the shorter bed is possible.
I personally think there is a big part of the truck market being ignored. A lot of us would like to have a 1500 series truck with an 8' foot bed, single cab AND with all of the features offered in the higher trim levels of todays trucks.
I gave up the bed for comfort and convince in the cab where most of us oldsters spend most of our time. These old bones and joints have earned a little comfort. Heated seats and a steering wheel in the winter time, hell yes!
6 foot bed with tailgate down = 8' so there's really no advantage or need for a trailer. Plus any stick lumber longer than 10' is going to stick out anyway.
I have an 8' bed stick lumber 8-10' I angle stack with tailgate closed. Longer than that I use the BackRack.
I've had long and short bed trucks over the years. I never really noticed when I had a shorter bed truck. But, now that I have another 8' bed, I can honestly say I/m glad I've got it.
My daily work truck is a 2021 Ram 1550 Work Truck. Single cab, 8' bed, 2 wheel drive. I mean a total work truck! LOL. The really nice thing is, I can carry materials AND tools, and not be paranoid about my tailgate being down. 8' material can go in the back without having to worry so much about straps.
I work in the shop the majority of the time, but I do have to go pick up materials and install some of the pieces I build. The 8' bed holds more cabinets, bigger built-ins, etc. Having it around has really convinced me that an 8' bed is the way to go for me. The only bummer is I am not 100% sure I'll be able to buy a new one in the future…. They seem to be disappearing in the wild!
An absolute POS if you look at it electrically, brakes, or anything Under the truck. The drivetrain will still be going strong long after the rest has turned to rusty dust. Probably still have it because even with 55K actual miles I couldn't get enough out of the POS to go to the movies. Will be the last American branded vehicle I ever buy.
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