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short or long bed? need help picking

M

mudman20

1/2 ton status
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
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Location
minnesota
sold my old mud truck and now im thinking about building another one.
what should i start with a short or long bed.
i will be mudding the truck and also hill climbing as well as trail riding it. any help thanks
 
SWB. Best power to weight ratio as they are the lightest trucks made in the full size trucks by GM.
 
I agree SWB, I have a LWB and you end up getting damage to the bed on the trails because of the long radius turns. The short beds 120" wheelbase would still make the truck stable for hill climbs.
 
shortbed!

Ive built a few trucks over the years most long beds. Theyre all gone except my shortbed! I absolutely love my shortbed.:D Best handling on and offroad. No contest.
If you need extra room in the bed then pull a trailer. Thats what I do.
 
Shortbed.

I got tired of doing Austin-Powers-golf-cart-20-point-turns in my longbed. Maybe I should change my username.
 
I've got a short bed and it's big enough. It's a good compromise between the short wheelbase of the Blazer and the way too long wheelbase of the long bed. I mostly take in the mud and some tight trails that are hard enough to fit in with short bed.

The only down side I can think of is that a standard tool box and spare tire will take away a good amount of space. I had to get a narrow toolbox that’s only 12” deep.

Either way I’ll probably bob the bed or go with a flat bed.
 
Well, I guess I'll be the one dissenter, I gotta go against the flow here, I say longbed!!!

If I were building another rig, I would get a M1008 'cause it's already got the good stuff: th400, Dana 60 4.56, 14BFF 4.56 Detroit! The only weak points are 6.2 and 208. I'd put in a Banks kit and a 203/205 doubler, problem solved! I'd bob about a foot off the rear overhang, add 4" lift, crossover, a front locker, 38" Michelins on some 16" van wheels, boom, instant fun machine! :D

Or, start with a civvie one ton (this'd be harder to find but, I saw one for sale I almost bought (don't need another project). Find a 1-ton dually single cab, 454, th400, 205, Dana 60, 14BFF. Add a doubler, F/R lockers, 4.56 gears, standard H1 12 bolts w/ PVC (Stazworks or USA 6X6) inserts, 37" MT's (cheap good tire), 4" lift, crossover, take off the dually fenders and bob a foot off the bed, add fuel injection, SWEET! ;)

Seems to me it's cheaper to start with a one ton and bob the bed than to start with a 1/2 ton shortbed and swap all the one ton stuff in. :waytogo:
 
Seems to me it's cheaper to start with a one ton and bob the bed than to start with a 1/2 ton shortbed and swap all the one ton stuff in
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Maybe...if the axles are your primary concern. Wheelbase seems to be the bigger question here.
 
Short bed !!!! Easier to maneuver on trails and they look better.
 
thatK30guy said:
And then if you do find a K30, cut and shorten it to SWB status. That would be the perfect off road truck, IMO.
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x2 on this. Put some 64" springs on it while you're moving the perches around, Inboard the shocks, and bolt the gas tank to the front of the new shortbox. That is exactly what I'm working on. K30 SWB CUCV gets my vote.
 
Well I have to ask.. What size tires/lift do you plan on? If its any over 8" I would say longbed. 6" and under I say short. It really depends on what you are going for with it. I guess I am being a hypocrite here. :doah:
 
Well if we are pic-horing...


offroading011.jpg


offroading012.jpg


truckproblems001.jpg
 
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