Pickup trucks are handy, hardworking vehicles, but you need to pick the right model for the right job. One of the main features to keep in mind when selecting a pickup is bed size. But what determines bed size and what jobs require a little extra room to perform? Make the selection easier with this guide to pickup truck bed sizes.
What Are Beds for and What Sizes Do They Come In?
To start with, beds are, obviously, used to carry things and they come in three sizes: short, standard, and long/extended. At base, short beds are a little over five feet long; standard beds are almost six and a half feet long; and long/extended beds can be up to eight feet long. Don’t consider these to be standard sizes—it all depends on the make, model, and design of the pickup truck. Light-duty trucks can carry up to 3,000 pounds and tow up to 12,000 pounds and are ideal for owners who only use the truck for basic hauling jobs and duties. Heavy-duty trucks, on the other hand, can haul up to 6,500 pounds and tow 20,000. Once you’ve chosen the above, it’s time to consider bed size.
Short Beds
Short beds are best suited for people who want a truck to haul around heavy and unwieldy objects and loads of basic supplies for everything from groceries to a large sofa to construction materials or gardening supplies for a small job. A short bed is ideal for handling big moves from one place to another, toting smaller vehicles like ATVs and UTVs, or towing trailers. A short bed would be good for a basic lawnmowing business but not a major landscaping business.
Standard Beds
While reviewing this guide to pickup truck bed sizes, it might be best to split the difference and go for a standard bed. Standard beds are slightly longer than short beds, which provides a bit more room for slightly bigger jobs. One thing to keep in mind with bed sizes is that the larger they get, the harder they’ll be to park and maneuver. By all reports, standard bed size pickups can still fit into typical garages and parking spots, but when fully loaded, it may be more of a challenge to move around and park without assistance.
Long/Extended Beds
Long/extended bed trucks, as you might expect, provide the greatest amount of storage and hauling space. They’re some two feet longer than standard beds, which makes them perfect for carrying lumber and other construction materials of extensive lengths from place to place. They are a bit more challenging to control while backing up and parking, and not every cab size can accommodate a long/extended bed.
