Short bed or long

[TonyL]

with thanks to all the posts, replies and help we have had regarding what tow truck for our intended fifth wheel (Open Range 337RLS) we now know that although the F250 will actually tow the fiver, we wont be able to carry much else. We therefore have decided on the F350 diesel which has around 3800 lb of load capacity. Final question.. we don't really want a long truck so are opting for the crew cab and considering the short bed version. I am well aware of the limitations regarding turning as we have a fiver here in the UK with a Nissan Navara (Frontier). do I really need a slider hitch, or is it perfectly OK to use a standard hitch and be careful??
Regards to all, and if all pans out, we hope to attend the Quartzsite rally in January.
TonyL

 

[rbrdriver]

On a lot of the "modern" fifth wheels you could probably get by without a slider, because the corners are usually rounded to accommodate short bed situations. You would of course go to a large empty parking lot somewhere and do some test turns to be sure.

 

[grashley]

First, smart choice to go with the 1 ton!

Most people with regular bed (6 ? ft) and a slider say they have never needed it. 
As far as maneuverability, forget it!!!  It really does take half an acre to turn one around.  Specifically, for the 2013 F350 SRW 4X4 reg bed, it has a 51.8 foot turning radius.  The long bed is only 5 feet wider.  In other words, on a 4 lane road with 10 ft lanes, a U turn from the far right lane will require the far shoulder to complete the turn with either truck.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

we don't really want a long truck so are opting for the crew cab and considering the short bed version.

If length is a concern, why the longer crew cab? Or did you perhaps mean the shorter Supercab?  A "regular cab is 123.7",  a Supercab is 146.3",  and a Crew Cab is 158.1".  That's the distance from the front bumper to the back of the cab.  The Crew Cab version will always be on a longer wheelbase than the Super or Regular cab, regardless of the bed length.  Of course, choosing the 8 ft bed adds even more overall length (about 18").

You can see actual length numbers in the Ford Fleet Body Guide:  https://www.fleet.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/brochures/2018/Body-Application-Guide_2018.pdf

do I really need a slider hitch, or is it perfectly OK to use a standard hitch and be careful??

It's perfectly OK - strictly your choice.  At worse you just need to stay aware that a cab strike is possible in extreme turns. I've towed an older 5W with two different short bed trucks and never came close to a problem.    As  rbrdriver mentioned, on many newer trailers the possibility of a cab strike on a standard bed (6.6 ft) is minimal or maybe even zero. The 2018 Open Range 337RLS is not one of those with extreme rounded corners, but it's enough to reduce the chances of a strike considerably.

 

[Frank B]

I guess it depends on why you want to avoid a long truck.


I tried to make and extended cab short box truck do double duty as an around town vehicle, and a tow vehicle. It didn't do either very well.


Our current truck is a diesel crew cab long box. I couldn't be happier. When this one finally dies, I'll get another one.


It is true that it is not that maneuverable, but I wasn't buying a sports car. I love this truck! I especially love having room for more things in a box of the truck than just the trailer.

 

[Rene T]

You would of course go to a large empty parking lot somewhere and do some test turns to be sure.

If you can find a gravel/dirt parking lot it would be good. You're going to be turning that trailer pretty sharp and IMHO it's not doing the RV tires any good. I may not hurt them but why put them through that if can help it.

 

[Gizmo]

Funny you just posted this as I just met 2-folks in the CG we are currently in who are cursing their short bed.  IMHO I would go with the long bed, not just for the clearance and having to get a slider hitch, but longer wheel base equals more stability and I like the extra room it provides to store stuff.  You can easily fit a large in bed tool box and/or auxiliary fuel tank in front of a 5th wheel hitch with an 8'ft bed.  Yes there is a downside to the 8' bed with the turning radius being wider, but for me the benefits far out way that and I can deal with it.

 

[edjunior]

I have had both, and actually prefer the longbed.  It just gives you more room to carry stuff easier.  If I didn't have such a hard time finding one with other things I wanted, I would have one now.  But like a 2 wheel drive, finding the longbed was extremely tough.  With what I wanted.  Other than ordering from the factory.

The longbed was a bit intimidating at first, but really once you get used to having an extra foot and a half back there, it's really not that bad.  I do have a slider, since the first truck I had was a short bed, and I got the slider at an extremely good price.  And as noted above, I have not "needed" to use it yet.  One time made it a bit easier to get in a spot, but I could have made it without the slider. 

All that being said, if you can afford it, get it.  Peace of mind is sometimes a comfort that is difficult to put a price on.  You may never need it, but if you do, you'll be glad you have it.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I always get a chuckle from this sort of question and the inevitable replies.  The inquirer is always looking for a black & white answer to a question that involves a series of value judgments (trade-offs).  Cost, convenience, fuel economy, usability and handling are all affected.  It's easy to argue that you can never have "too much truck", but if you cover all the eventualities you end up with a 4x4 long bed duallie crew cab and thus pay all the potential penalties as well.  It's longer, wider, taller, heavier, and more expensive to buy and operate, while being less maneuverable and requiring more space to park. 

TonyL's original premise was "we don't really want a long truck". He didn't explain why, whether it is a real limit, e.g. garage or driveway size, or just a concern about mall parking and maneuverability.  Taking his desire at face value, he should probably avoid both the crew cab and the long bed, but has to recognize that  he also gets less than the maximum on towing stability, cargo & passenger space. The "happy medium" is hard to judge.

 

[TonyL]

Gary has probably hit the nail on the head! what I was trying to find out was the pro's and con's of either option. Whilst we do not have issues here in the UK with our relatively small set up, I am aware that as we intend to be full time touring hopefully for a while, when we do not have the fiver on the back, we want a reasonably comfortable truck for everyday use that will not take up two bays if street parking, but will sit four adults when either friends visit, or one hopes, we meet lots of lovely people from this forum and end up doubling up for a day out. I have seen the extended cabs, but no offence to all who have them, it doesn't float my boat, the crewcab seems to offer the near perfect compromise.
Thanks for all the replies to date, it really does help, even if you think it just adds confusion.
Regards
TonyL

 

[grashley]

I have a F350 EXTENDED cab, not crew cab.  While it can carry 4 adults and a baby (we have), it certainly is no limousine!  As you said, if rear seat comfort is an issue, you will clearly prefer the crew cab.  Just validating your conclusion from the real world.

 

[DearMissMermaid]

My RV came with a long queen bed, not the short queen bed.  8)

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

It comes down to how often you expect to have passengers in the back seat. Like Grashley, we had a full-sized extended cab pick-up for a couple years and had no problems with the occasional guests in the backs eat. Have also traveled in friend's extended cabs and never felt crushed. That was not the case when we had a mid-size extended cab, but the full size truck had more room and comfortable seating.  However, there is no question that the crew cab is a nicer guest accommodation.

If the crew cab is worth the extra 12" in length,  then the crew cab standard (6.5 ft) bed is a viable option and 18" shorter than a crew cab long bed.

 

[Broke Boater]

LOVE LOVE my Beast, Ram 3500 4x4 Crew Cab long box Dually w/6.7 Cummings,  yea I have to pick where it can park in a shopping center, but that is not really much a issue. I can make a U turn pretty easy considering this size of the truck, Dodge still has a solid front axle on the 4x4, and it turns sharper the my old 1 ton Chevy with IFS. I've had 4 extended cabs, always liked a shorter WB. But on those fishing trips when my crew ride shares with me to the harbor, its not fun for the two in those crappy rear seats. Now with the full crew cab, its nice for everyone on those trips. Plus I can flip the rear seat up and pile all kinds of stuff in it on our camp trips, things that won't fit in a T/Camper, Lisa seems to like challenging my organizing skills on most trips trying to see how much she can take. Its funny how people change over the years. As a young man, no way I wanted a 4 door car, are you kidding, two door coup or hardtops. That included the full size Chevy Blazer back then. When GM came out with the 4 door version Yukon, not the Suburban, I bought into the four door crowd, and thought, "wow 4 doors are really nice, what the hell was I thinking",lol ,,,gregg