What Is The Right Truck Bed Size?

0 comments Nov 03, 2022

Let’s talk about truck beds but to be more exact their size. Now if you are picking up a truck with a bed that probably means that you are an outdoor enthusiast, or you just haul things on a daily basis and need a vehicle that can support that.

But the question is what truck and more importantly what size truck bed will satisfy your needs. Well, we’ll talk about that in this article.

How Are Truck Bed Lengths Measured?

The way we measure truck beds is by measuring the distance from the part closest to the driver’s cab and the inside of the tailgate. The width of the bed is measured by taking the widest part on the inside of the bed and measuring straight across it.

How To Choose The Right Truck Bed Size?

There are a lot of great reasons to get a truck. Whether you are going to use it to haul cargo on a daily basis or just need a strong and capable vehicle to satisfy your needs on your off-road adventures, a truck is your best choice.

Not only because it is strong but also very customizable. One part of the truck that has many customizable options is the truck bed. But how do you know which truck to pick and with it which size truck bed?

Well, that would completely depend on your needs. There are four types of truck beds;

Extra Short Truck Bed

These truck beds are not a great choice if you need your vehicle in order to do some work. There is not a lot of space in the bed itself so you can’t really put anything big there, however you can store your off-road gear. These beds vary from 3.5 to 5 feet in length.

Some of the vehicles that have this extra short truck bed are the Ford Maverick, Subaru Baja, and the Ford Explorer Sport Trac. Even though these vehicles are a great choice their beds are not meant for a lot of storage.

Short Truck Bed

Now, this is a better option if you want to use your vehicle for Overlanding as it can store a lot more things in it than the extra short bed and can be customized a lot more with let’s say a bed rack. These beds are 5 to 6 feet long so you can put a motorcycle or a snowboard on with ease.

Not only that but you can also use it to transport your camping, recovery, or really any outdoor gear. Some of the vehicles that you can find with this type of truck bed are the Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, Ford Ranger, Nissan Pathfinder, and more.

Standard Truck Bed

This size truck bed is perfect for hauling cargo. Not only that but because the sizes vary from 6 to 6.5 feet in length it can also be a place where you can lie down and sleep if you are using a truck topper. Most outdoor enthusiasts prefer this size bed for their off-road adventures.

You can also upgrade it with a bed rack, various truck management systems, or even attach a slide-in camper. Some of the vehicles that have this type of truck bed are the Ford F150, Toyota Tundra, Chevrolet Silverado, and many more.

Long Truck Bed

The types of truck beds are a perfect pick for contractors. Why? Since the length of this bed is around 8 feet it can store many long items such as pipes, drywall sheets, 2 x 4’s, glass panels, or really anything that can be used as a building material.

However, these trucks can be costly. Some of the vehicles that have long beds are the Ford F150 with a long bed, F250, F350, F450, DODGE RAM 1500, 2500, RAM 3500, and the Chevrolet 1500, 2500, 3500, and 4500.

Truck Bed Size Chart 

Ford Trucks

Chevrolet Trucks

Toyota Trucks

Nissan Trucks

Other Trucks 

Let's Wrap It Up

As you’ve seen there are many models that possess different sizes for their truck beds. However, you can always alter the size of your truck bed and fit a bigger bed onto the existing frame. That will cost you more though.

Nonetheless the size of the bed should accompany the work you do. Bigger beds require bigger bucks. So just figure out what your intentions will be with your vehicle and with it you should know what size truck bed you will need.