I know its been asked a bazillion times but I am desperate and need help. I have an 05 3500 CTD auto longbed SLT Bighorn 4x4 srw red ordered and it won't be here until the first of July. I had my dealer do a search of that truck within 400 miles and nothing. I originally was only going to get a shortbed because I love the looks and really don't like the looks of longbed but thought it would be more practical towing my 32' 14,000lb 5th wheel toyhauler. Until I saw a shortbed up close I never considered a Dodge, been Ford all my life. I only tow the toyhauler a dozen times a year and most of those are an hr drive from home.

So should I wait another 6 weeks or have the dealer do a search for a shortbed with the options that I want? Will the shortbed ride any worse and will it tow the toyhauler any worse than a longbed? Do I go practical or bling? If I get a longbed I will leave it stock but if I get a shortbed I want to do the 315's, 2" level kit, bling, bling, bling, etc. HELP!

 

My shortbed tows my 10K fifth wheel just fine and I'm running 35's on hummer wheels with no leveling kit...and it still fits in the garage! Get a slider hitch though. I like the look of the shortbed too. My wife says if I ever trade I have to wait for the new mega cab.

Good luck either way.

BTW - the quad on 60HP setting really tows nice with the 35's. No problems with the grades coming to Estes Park.

 

Long beds only way to go.Lots of reasons,too many to list.

 

It is just a personal decision that only you can answer. I agree with Hound Dog about going with a LB, but I am biased because I have one.

I like having the extra room for a tool box etc. Personally, I think the long beds look better than the short beds. The LB's also ride better.

I don't see any downside to having the LB except it can be a PITA to park it in tight spots. Why would you mod the sb truck but not the LB? You can put 315's and a leveling kit on those too. Good luck with your decision.

 

I wouldn't put too much faith in that dealer locator 400 mile search. My local dealer did the same for me, and came up with nothing fitting what I wanted in a 500 mile radius. So I decidied to go drive around and take a look. I found what I was looking for at another dealer about 35 miles away.

As for the LB/SB thing, I had a 98 Dodge long bed, my current truck is a short bed. And I consistantly haul 24' cattle and horse trailers, no difference between the two at all, except that the long bed was hard to manuver in tight spaces.

 

I vote for the short bed. I looked at both when buying mine and liked the looks and mauverability of the short box better. I have a mounted tool box in mine and have no shortage of room. As stated above, matter of opinion.

 

Longbed dually is the only way to go for towing. That's just my preference, everyone is different, that's what makes the world go round.

 

It's really a matter of preference. I had a longbed Ford PSD and it didn't ride any better than my SB CTD (and it was 2wd). I can't comment on CTD LB vs. CTD SB, though because I haven't compared.

The SB is great for everyday driving. It fits in my garage, parking spaces and turns around in less than 3 blocks!

As far as towing . . . I have a Pullrite Superglide automatic slider 5th wheel hitch and it's fantastic. It's a bit more expensive, but well worth it in my estimation. There's less room in the bed to carry stuff - no surprise, but with a toyhauler, you have plenty of room inside the trailer for that.

If you like the SB and are willing to sacrifice the extra 2ft of cargo space in the bed, don't let the LB owners talk you out of it. Because it's my everyday driver and I wanted it to be a bit more civilized, I chose the SB and I'd do it again.

You'll love whatever you choose.

Good luck,
Neil

 

14,000 lbs = Dually

 

Times have changed but surveys 10 years ago showed short beds were the truck of choice for FIRST time truck buyers.Second purchase was long beds.Re sale has proven better on long beds.I have ONE of each.The S/b is for WIFE/ME grocerys,dog food, pinestraw,bag or two of feed.Anything else its almost , well you know.

 

Waiting on Megacab before doing anything but one thing to remember, with the Megacab.....the shortbed IS the longbed! Grammy and Pop need more cab space these days, so the Mega looks 'bout right.Mike

 

Hounddog,

I think a lot depends on where you are and where you have to park and drive. In So. Calif., streets aren't as wide, parking lots are getting more and more dense (price of land is sky high). Angled parking spaces are giving way to narrow, perpendicular ones - and the lanes between them seem to be getting narrower to boot. Even good ol' Home Depot is a PITA to maneuver into a space between two other vehicles. Kiss it off if the closer one is a f*&^%$g long bed truck

I'd agree that working trucks are more often LB. But, around these parts, I see a lot more SBs driving around as pleasure vehicles than LBs - but that's a seat-of-the-pants poll, admittedly unsubstantiated.

Papaperk,

I missed the 14k lbs in the original post. That's going to put something in the neighborhood of 2800lbs on the pin. I have to agree with you. DUALLY!

 

For the 14k, I'd have a dually.

Boss' brother hauls cattle with a SRW, longbox Chevy. He's had problems with tires on the truck, with the weight. I don't know the empty weight of the trailer, but his loads are around 10-14k.

He ran a ext. cab, short box Chevy before his current truck. He said the new truck rides better and has a bigger gas tank.

 

I drive at times into ATLANTA.Park and what not in my dually.Have ALWAYS had longbeds except for the ONE 1500 we have now.I was warned years ago about the S/B L/B deal.I can see a S/B in a 1500.BUT a 2500/3500 much less a DIESEL no way.

 

My old truck was a 2500 short bed and I was always looking for more room in the back. I am a daily driver, do a lot of city driving and have had no trouble with my new truck. It's nice to have the extra space when needed, plus it makes the truck look bigger

Short bed looks like a 1500