8 ft or 6.4 ft box on TV?

[Beachbourbon]

Considering a new TV a 3500 GM or RAM, both diesel. Really liked one, but noticed it was a 6.4 bed. We don’t have a 5th wheel and don’t know if we ever will-but want a truck that can handle any future RV. What are the pros and cons of a 6.4 bed vs 8 ft bed in this situation? I know there are special hitches for short bed 5er situations, but not sure if they are easy or not. What do you guys recommend?

[NMWildcat]

For my personal truck I always have a 6.5' bed. The Sidewinder hitch I use allows me to turn 90° and is the perfect solution to towing fifth wheels with shorter bed trucks. Very simple solution.
For the farm, we always buy long beds as we install auxiliary fuel tanks and tool boxes in the beds and use them for towing goosenecks.
I don't like the looks of long beds, the horrendous turning radius, and the frustration of parking them in crowded parking lots designed for much smaller vehicles. But if you need the bed room, or only use them for towing, they are great.
It mainly comes down to your personal preference. Either bed will work fine for towing fifth wheels.

[5er_tom]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

For my personal truck I always have a 6.5' bed. The Sidewinder hitch I use allows me to turn 90° and is the perfect solution to towing fifth wheels with shorter bed trucks. Very simple solution.
For the farm, we always buy long beds as we install auxiliary fuel tanks and tool boxes in the beds and use them for towing goosenecks.
I don't like the looks of long beds, the horrendous turning radius, and the frustration of parking them in crowded parking lots designed for much smaller vehicles. But if you need the bed room, or only use them for towing, they are great.
It mainly comes down to your personal preference. Either bed will work fine for towing fifth wheels.

Yes, long bed trucks are very cumbersome in parking lots, etc. But, the ride quality is much better with the long bed, you don’t need an expensive slider hitch, and you normally get a larger fuel tank.
Personally I will never have another short bed truck.
As always, pluses and minuses, you make the call.

[Orlando bull]

I have a 6'4" Ram with a fiver, andersen ultimate hitch, pretty good clearance, probably 80 degrees. A long bed, you won't have to worry about at all. A shorter bed does create different concerns, but, mine is a daily driver in a downtown environment, so, I can't do a long bed comfortably.

Personally, I would go with the shorter bed unless you have specific intentions to upgrade to a fiver. But, if it's purely a TV and not a daily driver, go for the long bed and you won't have to worry about it.

[dodgemark]

My Ram 2500 has short box and I have the slider for my 5er. And I can get truck 90* if I needed to and camper is not close to cab

[upflying]

Long beds may give you the option of an aftermarket aux. fuel tank.
A long bed crew cab probably will not fit in your garage.
You will be making wide right turns to avoid hitting curbs with the right rear wheel.

[joeuncool]

Another thing to consider is what you might be using your truck for besides towing. I had a 2011 F150 with a 6.5 bed. I could place pieces of lumber in it diagonally and shut the topper and tailgate.

Now I am in a 2016 F150 with a 5.5 bed and I absolutely hate it. When I get lumber and such it hangs out with the tailgate up and i have to leave the topper open and then I am worried about the glass popping down when I drive, hitting the items and breaking. There are other little things that I dislike about my truck but they aren't a big deal. Every time I have to deal with that bed it makes me swear.

So, ask yourself what you might use the bed for. If you don't haul much in it get the shorter one. if you carry stuff kind of regularly, get the longer one so you don't cuss every time you stop at your home improvement store like I do.

[5picker]

Usually... there are THREE bed lengths from the manufacturers.
8.0' - 6.5'/6.75'(newer trucks) - 5.5'

Some folks call the 5.5' a short bed and some folks call the 6.5/6.75' a short bed.
I'm simply pointing out the difference.

As mentioned, each bed length has their pros and cons.
A 5.5' bed would NEVER be suitable for 5th wheel towing but OK for TT towing.
A 6.5/6.75' bed would be fine for 5th wheel towing with the proper hitch placement and/or the use of a Revolution/Sidwinder/slider/Anderson hitch. It would also be OK for TT towing.
A 8' bed would be fine for any hitch combination for 5th wheel towing and TT towing.

The other pros and cons have been mentioned and are mostly a matter of personal opinion.

I had two 8' bed trucks and now the last seven have been 6.5/6.75' bed trucks.
That should tell you my preference.

[ronheater70]

I had experienced the smaller bed in our f-150.. But when we got our Ram 2500 I got the 8' Bed, and when we traded that again for the 3500 CTD, we got an 8' bed again. I will NEVER own another truck without an 8 foot bed. The ability to just whimsically throw stuff in the bed with worrying about rearranging things to fit is golden for us. It also allows us a good bit of room for storage in the bed when the fith wheel is attached.
No issues with Parking with the extra length. Crew Cab 4x4 Long bed.. It's all I will ever own any more.

[MR.M]

it's really personal preference . the ride with a LB is better and for me i would not buy a truck with out a LB . double cab /extended 2019 chevy 2500 LB works great . need the bed for items a short bed truck can't carry

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by MR.M

need the bed for items a short bed truck can't carry

Not a good statement/assumption. A 6.5' bed can carry anything an 8' can carry, just might have to leave the tailgate down, and I have plenty of straps
And I keep seeing that a long bed is supposed to ride better. Y'all must have more sensitive posteriors than myself
I jump between bed lengths almost daily and really don't feel enough of a difference to say anything definitively.
I will say that type of tires, tire psi, and shocks seem to make the most difference in unloaded ride quality between the trucks I drive.

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Not a good statement/assumption. A 6.5' bed can carry anything an 8' can carry, just might have to leave the tailgate down, and I have plenty of straps
And I keep seeing that a long bed is supposed to ride better. Y'all must have more sensitive posteriors than myself
I jump between bed lengths almost daily and really don't feel enough of a difference to say anything definitively.
I will say that type of tires, tire psi, and shocks seem to make the most difference in unloaded ride quality between the trucks I drive.

well no it can't / yes you can leave the tail gate down or have 2x4x8's sticking up over the tailgate . but i can carry way more with an 8' bed then i can with a 6.6 . Like i mentioned personal preference and personal needs will differ . the short bed would not work for me but may work for everybody else on the planet .

[Beachbourbon]

Thanks for all the great replies! My initial takeaway is that the 6.4 is not as limiting as I imagined in the 5er world, and day to day, but there are things to consider specific to how I will use this vehicle.

[waybeck2018]

Originally Posted by upflying

Long beds may give you the option of an aftermarket aux. fuel tank.
A long bed crew cab probably will not fit in your garage.
You will be making wide right turns to avoid hitting curbs with the right rear wheel.

I have a short bed F250 and added a 34 gallon spare diesel tank in the bed. I also have a 5er and it works fine with the right hitch. The spare diesel tank sits just below the bed rails and has no interference when the 5 er is connected.

[Bear fans]

DW and I got our first 1 ton, first diesel last fall. It’s a Ram, just our preference. I’ve always been a short bed guy but our goal is to eventually move into a fiver so I wanted as much towing and cargo capacity I could get without getting a dually. The long bed trucks give you a little more, and it still fits in my garage a dually would not without displacing DW’s vehicle and that wouldn’t do, not much point getting a big fiver if I’m divorced 😎. As for parking and getting around, this is my daily driver as well, I went from an 03 ram 2500 to a 19 3500 with all the camera’s, the new one is hands down easier to park and get around.

[Tundra 2014]

I have a 2019' F-350 w/ 8', so I can have a full-size tool box w/o going to a sidewinder or slider hitch. I did not want the added expense of the slider or dealing w/ the additional weight. The newer 5th. wheels have notches cut in the trailer front to allow use w/ a shorter bed. So really dependent on the 5 th. wheel one are looking at.I believe the ride is slightly better w/ the longer bed, especially unloaded 1 tons. After a year I am happy w/ my choice and getting extra exercise walking in from the parking lot. It would be the same issue w/ a dually.

[mdstudey]

OP did not mention if it will be a dually or not. If it is why not just go with the 8'. Parking is mute point with a dually. I guess I like the 8' because that is what I grew up with. I always wonder why those with a little tiny bed just didn't buy a enclosed SUV.

[JRBME]

I'm with 8' box group. Much more useful overall. A 3/4 or ton tuck isn't an ideal daily driver for most irrespective of bed length.
A huge benefit is the longer wheelbase pulls straighter, stops straighter, and operates with less 'bucking' than a shorter wheelbase.
The one benefit of short body pickups is the "cool" factor. Long boxes look like work trucks. Some do anyway. DRW long beds look VERY cool.
Another short bed downside relates to fivers and goosenecks. The hitch setup is more complicated and any error can damage parts. A friend has a MiniWinnie 29' fiver and he has had issues with his hitch. Unsure exactly what, but he's wrestling with hooking up and I'm all hooked up and waiting. His tow vehicle is '18 F250 4x4, crew cab, short box, diesel. Quite nice truck. But the hitch must be shifted for tight turns.
An 8' box crew cab Ram is about 20' bumper to bumper.
A short body with an aux fuel tank has very little storage area.
60 gal tank bites 2 feet out of the bed. I have 60 gal aux.

[Beachbourbon]

I’m not looking at dualies since I don’t need that much truck.

Question: lots of talk about adding gas tanks here, and I’m not understanding why. I crossed the country in a gasser with a 38 gal tank no problem.

[upflying]

Originally Posted by waybeck2018

I have a short bed F250 and added a 34 gallon spare diesel tank in the bed. I also have a 5er and it works fine with the right hitch. The spare diesel tank sits just below the bed rails and has no interference when the 5 er is connected.

You can add a bed mounted tank to a short bed Ram 2500 too..I was thinking more of frame mounted aux. tanks. More room and options for long beds to mount something under the truck.