Long bed or Short bed

[Bigdaddy]

Well guys and gals I guess that I will put this here but I am having trouble with my 2018 3500 ram, out plan is this coming April we are planning a cross country trip to N.C from WA state.

So after talking to the wife we don't want no problem because this is not the first major problem that we had with our 2018 3500 so she gave me the go ahead to get a new truck, OH YEAH.

The problem is with all of this covid-19 problem that are going on and with the chip that is not plentiful there not a lot of short bed 3500 dodge ram out there, none I'm interesting in anyway.

Now to the question is to those who have long bed how do you like it and what is the benefit on a long bed over a short bed I never had a long bed? Thank you guys and gals for your comment.

 

[GTyankee]

you did not mention if you were going to be pulling anything
or what you need for when you are not traveling

 

[crash68]

Going with a CrewCab and the 8' bed on a truck, hope you like walking from the back of the parking lot.
Aside from more cargo room and being able to haul a 4'x8' sheet of plywood flat in the bed, the main advantage of a 8' box when towing a fiver is you don't need a slider hitch.

 

[Rlaf75]

Mainly cargo capacity. A crew cab truck with a long bed will be like driving the titanic and you'll need to park out in the far 40 everywhere you go. If you plan on towing anything it will probably be a little more stable but you're adding feet to the length of whatever you're towing.

 

[Bigdaddy]

I am towing a 37' 5th wheel about 4 to 5 times a year and as far as parking I do that now anyway people don't care about your new cars or trucks so I know that that's why I park way out, my wife sometime get upset when I do that so I just let her off at the door and go park way out.

The dealer have coming in a 2022 Delmonico Red Laramie with all of the bells and whistle and with a 50 gals fuel tank which will be a deal breaker, going cross country next year and others time when we go will be great. Thank you guys for all of your comments, I know that there will be some pros and cons and so far I'm liking the cons but we will see. The plan is going to the dealer and test drive what they have until that one come in.

 

[G-Ride990]

What are the cons you are thinking of? I can't think of any with the new setup.

Delmonico is my favorite color too, wish I could have gotten my 1500 in that color!

 

[Bigdaddy]

Well I'm thinking when I'm towing my 5th wheel I would have a smoother ride and I want have to worry about hitting my cab but I don't know if that is a deal breaker yet driving around town in a long bed, time will see.

 

[G-Ride990]

Well I'm thinking when I'm towing my 5th wheel I would have a smoother ride and I want have to worry about hitting my cab but I don't know if that is a deal breaker yet driving around town in a long bed, time will see.

What 5th wheel are you towing and with what hitch?

 

[GeometryFletch]

I prefer 8' bed, this is my first truck with a shorter bed due to availability in 2020. If you're a guy who uses his bed then 8' is the way to go. The moment you need that room on your trips, job or DIY stuff, etc...it's there. If you need the 8', get the 8'. Con: Parking further out, but if you do that anyway, then 8' is your answer... IF... you need that room for other tasks.
Also, what your towing shouldn't change your mind, it can be done. Class A drivers with all types of set-ups from Gooseneck (Hot Shots) to 53' trailers with sleepers get those babies in and out of all kinds of tight spots, I know..I'm one of them. It can be done.

 

[Bigdaddy]

What 5th wheel are you towing and with what hitch?

I have now a 2019 Jayco Eagle 321RSTS with a PullRite Superlite #2600 which is like the AUH, I don't have too much problem now because I do watch my turn.


The reason that I am asking is the truck I have now is giving me problem and we are planning on towing our 5th wheel cross country.

The first problem I was having was it wouldn't go in 6th gear it would sound like it wanted to go into 6th gear but wouldn't so they had to replace I think the cutch plate or something like that but you guy would know, but it was under warranty.

So with only 43,000 miles on it I was hearing some kind of whining noise so I made an appointment to take it in so first they said it was the power steering pump well that seem to stop it when driving but when braking they was still hearing the noise but a little worse.

They call me back and said that it was the Hydro Booster and that they have to replace it but it would cost a little over $700 dollars, now at this time I was saying this is crazy I only have 43,000 miles on it but I didn't have too many option but to go ahead and replace the part.

So when I last talk to service that they was going to get the part but come to find out that the part was on backorder but they might can get the part from another dealer or another part store. Wow, so needless to say I am out done now that I have to pay for a part that it might work or not for the time I get it back.

Service told me also that since it have low miles on it that they might can get the manufacturer to warranty the part that I might not have to pay for the part and that they will call me Monday. So now I can't trust it going cross country now, it might be okay but the wife and I said that it's the hand writing on the wall so what's next, what could happen when we do tow our 37' 5th wheel across country.

 

[392DevilDog]

8 foot bed...oh the best decision I ever made.

I do not park in the back forty. I park right where i want to. I actually have parallel parked this truck more than any other. The back up camera and parking sensors are great.

And some pics of why an 8 foot bed is the best.

 

[Bigdaddy]

Oh, I like those pics and thank you I did call the dealer today and told the salesman to call when it come in.

 

[Papa Red]

I always order my trucks with the 8' bed. I'm a woodworker so I can carry 16' lumber with no problem. Plus it's nice to have room in the truck bed for whatever I want to do with it. As for parking, you park where you want to. It is longer than most parking spots where I live but it's really a non-issue. I love my truck and it rides very nice and I love the 50 gallon tank. I have a 2020 crew cab big horn. More specs in my sig below.

Red

 

[Bigdaddy]

Man I love that pics, I went today to test drive one today and man I loved it. There a 2022 patriot blue Laramie with everything I want in about two weeks so now I going to start taking my mods off and selling them. The one thing I hate I just bought some RECON LED tail lights so now I will be taking those off.

 

[Moose2]

Long bed is the way to go. I never wished I had a short bed after buying my long bed.....however, I often wished I had the long bed, when i had the short bed.

 

[Moose2]

And the 50 gallon tank.....

 

[Bigdaddy]

Wow, thank you for your comment more and more I feel confident on getting a long bed. A deacon in my church is looking at a long bed dually now, hmmmm, I wonder.

 

[Moose2]

I prefer the dually when pulling large 5th wheels and any trailer, really. Stability is the name of the game.

 

[Bigdaddy]

And the 50 gallon tank.....

Oh yeah that is a much have, I just had install in my 2018 srw a 52 gals fuel tank but the one that coming have the 50 gals from the factory. If I don’t get that one any other one that don’t have one I will have them to take mine out and install it in the long bed but yeah we have a cross country trip coming up this May or April.

 

[Bigdaddy]

I prefer the dually when pulling large 5th wheels and any trailer, really. Stability is the name of the game.

They have some Big Horn that I might look at and already looking that way.