[RopinandRidin]

This is a really dumb question and it's kindof embarrassing but can somebody tell me if a full sized 8 foot bed can be put on the frame of a shortbed truck without modifications? I'm finally getting to the point where I can replace my poor truck and I can't imagine not having a longbed but I've got a chance at a good deal on a shortbed truck that has damage on the bed. If it can be done, I could buy the truck and replace the bed with a full sized one but I'm not sure if it would fit...

 

[catch&release]

I am guessing.....no.

If you look at a shortbed and longbed truck, the difference in length is from the back of the cab to the wheel well.

 

[RopinandRidin]

You're right. For some reason I was thinking the added part was behind the wheel well and it's not. Dang... Now I gotta figure out if I could settle for a shortbed or not....

 

[SmokeyWren]

There another option. Replace the shorty pickup bed with a flat bed (or platform stake body). You'd probably have to DIY, because probably nobody makes a flat bed for a shorty pickup. But if you DIY, you can make the bed stick out further behind the rear of the current frame. Of course, that means getting rid of the stock rear bumper and hitch, but if you can make a DIY platform body, surely you can finish it off with an adequate rear bumper and trailer hitch receiver.

The disadvantage of an extended flatbed/platform bed is you cannot tow a fifth-wheel or gooseneck trailer. The kingpin/gooseneck must be over or in front of the center of the rear axle, so you couldn't turn more than a few degrees without the rear bumper of the truck contacting lower front of the trailer. And with a tag trailer, you'd probably have to use a weight-distributing hitch to take hitch weight off the rear of the truck and transfer it to the front axle of the truck.

If you make a DIY flatbed, just be sure you include the stake pockets so you can have at least minimal sideboards and tailgate. Things tend to roll off a flatbed without anything to hold them on the bed.

But if you make your own flatbed, you can include a full-width toolbox up front and sideboxes on the flatbed as well as under the sides of the truck. Sorta a poor man's service body. Just pay attention to where the fuel filler tube will wind up, and don't put a toolbox or storage box where that tube has to be. :wink2:

There are a couple of articles on TheDieselStop you could use as a guide for making your own DIY flatbed.

Here's one:
DIY Flatbed

Here's the other:
DIY Flatbed #2

 

[catch&release]

Now I gotta figure out if I could settle for a shortbed or not....

I feel your quandary. You just have to decide what the long bed is worth to you versus the deal you could get on the shorty. Personally, I looked long and hard for the right truck, and didn't even look at short box trucks. Of course I was looking for the 6-speed as well, which was more difficult than the long bed. These trucks were a lot easier to find when diesel was $5+/gal.

 

[jtdiesel65]

My two cents is go find a good deal on a long bed truck.

In my case, I have a LWB CC. I bought it thinking I would get a camper. It's a nice travel truck w/ lots of cab room, etc. Well, what I do now is haul firewood, gravel, and I'd like to get a plow. I need a regular cab or extended cab dually with a dump. I could shoehorn my current truck into what I need by adding a dump bed, but it won't haul as much as it does now or as much as a dually could. I could put a plow on it, but it won't work nearly as good because of turning radius and I'd probably have to change front springs or add to them.

What I'm saying is I think in the long run, you would just be better off getting something made for the larger bed. Less hassle and with the price of steel and whatever else you need for DIY add-on parts, you just might negate the good deal you got on the short bed..

 

[RopinandRidin]

Yeah, thanks guys. At times I've considered giving in to the short bed but I have always talked so bad about the limitations that they have. My problem now is that I'm out in Cali and for some reason, it's pretty durned hard to find lb trucks out here. In Texas, it's pretty hard to find shortbeds but here, they seem to think that's too much truck. I almost gave into a sb the other day but I'm still holding out. It's bad enough having to deal with the fact that everything costs twice as much out here but...I'll keep looking....