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Longbox or Shortbox?

Burt4x4

Burt4x4

1 Ton First Gen
Joined
Feb 17, 2000
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Location
California (Modesto area)
I am trying to figure out if I 'need' a Longbox bed when I buy my Duramax CrewCab? The longbox, I assume, would be less manuverable? How about towing? Any advantage of the LongBox over the short when towing?
I would be towing my Blazer and maby a 5th wheel camper in the future(have to buy one first).
Any opionins on this would be great to hear /forums/images/graemlins/ears.gif
Thanks
Burt /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
 
A shortbox is useless in my opinion for hauling anything in the back. I put a toolbox in my crew cab (longbox, but might as well be short with the toolbox on it) and I am always getting pissed because I cant fit a lot of things in the bed that I could before. Now, if you are strictly using it for towing, then shortbox would be fine, but if you ever haul anything of size in the back, you will wish you had a longbox. Plus, the difference in maneuverability is probably minimal.
 
I have a crewcab shortbed and really like it. Most people will say that the longer the wheelbase the better it is at towing, which is mostly true....but the crewcab shortbox is already pretty long.

For manueverability I think adding a longbox does make a noticable difference when making tight turns or in parking lots...maybe not a huge difference but definitely noticable.

I've never regretted not having a longbox, but I don't do a lot of heavy hauling in the bed....I just hook up the 18' flatbed if I need to haul anything that won't easily fit in the bed of the truck.
 
I don't think you would notice any difference towing because both have a long wheelbase. I personally think the long box looks a little better but they are a land yahts. /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
I don't think you would notice any difference towing because both have a long wheelbase. I personally think the long box looks a little better but they are land yahts. /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
Thanks Guys, ya I don't do alot of hauling. I go to the dump from time to time in my S10 and when I buy Firewood it is useally just dumped on my driveway anyway. AND I do plan on buying a trailer to haul my K5 around on so I will have that too. Hmmmm..... /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
One major thing (at least for me) is that some moron at GM decided that the shortbed trucks only needed a 26 gallon fuel tank (longbeds get 34 gallon). Makes a big difference in how often you have to stop on long trips when towing. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
Extra tanks are not that hard to add to the shortbed either though /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
Short bed 26 gallon tanks suck, but not too bad with the diesel mileage. I don't know how the gassers stand it...

I just put a SuperTank in mine. It has about 50 gallons of usable fuel in it and works out much better. Transfer flow has a similar tank with around 45 usable (IIRC). Other than that, your only real option is in bed tanks, and the short bed is already too small for me to give up that room.
 
I personally like the short bed crew cabs. If you make a custom toolbox, you can cut down on the bed space used. That's what I did on my last CTD and I was very happy with it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
One major thing (at least for me) is that some moron at GM decided that the shortbed trucks only needed a 26 gallon fuel tank (longbeds get 34 gallon). Makes a big difference in how often you have to stop on long trips when towing. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree...it would be nice to have something closer to 34 gallons for long road trips.
 
Realy..stupid! You would thik the tank would be the same. Hmmmm I guess the short box has less room under there so they needed a smaller tank?

What is a SuperTank? Is it a direct replacement tank or a second tank installed?
The only good thing about the smaller tank is you get to take a pee brake sooner /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif hehehehehe

Thanks fellas
Burt
 
http://www.supertanks.com/

Replaces the stock tank with a bigger tank.

[Edit] Talking about breaks, I learned that a big tank can cause problems on the trip I just finished. I've driven from Phoenix to N. AL several times without stopping for anything but fuel, food, and restroom. Rough drive, but not too bad till the last 150 miles or so when I would get pretty run down. But the "I'm almost there" kicked in, and combined with some caffeine, and no problem. But I always hated stopping every few hours for fuel "whether I needed it or not". On the way East this time, I had the big tank, and only needed to fill up once on the trip. Unfortunately, I was exhausted by Oklahoma City and stopped for a room. I eventually decided the problem came from several sources.

1) Not stopping for fuel as often eliminated the "walk around and get some blood flowing" part too.

2) Not wanting to be forced to stop at a restroom, I cut down dramatically on my caffeinated drinks.

3) I'm getting old.

4) May also have had something to do with a tire separating and spending hours ratting around in Amarillo looking for a replacement tire in the a.m. on Sunday morning. Didn't want to hit the open stretches between Amarillo and OKC, and then on to Little Rock with no spare.

Not much I can do about #3, and #4 was a fluke (I thought, another story in itself) but I made more stops and consumed more caffeinated drinks on the return trip which helped a lot...
 
Something to consider when purchasing a short box or long box is what type of trailer you plan to tow. 5er's and goosenecks in a short box with a properly placed hitch can cause some cab to trailer clearnace issues. This can be worked around. Some hitch manufactures are taking this into consideration these days and making hitches that are adjustable. However, changing the placemnet of the load in the bed will reduce the amount of weight the hitch was designed to carry and change the way the vehicle tows. Just something to think about...... /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
Hmmm, Good to know. At this time I have nothing to tow or tow with.
The reasons why I am getting a crewcab P/U is my wife and kids don't fit in the S10. My wife has a Expedition that we travel in but that is her truck. If we go to get a Xmas tree we have to take two trucks(just one example). I want to goto Moab again and the last time I drove my 72 there and back. A great experiance but I would rather be in a tow rig for two days driving(22hrs one way) than behind the wheel of my K5 for that long. SO I'm thinking if I'm getting a crewcab then lets go ALL THE WAY and get a full on tow rig. then I can buy a trailer for my K5 and return to Moab and other parts of the USA. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
Thanks again for your input
Burt /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
 
I bought the tow rig first and I am trying to save for a trailer. I should have bought the trailer first because I now have a large truck payment and it is much slower saving up for a trailer /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif Plus fuel is more, registration is more, and insurance is more. Just one more thing to consider...
 
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