I cant decide.
I really want an 8 foot bed... and i really want the mega cab....

Things i am worried about with a 6' bed:
1.Cant fit a bike and a tool box in the back.
2.Hard to fit long snowmobiles??? Does anyone own a powder sled and a 6' bed. I hear that many sleds are 10+ feet long... this wont work with a 6 footer... I dowt own a sled yet, but I want to.
3. Towing a gooseneck or 5th? Do you actually loose any significant trailer to cab clearance with a short bed? I still dont own a 5th or a goosneck... but i have plans.
4.Drop in Campers? Does it suck to put a camper shell or a cab over in a 6' bed truck?

The Mega Cab just seems like a better design but i am super paranoid about giving up the 8'bed.

I have alwys had an 8' bed, but with a weathergaurd saddle tool box in the back, so i am kind of use to the usable length... but i am still paranoid...

What do you guys think?

Need to order a new truck soon to avoid the 2007smog.

 

Sounds like you need a 8 ft bed. The mega cabs are roomy but if you don't want to purchase a trailer, your gonna need the 8 ft bed. Also pulling a fifth wheel with a short bed can get tricky some times.

 

Yea. Sounds like with your plans you will be happier with an 8' bed. There are ways around the things you need/want, such as a small trailer and a sliding 5th wheel hitch. If these are things you don't want to do you better get the long bed!!

 

I pull a 5th wheel with my short bed and it works fine. Ive never had an issue with it, and I go pretty much every type of camping from boondocking to nice camp grounds. I bought the slider hitch which means you can move the hitch back about 9 inches in your bed so you can turn sharp and not hit your rear window with the trailer. I have never used it in four years. But I wouldnt mind a long bed either. I put a 4 wheeler in the bed an cant close the tail gate. I bought the short bed quad cab because it will fit in my garage. So you just need to find what you are willing to give up? 8 ft. bed or more cab room. to bad they dont make the mega with an 8 ft bed! good luck in your decision.

 

if your desperate, you could look into the guys doing the mega cab longbed conversions. but it's all personal preference, me i'll never own 6'

 

I think you'll find that diesel megacabs are not aproved for drop in campers, at least the SRW 2500 versions. Not sure about the quad cab. Nice 6' drop ins are available, but they are on the smaller side.

I know guys drop them in without problem, but an accident with unapproved equipment may make for some additional inconvenience....

A bike and tool box in a 6' is probably a non starter, I can get a larger sport bike in cross corner and close the gate but there is little clearance.

Sounds like you need the long bed as there are no work arounds for what may not work for you in a short bed, short of a trailer....

 

If you re-thought your tool boxes to the side boxes, you could work a bike in no prob.....
I have put a couple custom long neck choppers in mine (with long 2 X 12's) under them for support...... Works mint... I like to think of it as creative loading... Ha Ha
Also... There is a big thread starting about after market long beds for these rigs.... option...? Anyway good luck with your choice...
My vote is MEGA

 

Thanks Guys.... still cant decide... i am pretty sure i do not want a custom conversion...

Is the problem with 5th and gosneck trailers on a short bed a really big deal? Do all of these types of trailers fail to make it to 90 degree jacknifing? I would not want a sliding hitch... I will most likely get a tandem dually 25' deck goosneck flatbed trailer... These tend to have a tapered tounge and hence maybe a little more cab clearance.

I will likely throw in some dirt motorbikes... but more often than anything i throw pedal powered bicycles in the back...

 

I also desperately wanted a Mega, but never badly enough to forgo my longbed - it's easier to live with a less room in the back seat than in the back of the bed!

 

In my experiance the short bed with 5th wheel is not a problem. Ive done it for 4 years and alot of towing all over with lots of tight spaces backing into with no problems. But someone else may have had issues with it. I would get the MEGA. with the trailer your looking at you shoulnt have an issue.

 

another vote for the long bed...

 

my vote would be a mega, but I have a trailer to pull any thing that does not fit in my 6 foot bed.

I love long beds but if you need to haul any kids the mega is the only way to go IMHO
I was a DIE hard longbed guy till I put a car seat in the back of the mega
plus the mega rear doors open a full 90* it like a dang mini van door without the mini van

I love mine.
53

 

I'm with Bearhunter, or at least I was until this past Sunday. My 5ver creased the back left corner of my cab. Interestly enough I was backing into my driveway when it happened. I've done that numerous times without incident. I can't figure out why it happened.

 

The other question is what or who are you trying to put in the back seat? Adults, kids, gear?

 

I bought the Mega and fully intended to use it for gooseneck long hauls. The ball in the bed is off set about 4 inches and my gooseneck trailers do not reach further forward than the hitch so I have no issues hauling my gooseneck trailers. I am a big guy and like the extra cab room but like some have pointed out its personal preference. I can only tell you what I like. Good luck!