Are Chevy And GMC Truck Beds The Same [or Interchangable]?

Chevrolet and GMC are sister car brands under General Motors. Since they are from the same company, you might have pondered with the question, are Chevy and GMC truckbeds interchangeable? Well, for this article, we have researched and found the answers for you. So continue reading to find out!

Since most GMC and Chevy trucks roll off the same assembly lines, you can interchange most parts, including the trucks' beds. But manufacturers still recommend that you use the intended parts for your vehicle because they are specifically designed for it. Interchanging parts, like your truck bed, could be done if you cannot find the specific part you need.

Want a more in-depth discussion about Chevy and GMC truck beds? Please, finish reading the article to understand more as we discuss abut their frames, truckbed sizes, and many more.

Are Chevy and GMC frames the same?

As we mentioned earlier, the manufacturing of both vehicles is nearly identical to one another, especially on similar models such as pickup trucks. The Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra are so similar that even the engines they offer are also identical:

• 4.3-liter V6
• 2.7-liter turbo
• 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V8
• Duramax 3.0-liter Turbo-Diesel
• 6.2-liter V8 engine

Truck bed parts of both car brands are also oftentimes interchanged with one another especially if the specific part for the other is not available. You may expect to see similarities from both vehicles, including some key features like camera trailering technology, cargo bed view cameras, and rear trailer view with a trailer-angle indicator.

In bed size, both the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra share almost the same dimensions, with their half-tons measuring at about 70 inches long and 60 inches wide, but sizes may vary as trims go higher.

The key difference between the GMC Sierra and the Chevy Silverado is that the Sierra leans towards luxury. While the Silverado is a bit cheaper and offers a more work-oriented nature than lifestyle-oriented features. For instance, the base level for Sierra is equivalent to a mid-level for the Silverado. 

If you are going for a more affordable truck or a workhorse, your safe bet is going with a Chevy; they are significantly cheaper and have the same options available with GMC. The tradeoff may come with the interior features as many say that the Chevy interior is inferior compared to their GMC counterpart that offers more comfort and premium materials.

How do I know what size my truck bed is?

Measuring your truck bed is a fairly easy method. All you need is a tape measure and your truck. You will need to start from the bulkhead, the end of the bed at the rear of the cab.

Measure

Start measuring from the bulkhead to the endpoint of your truck bed with the tailgate closed. Get the measurement, and that is the size of your truck bed. Below, see a simple video on how to do it:

 

Owner's Manual

Another way of finding out the size of your truck bed is by simply looking at your owner's manual. You can see the more detailed dimensions of your truck and more, including your truck's weight, towing capacity, hauling capacity, and more. It is important to know to gauge the limits of your truck and not go over its limits.

Ask Previous Owner About Any Modifications

If you are buying a secondhand truck, find out if the previous owner did their own modifications to the truck bed. You can ask them if the size of their beds is still the stock size.

Some owners change their truck bed size to accommodate what they need from the vehicle. You can see most of this from off-roading vehicles or Overlanding rigs. Finding out how it was previously used is also a way of knowing the history of your vehicle.

For a more detailed and comprehensive discussion about truck bed dimensions, consider a previous article that we have written "Truck Bed Dimensions – Length And Width By Bed Type" for your ultimate guide about this topic.

Are all Silverado beds the same size?

The Chevy Silverado mainly offers three truck bed sizes for their trucks, a short bed, a standard bed, and a long bed. There are many configurations you can choose from depending on your personal needs or preference.

We have listed down below is the available truck bed dimensions for each bed size of the Chevy Silverado 150 according to Chevrolet:

Short bed

• Cargo Volume – 62.90 cubic feet
• Cargo Box Length (floor) – 69.92 inches
• Cargo Box Width (floor) – 71.40 inches
• Cargo Box Width (wheel housings) – 50.63 inches
• Cargo Box Area Height – 22.40 inches

Standard bed

• Cargo Volume – 71.70 cubic feet
• Cargo Box Length (floor) – 79.44 inches
• Cargo Box Width (floor) – 71.40 inches
• Cargo Box Width (wheel housings) – 50.63 inches
• Cargo Box Area Height – 22.40 inches

Long bed

• Cargo Volume – 89.10 cubic feet
• Cargo Box Length (floor) – 98.18 inches
• Cargo Box Width (floor) – 71.40 inches
• Cargo Box Width (wheel housings) – 50.63 inches
• Cargo Box Area Height – 22.40 inches

Multiple options are available for multiple purposes when choosing a bed size for your truck. If you often haul long plywood that is eight feet or longer, for example, a long bed is the way you should go.

Having your packages not protruding from your truck bed minimizes accidents on the road. While it is not illegal to have something longer, it can be a hazard on the road, especially for unsuspecting motorists. 

When you have something protruding out your back, your length is now added to the tip of that object, making you take into account more vehicle length. Although with modern trucks, truck bed camera views are standard now and on more high-end trims, a 360 view option is available for better surrounding awareness for your truck.

We have written an article about how long a Chevy Silverado is; check it out for more specific details regarding this topic!

Are Chevy 1500 and 2500 beds the same?

The 1500 and 2500 truck beds of the Silverado are not the same when it comes to its exterior, but the interior bed dimensions are the same. It is also worth noting that they are not interchangeable because of their exterior design and dimensions. 

The larger design of the 2500 truck bed offers more cargo space and increased weight capacity limits than its 1500 counterpart. Furthermore, the larger exterior design makes it impossible for the two trucks to have interchangeable truck beds because one will be too big for the other and the other too small.

There are pros in having a smaller truck bed; 1500 trucks are better at fuel economy compared to bigger trucks like the 2500 and 3500. Another thing to consider is that a 2500 model is also more expensive than a 1500 model, and since it is a bigger truck, it requires a bigger parking space in your garage.

The more rugged suspension for 2500 goes well when carrying heavy loads while still giving you comfort during rides, but a ride on this truck while empty will give you a very bouncy ride compared to the 1500 models.

If you are choosing an everyday truck that can still give you performance when you need to tow your boat or haul your camping gear on trips, the 1500 is the perfect truck for you. But if you are inclined towards heavy-duty hauling and more overall power, then the 2500 is the clearer option.

Conclusion

Because of the same assembly plants, the same company, and the same engineers that make GMC and Chevrolet, many of their parts are interchangeable or even the exact same but just different in branding, and that includes their truck beds. Although it is perfectly fine to interchange them, we still recommend using the specified truck bed for your truck for better compatibility and a better overall look as these parts are designed to go with one another.