Well, I've seen the light

"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion) 10/16/2018 at 13:40 • Filed to: Zoidberg was right

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8 foot beds are the bee’s knees.

That said... New full-size trucks are waaaaay too tall . I know some of you have argued with me on this point, but come on. I’m over six feet tall and I have to stand on the tire to grab one of these bins from the center of the bed. I have to lift these bins up level with my face to get them over the bed. That’s... Absolutely rediculous. Opening the tailgate and climbing up every time I need to put something in or take it out (an argument someone tried to stump me with) is grossly inefficient. If this was my personal truck the front end would be dropped at least 2 inches and the rear 3 inches within the first week. Boom. Infinitely better work truck for a couple hundred bucks .

I’ll do a full review eventually. I really, really like Silverado, despite a few annoyances. I’ll be installing a ladder rack and spraying bedliner sometime this week.

ToyotaFamily > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 13:48

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Someone  should offer a truck with drop down bedsides again.0

AestheticsInMotion > ToyotaFamily 10/16/2018 at 13:49

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Was that a thing? 

lone_liberal > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 13:52

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SpeedSix > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 13:53

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Common on cabover Volkswagen pickups and cabover kei trucks - the rear is a metal tray with short, foldable sides.

CobraJoe > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 13:55

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If this was my personal truck the front end would be dropped at least 2 inches and the rear 3 inches within the first week. Boom. Infinitely better work truck for a couple hundred bucks.

I’ve been wanting to do this with my Titan since I got it, but the “proper” way to lower the front involves $600 worth of drop spindles, and that changes the equation. 

AestheticsInMotion > SpeedSix 10/16/2018 at 13:55

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Ohhhhh right. Those are actually pretty common around the Seattle suburbs for whatever reason. I was trying to picture a full-size truck with factory folding bed sides.

AestheticsInMotion > lone_liberal 10/16/2018 at 13:56

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I have a terrible urge to fill that bed with a couple inches of sand, put in an umbrella, two beach chairs and hang out on the water

lone_liberal > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 13:56

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I totally agree. Bring the bed height down to a usable level! There is no reason for them to be so damn high. For me a long bed standard cab is the default “pickup” but you never see those much anymore. 

Takuro Spirit > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 13:59

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They are too tall. I just jump up in the bed and slide everything to the back and make someone else unload them from there.

functionoverfashion > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 13:59

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Both. I love me an 8' bed, especially where I live, parking is not an issue, so there’s no upside to a shorter truck.

But the height! A quick google search tells me a 2017 F350's bed side is about 59" - as in, 4' 11" - I’m 5' 10" or so, that’s about shoulder height for me. SHOULDER HIGH. Tailgate down is 39" which is 3" higher than a standard kitchen counter.

AestheticsInMotion > lone_liberal 10/16/2018 at 13:59

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Right? We're not asking for mini trucks back, just a reduction in "bigness for the sake of bigness". It bothers me greatly that T oyota refers to their 6 foot bed as a longbed. Or maybe that was Nissan... I don’t know. One of the two.

PartyPooper2012 > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 14:00

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vw Ingimex

AestheticsInMotion > functionoverfashion 10/16/2018 at 14:02

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When I had a window washing company I had to keep step stool in the new F-150 so the guys could get ladders off the rack. Worst purchase of my life. Everyone preferred the 2002 Rangers by a mile

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 14:08

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no kidding about bed height . My uncle builds decks a porches for a living, and he uses a little Nissan Frontier . a manual base model with 2wd. not only because they are cheap, but because he can unload stuff from the ladder racks without problem. 

atfsgeoff > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 14:27

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#longbedlyfe

BigBlock440 > Takuro Spirit 10/16/2018 at 14:28

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That’s been pretty much SOP for unloading full-size beds for a while, since as long as full size beds have been a thing probably. Even in a 2wd ‘89 f150, you can’t reach more than 3/4 of the way across the bed so you still have to climb up. 4wd or F250, and you’re pretty much right back to where we are now. Granted it was easier being lower, but you still need a second person or to climb. Just the nature of having more room to haul.  Move down a couple tire sizes, and it’d alleviate a lot of those complaints, and it’ll make the truck look smaller too.

AestheticsInMotion > CobraJoe 10/16/2018 at 14:35

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Aww. If it bugs you long enough you'll probably end up doing it anyways

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 15:01

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Longbed is the best bed. The amount of crap I used to haul in a V6 F150 (Back when that was the bad engine) was impressive.

Bed heights gotta be what it is, though. You want ground clearance for off-road travel. This means 8-12” of clearance plus bigger tires. Frame has to be level, which means the bed has got to be high, unless they figure some way to make the frame go through the middle of the bed.

Or air suspension. 

Svend > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 15:04

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That’s why we have dropsides.

They aren’t all that high anyway but pull a latch or pin and the side drops down allowing easy access all round.

Small Fiat Doblo. 1,000Kg carrying capacity.

All three sides drop

Lockable area under the load bed.

Step that folds down.

From SWB to LWB.

With or without tail lifts.

CobraJoe > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 15:05

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I keep dreaming about it, then I remember I need to save up my project monies for the other car in the garage. 

AestheticsInMotion > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 10/16/2018 at 16:31

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Eh... For true offroad packages a la Ford Raptors, sure. But for work trucks? I’ve never ran into a ground clearance issue in a Ranger, or heard from anyone else who’s had that problem. Hell, my Miata has handled jobsites for years without an issue . I find that traction will be an problem long before ride height in the vast majority of work truck uses.

M.T. Blake > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 18:18

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That’s a lot of marijuana. 

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 19:30

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I prefer LWB utility vans myself. I can lock it all up without the use of tonneau covers or toolboxes. Better choices for ladder racks like the ones that lower the ladders to the side of the van. I’ve had to work out of a truck at one company, and it was the worst. I hated raising and lowering things in and out of the bed. The vans just work so much better as a utility vehicle. The only reason to get a truck is if you haul loose stuff, like gravel, dirt and manure, or you have a trailer that requires it. I am strictly talking about commercial not personal ownership, and only full size vs. full size.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > AestheticsInMotion 10/16/2018 at 20:14

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No sand? Mud? Ruts? Forest?  Lame. 

AestheticsInMotion > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 10/16/2018 at 20:45

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Yes, but... Not to a point where I need two feet of ground clearance haha.

Well, okay. I've never actually seen sand at a jobsite but the rest are pretty common around here. 

AestheticsInMotion > Svend 10/16/2018 at 20:46

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I absolutely adore the modular nature of these things. I'm really hoping I get to build a few from scratch for work in the coming years 

AestheticsInMotion > Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition 10/16/2018 at 20:50

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Pros and cons. I’ve had those too, with the Kargo Master ladder racks that swing down to the sides. The racks seem to rust out pretty quick, and there are a lot more moving pieces to brake. I will say that the customer service Kargo Master provides is phenomenal though.

I like the visibility and “ready for anything” nature a pickup gives you. I grabbed two full pallets today and the 8 ft bed was perfect. I feel like most people (myself included) build out Van’s with custom storage solutions for their particular needs, which is great until your needs change.

Oh, should have read that last sentence first haha. 75% of my work truck use had been with little Rangers where you can reach anything in the bed. 

AestheticsInMotion > M.T. Blake 10/16/2018 at 20:50

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I'm trying to take over the Seattle cartels

M.T. Blake > AestheticsInMotion 10/17/2018 at 01:16

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That’s a good start but I think you missed the green boat by about 10 years.