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Old 10-02-2014, 01:55 AM   #1
buckeyebobhockingcamper
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long bed,or short?

ok my cousin just bought a 39 foot fiver with 2400 lb tongue weight,12500 dry wt on unit.hes buying a 350 hd crewcab duramax.long or short bed is the question.all the dealers say long just need some experienced answers.would the ride be better or why would it be better?its his first camper!! thanks,buckeyebob
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Old 10-02-2014, 02:05 AM   #2
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I don't know what the differance would be in the ride between a short bed and a long bed. But if you get a short bed ( standard bed now ) I would get a slider hich if your 5th wheel dosen't have the curved front end.
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Old 10-02-2014, 02:59 AM   #3
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Just my opinion but... I have a long bed (172" WB) and I'll never go back to a short wheel base as long as I tow trailers... especially 5'ers.. you can't get enough bed space... EVER...

Also, and again just my opinion.... the log bed rides smoother on bumpy and wavy roads.. but they do require the driver to walk a bit...
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Old 10-02-2014, 04:26 AM   #4
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A big thing for me is fuel capacity when hauling my truck drinks gas. I think the long bed has a 37.5 gallon fuel tank. I'm not sure if the standard has a smaller one If my memory is still good the 156" wheel base only has a 26 gallon tank. As far as hauling on normal interstate and highway driving you won't notice a difference between the two. maneuvering you may see more of a difference dependent on the model 5'er he got. you may need a slider for some 5'ers and standard beds.
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Old 10-02-2014, 06:57 AM   #5
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I also would vote long bed. The extra space for hauling stuff is great. I never noticed a difference in ride between our long bed and a friend's short bed same year F-350. Plus, I have a tendency to haul other large things: hay bales, 8' sheets of plywood, PVC, all of it is easier with the 8' bed, with the hitch out of course!

The only other consideration that *may* make a difference is if you are wanting to keep it in your garage. Many house garages, around here at least, built in the 90's and later don't have long enough stalls for a long truck. I was lucky enough to purposely build our house garage around a large truck.
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Old 10-02-2014, 07:01 AM   #6
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Fuel capacity is definitely a consideration for me as well. That's one reason we have a supercab rather than a crew cab. On Fords, (not sure about other brands) the 37 gallon fuel capacity is available on long bed trucks but not on short bed trucks. So, to get a truck that will fit in the garage and keep the fuel capacity we had to buy the 158", long bed supercab or the 172" long bed crew cab. Both the 142" SB supercab and the 156" SB crew cab have the 26 gallon tank.

As Javi said, when towing, especially fifth wheels, you can never have enough "bed storage space"...... Although the tri-fold tonneau covers a bit more of the bed when in the folded configuration.

With the "cut-away" front cap, the need for a sliding hitch in the short bed trucks is all but eliminated. While some owners still want the "potential capability" provided by sliding hitches, the RV manufacturers are building almost all of their upper and mid-level fifth wheels to be towed without a sliding hitch in short bed trucks. Whether it's extended pinbox/cut-away caps or Sidewinder pinbox/cut-away cap, the need for a sliding hitch is virtually a thing of the past.
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Old 10-02-2014, 07:31 AM   #7
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Like a garage or a shop, always go bigger. Long bed and a larger fuel tank. Room for stuff, and when fuel mileage drastically drops when towing that 5er, the bigger fuel tank will be a welcome feature.
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Old 10-02-2014, 07:36 AM   #8
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short box

get the short box. and with the way trailers are designed today I would say you don't even need a slider hitch.

and I also am agains duallys.....my wife would never drive it if I had one and she does drive now. and it is a pain to park in the city.
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Old 10-02-2014, 10:12 AM   #9
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With the length of the trailer and pin weight expressed, go dually and long bed.

The dually will be more stable under load.

As to the DW driving, mine does drive the dually. Its all about remembering you are a bit wider than normal. With a trailer behind you, the dually is no wider than the trailer for the most part.

JMHO.

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Old 10-02-2014, 10:19 AM   #10
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thanks for all the replys!!i have a shortbed cc duramax,have no need for slider but a 26 gallon fuel tank also.i will pass this on to the cousin.one thing i noticed with a long bed you cant walk between open tailgate and fiver.
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Old 10-02-2014, 10:24 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buckeyebobhockingcamper View Post
thanks for all the replys!!i have a shortbed cc duramax,have no need for slider but a 26 gallon fuel tank also.i will pass this on to the cousin.one thing i noticed with a long bed you cant walk between open tailgate and fiver.
Since the added length is in front of the wheels, I'd say that was more a product of the 5th wheel than the wheelbase..
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Old 10-02-2014, 01:28 PM   #12
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My question would be is this a "weekend warrior puller" or a long haul down the interstate puller. If this was mainly weekend kind of camping I would want the shorter bed for manuvering. If this is more "get there and park" I would opt for the long bed. Just saying....
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Old 10-02-2014, 02:35 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by msp2jxr View Post
My question would be is this a "weekend warrior puller" or a long haul down the interstate puller. If this was mainly weekend kind of camping I would want the shorter bed for manuvering. If this is more "get there and park" I would opt for the long bed. Just saying....
It's really not that simple to choose. As for maneuvering, the wheelbase more or less determines the turning ability/parking ability. The long bed supercab F250 and the short bed Crew Cab F250 are built on 158" and 156" wheelbase frames. That makes them "maneuver" the same. So parking a supercab long bed is just as easy as parking a crew cab short bed. I'm sure that Dodge and GM both have essentially the same type truck body/frame design characteristics.

As for "long haul down the interstate", once you get where you're going, it's the same as the "weekend warrior puller". They both have to go to the grocery store and drive through the bank auto teller lanes.. That is, after they maneuver their rig into the campsite that may be "tight" or "too narrow" or "over a narrow culvert with trees on both sides" or ???.

It's seems to me that it's more a personal preference in features issue than it is a maneuverability issue
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Old 10-02-2014, 02:39 PM   #14
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A 2500/3500 HD weather it's a Chevy or GMC does not have a shortbed option. You have the standard bed (6.5)and long bed (8ft) both come with a 36 gallon fuel tank. If it's for occasional towing get the shortbed. Easier to maneuver and park. I had a Nissan Titan with a 5.5' bed and never ran into anything I could haul home from the Home Depot or furniture store. The 6.5 bed on my Sierra has served me well. I can lay two adult bikes down in front of my 5th wheel hitch and all my leveling boards and blocks behind the hitch while towing without issue.




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Old 10-02-2014, 06:11 PM   #15
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update,he bought the long bed,wow what a truck.it comes with an exhaust brake
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Old 10-02-2014, 06:26 PM   #16
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Love my long bed

Like the added room having a long bed dually crew cab. Loose the tailgate and get the 5th wheel tailgate. My 2007 Duramax has a 34g tank and I will be adding a 40g tank/toolbox combo in the spring.

I have a deep garage so no problem parking inside. Plenty of homes can't handle 22'.
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Old 10-02-2014, 06:36 PM   #17
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My short bed GMC recommends against a 5th wheel. It doesn't say why.
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Old 10-02-2014, 07:10 PM   #18
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Tbos,

I may be wrong, but I believe you're towing with a half ton crew cab "short bed" (5'5"). I don't believe GM does recommend fifth wheel towing with that vehicle.

The general conversation in this thread has been 3/4 and 1 ton long bed vs "short bed" (8' vs 6'5"). Seems the OP's cousin decided to buy the long bed model. I'm sure he'll be happy with his choice.
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Old 10-04-2014, 11:18 AM   #19
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i have the 6.5 bed in my 2007.5 (new style)chevy crew cab d/a.curt 20k fiver hitch,pulling a 37 foot montana hc.26 gallon fuel tank,but i have a 37 gallon auxillary tank (not installed in bed yet)the new trucks might come with a larger tank in 6.5 bed but not in 07.would love the exhaust brake ,but only need it in west virginia/etc on way to the keys.retired folks gotta watch the $$tthanks for all the replys,my cousin bought a 2015 38rks open range.first camper!!!
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Old 10-04-2014, 11:23 AM   #20
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JRTJH,
You're right. I didn't make myself clear. I looked at the owners manual last night and it specifically says not to tow 5th wheels with the 5.5 foot bed.
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