Super tall pickup beds

[Garandman]

The load floor height of our 2016 Tahoe is a joke. Our minivan has something like 20% more room, the load floor is lower and third down fits adults.

A front wheel drive would be no good with a heavy load in the back or with a trailer.

FIAT has sold 4.5 million Ducatos AKA Ram ProMaster vans. While not the hot setup for snow, the load floor is much lower than competitors like Ford Transit and MB Sprinter. Don稚 believe there are any plans for a Ducato/ProMaster pickup.

Honda Ridgeline is a pickup built on the Pilot chassis. Has independent front and rear suspension so they ride and handle well and entry/egress is reasonable.

 

[4570Man]

The chain position tailgate on my truck is nice. I can chain it lower than level so I’ve kinda got a ramp when loading something by hand. And I can chain the tailgate part way up for stuff that doesn’t fit in the bed. I know that a 500 pound channel iron tailgate isn’t going to be a hot trend anytime soon but the option to hold the tailgate in more positions than open and closed would be nice.

 

[TMGT]

Couple thoughts on this, newer trucks have larger wheels to fit larger brakes which requires larger tires in order to still have a sidewall, which raises the rear axle higher and requires more clearance above them in the bed.
They also typically have larger frames then older trucks due to higher rated capacities.

Working under a lot of trucks I see where they could possibly lower them slightly but would sacrifice suspension travel and load ability. Remember how you want that nicer ride even with a higher load capacity? Takes some extra room for the suspension.

Some of the 4wd 3/4t could be lower maybe, but if it has a solid front axle it limits how low the front can be which also limits the rear, unless you like the nose high look and associated handling/mileage disadvantages.

There are a lot of unnecessarily high trucks out there though and I can't say I understand why but if they didn't sell the manufacturer wouldn't keep selling them.

 

[bcp]

You need a ladder to check oil, washer fluid, etc. on these new trucks. Why isn't this being done?



Bruce

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I'm seeing more & more nice aluminum flat beds on brand new single wheel pickups around here. A simple 2x8 for a sideboard and you can reach almost to the middle.

I recently (within the last year) bought a few F350s, one single axle, one dually, both 2wd with flatbeds. After owning a truck with a flatbed it would really be a disappointment to go back to a bed, besides hauling loose material like gravel or mulch I have yet to find something a flatbed isn’t better at. So many more tie down points, so much lower to the ground, so much more useable surface. They are great.

My dually flatbed is 8ft wide and 9ft long lol, the single axle is around 7ft wide and 8ft long.

Don’t get me started on how easy round bales unload with pallet forks.

 

[RyeThomas]

TMGT hit the nail on the head. People want to bang on their chest and say I can tow 30K with my pickup, heck 15 years ago to drag 12K you needed a dually and had to have a gooseneck. Now you can haul it with a bumper pull on a 150. Bigger trailer hitch, frame, shocks, spring,brakes, wheels, components, don’t get me started on Horsepower and torque. Seems like ya need 900ftlbs to pull your lawnmower.

I want some of the steps that fold out from the corner but they cost too much.

 

[Jstpssng]

TMGT hit the nail on the head. People want to bang on their chest and say I can tow 30K with my pickup, heck 15 years ago to drag 12K you needed a dually and had to have a gooseneck. Now you can haul it with a bumper pull on a 150. Bigger trailer hitch, frame, shocks, spring,brakes, wheels, components, don’t get me started on Horsepower and torque. Seems like ya need 900ftlbs to pull your lawnmower.

I want some of the steps that fold out from the corner but they cost too much.

On the other hand they needed to put better frames under pickups; it wasn't uncommon to break the frames on '90s vintage Fords just by running them on rough roads.

 

[RalphVa]

I curse Toyota (for putting oil filter underneath) every time I change the oil on our Tacoma. On the 1996 Tacoma, I could reach the oil filter (same location, right rear) from the garage floor. This one, I cannot.

Gotta go underneath a REACH up for the oil filter. Like I say, I curse them every time for not putting it on top. Seems the only Japanese engines with filters on top are some Subaru models.

Our 2 Mazda filters are on the bottom, too, through a hatch.

I did an Autotrader search the other night for a Tacoma 1995-1999 with less than 60k on it. Found one up in Massachusanuts or Taxachusetts. Looked in mint condition. Was tempted, but too far away in the winter.

Ralph

 

[mcfarmall]

I reckon that it's supply & demand. More urban purchasers wanting jacked up height = can see farther in traffic and are more prominent (look at ME!!!).

In other words, the 'pick-ups' (utes) are drifting away from being practical work vehicles.

Half ton pickups are being sissified right out of the picture when it comes to actually being able to use them. Traction control, AdvanceTrack, Roll Stability Control, et al, make it really easy to get hopelessly stuck in muddy or slippery conditions. Good luck trying to tug an empty gravity wagon out of a damp cornfield anymore. The interiors are as nice as the finest luxury cars and just as delicate. I keep saying that my 2011 F150 is probably the last truck I'll buy that has any utility value/abilities (and that is stretching it). I'm going Super-Duty next time around or possibly into the medium duty truck market.

I like the rental F150's at Menard's and Home Depot with the aluminum flatbeds and the fold down/removeable sides! That might be the way to go in a Super Duty someday.

 

[TMGT]

Half ton pickups are being sissified right out of the picture when it comes to actually being able to use them. Traction control, AdvanceTrack, Roll Stability Control, et al, make it really easy to get hopelessly stuck in muddy or slippery conditions. Good luck trying to tug an empty gravity wagon out of a damp cornfield anymore. The interiors are as nice as the finest luxury cars and just as delicate. I keep saying that my 2011 F150 is probably the last truck I'll buy that has any utility value/abilities (and that is stretching it). I'm going Super-Duty next time around or possibly into the medium duty truck market.

I like the rental F150's at Menard's and Home Depot with the aluminum flatbeds and the fold down/removeable sides! That might be the way to go in a Super Duty someday.

They are all sissified if you want them that way, most manufactures still offer basic utilitarian models

 

[check]

You need this<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=540093"/>

+1 on that! I won't buy a truck without one!

 

[WilliamBos]

I love my deep tall bed - it is not a mall cruiser, its a truck and gets used as a truck.
I love the taller ride height and the ground clearance underneath.

No need to jack it up to check/change transfercase/diff fluids.

 

[ovrszd]

About 6 months ago I parked my Tacoma next to a nicely restored 67-72 Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4, stock height. Hood, cab, and bed height were almost exactly the same.

Bruce

A point missed by most in these conversations.

 

[ovrszd]

Half ton pickups are being sissified right out of the picture when it comes to actually being able to use them. Traction control, AdvanceTrack, Roll Stability Control, et al, make it really easy to get hopelessly stuck in muddy or slippery conditions. Good luck trying to tug an empty gravity wagon out of a damp cornfield anymore. The interiors are as nice as the finest luxury cars and just as delicate. I keep saying that my 2011 F150 is probably the last truck I'll buy that has any utility value/abilities (and that is stretching it). I'm going Super-Duty next time around or possibly into the medium duty truck market.

I like the rental F150's at Menard's and Home Depot with the aluminum flatbeds and the fold down/removeable sides! That might be the way to go in a Super Duty someday.

In my area 1/2Ts are exclusively used as cars. Work trucks are 3/4T or 1T. Beginning to see more F450s and F550s, same in the Dodge brand. Friend of mine uses a Dodge 5500.

Unfortunately this is a minority in the national market. 1/2T trucks are "citified".

 

[WilliamBos]

Half ton pickups are being sissified right out of the picture when it comes to actually being able to use them. Traction control, AdvanceTrack, Roll Stability Control, et al, make it really easy to get hopelessly stuck in muddy or slippery conditions. Good luck trying to tug an empty gravity wagon out of a damp cornfield anymore. The interiors are as nice as the finest luxury cars and just as delicate. I keep saying that my 2011 F150 is probably the last truck I'll buy that has any utility value/abilities (and that is stretching it). I'm going Super-Duty next time around or possibly into the medium duty truck market.

I like the rental F150's at Menard's and Home Depot with the aluminum flatbeds and the fold down/removeable sides! That might be the way to go in a Super Duty someday.

There is abutton on the dash to disable traction control - which is mandated on all light duty pick ups.

 

[4570Man]

A point missed by most in these conversations.

And that’s also a grocer getter. My buddy has a late 90s or early 2000s Tacoma. I hauled 700 pounds of concrete in the back and that was about maxed out. I wouldn’t hook my heavier lawnmower trailer to it with my ZTR on it. I might pull my single axel trailer with a regular riding mower on it. The newer ones are a little more capable but they’re also bigger.

 

[dannoGT]

My personal favourite a 3/4 ton pickup with 12 in suspension lift and 6 inch body lift running 44 inch super swamper tires sitting in the handicap parking spot in front of the walmart????? How handicapped are you to climb 6 feet up into that truck????

 

[4570Man]

I recently (within the last year) bought a few F350s, one single axle, one dually, both 2wd with flatbeds. After owning a truck with a flatbed it would really be a disappointment to go back to a bed, besides hauling loose material like gravel or mulch I have yet to find something a flatbed isn’t better at. So many more tie down points, so much lower to the ground, so much more useable surface. They are great.

My dually flatbed is 8ft wide and 9ft long lol, the single axle is around 7ft wide and 8ft long. View attachment 540152View attachment 540153

Don’t get me started on how easy round bales unload with pallet forks.

I’d be hard pressed to go back to a regular pickup. My dump truck is pretty sweet. A flatbed dump with heavy duty removable side boards would be the ticket. I might end up with a 1/2 ton truck to drive but I wouldn’t part with my dump truck until I have to. I haven’t looked very hard for another pickup because I figure the dump truck and insurance is already paid for. The 1/2 ton might get a little better mileage, but not enough to pay the insurance.

 

[WilliamBos]

My personal favourite a 3/4 ton pickup with 12 in suspension lift and 6 inch body lift running 44 inch super swamper tires sitting in the handicap parking spot in front of the walmart????? How handicapped are you to climb 6 feet up into that truck????

Did you bother to look in the cab to see if a lift platform was there? Or a crane in the bed to life things in?

I saw a Dmax in a parking lot that had both.

 

[robertsa]

I reckon that it's supply & demand. More urban purchasers wanting jacked up height = can see farther in traffic and are more prominent (look at ME!!!).

In other words, the 'pick-ups' (utes) are drifting away from being practical work vehicles.

While a lot of that goes on with the mall crawlers in town, I wouldn't say it's an urban thing or is impractical. Lifting trucks to fit bigger tires started off the pavement and moved to town.

My parents are more rural farmers/ranchers than most anyone, but all their vehicles have taller, more aggressive tires. Without them, there's many times during the year they wouldn't be able to get off the mountain.