New Truck For Fishing

[JunkYard814]

Hey all. It's been a while since I've posted here, but I have a question and I knew this was the place to come. I apologize if it isn't posted in the right place, but I wasn't really sure where it should go.

 

I'm in the market for a new truck. I've made my mind up on the Chevy Silverado, but I've been toying around with the specifics. I want to go with the crew cab, but I'm concerned that standard bed will be too small for many of my rods. While I don't own anything over 7'6", I'm not ruling out the future possibilty. I'd prefer not to have the rod mounts with the rods sticking up vertical. I would also a imagine that the crew cab with the long bed would be like driving a semi.

 

Just wanted to hear your input. Does anyone own a crew cab with the standard bed, and if so how is it's functionality? Any other input is appreciated as well. I'm not interested in making this a Chevy, Dodge, Ford, etc. debate, I'm worried more about dimensions.

 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Chris

[paleus]

It's simple math to figure out the diagonal dimension of the bed. For the 2014 short bed Silverado, the bed length is 69", width 51" (according to Chevy's website). According to Pythagoras we can find the diagonal length by finding the square root of (69² + 51²). That comes out to about 85" or 7'2".

[JunkYard814]

I knew how to figure out it my rods would actually fit, but I was talking more about overall just owning the truck. Do people feel like the crew cab with the standard bed is too big of a truck, things of that nature.

[Bomber7]

I love my super crew cab (F150 FX4) has a short bed but it's big enough for me - the four doors are nice - had one years ago that was just a crew cab and getting stuff in and out was a pain in the .... you know. 

 

As far as the rods go - mine are not over 7.5 ft so they fix diagonal for those that are one piece and of course the two piece when broken down can go inside or pretty much anywhere. 

 

hope this helps

[Fishing Rhino]

It depends on how much you will need to haul in the back, and does "new" mean new to you, or a new truck?

 

If you mean a new truck, you have only two options on the half ton, the short bed, and the medium length bed. 

 

You are correct about the handling of the longer truck.  It is less nimble.

 

I have a crew cab Silverado with the short bed, but I also have a cap on it.  It would not be suitable for contractors.  But for towing and traveling, we have adequate room for luggage, gear, some tools, etc.  I like the cap.  It provides a dry, secure, area for anything we want to transport.

 

There have been times when I could have used a longer bed, but not enough to justify it.

[jherm87]

Not sure you can get the 6 1/2 ft bed on a newer crew cab. May have changed for 2014, since they got rid of the regular excab, but from 07-13 you only can get the short box crew cab, unless you get a 2500 My 2011 crew cab is fine though. It does what it needs too.

[BrianinMD]

I am along the lines of the other responders, have a crew cab with the short bed (2013 F150 Ecoboost). The short bed does cause some issues but not enough to warrent putting up with the longer bed. Not sure about your area but parking lots and some streets are not made for full size trucks even with the short bed. The crew cab with full bed trucks are very difficult to get around a lot of places.

 

I don't have a cap on mine like Tom, I went with a hard cover which sits flush across the bed. Keeps things dry and a little more secure with the locking tailgate. But easily folds out of way when space is needed.

[LMB KING]

The best selling vehicle in america is the Ford F-150. Also if you are buying a diesel i would also go with a ford because it has the strongest live axle and frame. Chevy has independent suspension and for a truck that's terrible. Its basically a truck body with a car suspension lol. Dodge has the best diesel but the frame is junk.

[Code54]

I have had both long beds with crew cabs and short beds both.  The long bed is really nice if you haul a LOT.  At the time I was doing a LOT of home construction so the long bed was great.  Now taking the long bed to the city and trying to cram it in a major cities parking garage was a lot less fun.  Some places it just plain would not fit - one lot guy at a garage in Philly about lost his mind when I wheeled in to get my ticket and head into the garage.  He started screaming at me that I couldn't park that "thing" in the garage.....

Now I currently have a short bed diesel and really like it a lot.  It is a fair bit easier to take the wife to the mall in (if needed) and the shorter bed makes towing in tight confounded spacers easier due to the shortened turn radius.  I can still haul 4x8 sheets without a big issue and have a hitch helper so I can take a 17' canoe in the bed and not take a trailer.

Hope this helps and good luck