sailtexas186548

only when Im in a Fountain!

Or on my little boat!

Knotcrazy

I have to agree with Sydwayz- Go with a long box. I also used to drive 4-door short boxes. I also used to drive gas engines. I even used to drive 1/2 tons. I will never rely on ANY of these for a tow vehicle again.

I remember going from the '06 5.7 Chevy to a 6.0, nice difference when towing but still nothing compared to the Duramax. I will never go back.

1500 vs 2500- not even a question. I will never go back.

Finally short vs long box. You probably guessed it- I will never go back.

Like most people a prefer the look of the short box truck. But I have been driving long boxes for over 4 yrs now. Yes they have been not only my tow vehicles but also my daily drivers. OK I admit that pulling into a parking spot at the local grocery store or even Lowe's for that matter takes a little more consideration. Good news is that I never have any trouble finding my truck- it's the one sticking out half way across the isle! The occasional u-turn can also be a challenge.

Other than those two times the long box has been nothing but a plus. Besides being or more stable towing platform (that alone makes it worth it for me) you also get the larger fuel tank, a definite plus on any road trip. More cargo room. Even a little better ride.

You may also have to consider the length available in your garage for parking.

Finally I will give you a short story. I will never take towing any size load for granted. I had 4 friends towing a trailer. The tow vehicle was rated to tow the load, but not much more. Now add some rain and little downhill grade. Drive made a small mistake- just a little wiggle (we've all been there). Trailer pushes truck off the road. Two dead, two severely injured- as in airlift. Driver was one of the survivors- kind of. Left side crushed. Walks short distances with a cane. Left arm is about 30%. Injuries forced him to retire from his practice. Physical pain everyday, all day. But he will tell you the worst of it all is the fact that he feels responsible for the deaths of his wife and his best friend. His friends wife was the other survivor.

Now I can't say a bigger truck with more towing capacity would have saved them but it might have. I also know for sure it wouldn't have hurt.

Go with the long box I'm sure you'll never look back.

ICDEDPPL

Wow thats quite a story NotKrazy! Damn

seafordguy

Long bed 4 door dually for my dd. I like the long box and don't mind just parking a few spaces further away when I go to lowes or the liquor store. I did have a hell of a time in a tight parking garage the other day but that was more because of the saddle bags that the bed length

Sydwayz

Short-beds look better at stock height.

Long-beds look better with a couple inches of lift and some bigger wheels/tires.

Wildman_grafix

I like the look of a long bed 4 door over the short bed myself. I think the short bed looks weird when you have 4 doors,

I also like the long bed becuase I do use the extra length hauling stuff and like to be able to close the tailgate.

As for parking, I always park out away from everyone anyway, no door dings and the walk is not going to kill me.

Crude Intentions

I have a shortbed. I have nothing against long beds. Easy to park, easy to drive. I personally don't generally have a need for the long bed. Rarely enough cargo or anything else. It's a 2007 4dr 4wd gasser. Everything I've asked it to tow has been great. Pulled a 30 scarab sport loaded to the gills from cabin all the way back gunwale high during a move. I know without a doubt it was overweight. Towed great. I'm not upgrading until I put something on it I feel uncomfortable with.

Quinlan

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Usually use the Long bed, but somebody told me " hey my Pontiac can do it"

soldier4402

short bed will be fine. When I had diesels they were extended cab long beds and I really cant compare towing to a short bed because I only have a short bed in my half ton. But I can tell you the 8ft bed was nice for putting stuff in, everything fit. Only problem is with long beds is parking, and they can look goofy,

Sunny32SSR

I have a DD short bed crew cab Ford F250 6.7. I can relate to and understand the points of why some suggest the full length bed. However, for myself, I often have to navigate within the city and parking garages suck as they are. Wouldn't even want to take them on with a DRW full length bed.

That said, I've pulled up to 10k with mine and had no issues. Newer trucks have features and options that help mitigate or assist some of the older truck problems/concerns. Ie, anti sway.

I also agree that it's better to have too much truck than too little. At the same time, I will not be hauling a 5th wheel and the boats I'll own or be hauling likely will never exceed the capacity of my truck.

Set your budget and go from there. Buy what you can afford and always keep the safety of your family, yourself, and others at the top of that list.