If you are using a pickup truck primarily for hauling, you might be considering getting one with an eight-foot bed. This extra room will allow for a lot more to be brought on board, minimizing the number of trips. Of course, there are a lot of model pickups that have this bed length as an option. Which one is right for you? We researched numerous models of pickup trucks so that you could get your answer here.
There are a variety of model pickup trucks that have an 8-foot bed as an option. They include:
- Chevy Silverado 1500
- Chevy Silverado HD
- Ford F-150
- Ford Super Duty
- GMC Sierra 1500
- GMC Sierra 2500
- GMC Sierra 3500
- Nissan Titan
- Dodge Ram 1500
- Dodge Ram 2500
- Dodge Ram 3500
- Toyota Tundra
Now that we know which pickup trucks come with an 8-foot bed, we'll take a closer look at the features of each model. You might also be wondering if a long bed truck is better for towing or what other truck bed sizes are available. For the answers to these questions and more, read ahead in this post to see what we've discovered.
Available models with an 8-foot bed
Full-sized pick-up trucks are popular in construction and other industries where a crew of people and a large cargo load need to be transported. The following model pick-up trucks have 8-foot bed lengths as an option and offer their own unique features and benefits. Here, we'll take a more detailed look at them.
Chevy Silverado 1500
Chevy's half-ton pickup truck has the 8-foot bed length as an option for its WT trim level. You can get this bed length in the 4x2 and the 4x4. The only cab option the WT has available with this bed length is the regular cab.
For more information, you can visit their specs page here.
Chevy Silverado HD
The Silverado HD models include the 2500 and the 3500 (or three-quarter-ton and full ton). The WT, LT, Custom, and LTZ all have 8-foot bed options for 4x2 and 4x4; crew cab and double cab are also options with this bed length.
For more information, you can visit their specs page here.
Ford F-150
This half-ton pickup truck from Ford has six different trim levels to choose from. These include the XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited. Each trim level has the 8-foot bed option with 4x2 and 4x4s. Each trim level can also be optioned with regular cab, super cab, or super crew cabs.
For more information, you can visit their specs page here.
Ford Super Duty
Ford's F-250 and F-350 are their versions of the three-quarter-ton and full-ton pickup truck. Ford also began recently producing an even more powerful pickup, the F-450. In all, there are 18 models to pick from across six different trim levels. Each trim level also has three cab options, all of which are available with 8-foot beds.
For more information, you can visit their specs page here.
GMC Sierra 1500
The GMC Sierra 1500 has six available trim levels. Of the six, only one has the 8-foot bed option. The Sierra Regular trim 4x2 and 4x4 are the ones to choose if you need the extra room in the bed.
For more information, you can visit their specs page here.
GMC Sierra 2500
More trim levels have the 8-foot bed option with the Sierra 2500. Whether you are looking for a 4x2 or 4x4, you can get the 8-foot bed in the GMC Sierra, SLT, SLE, AT4, and Denali trims.
For more information, you can visit their specs page here.
GMC Sierra 3500
As with the Sierra 2500, the 3500 has the 8-foot bed option in all trim levels, whether you select the 4x2 or 4x4.
For more information, you can visit their specs page here.
Nissan Titan
This half-ton pickup truck from Nissan has seven trim options to choose from. An 8-foot bed is available, depending upon the cab configuration. The King Cab is the only one that will allow for a bed of this length.
For more information, you can visit their specs page here.
Dodge Ram 1500
While Dodge doesn't offer their newer versions of the 1500 with the 8-foot bed option, older models with this bed length can still be found in the used truck market.
For more information, you can visit their specs page here.
Dodge Ram 2500
This model pickup truck has 8-foot beds available in multiple trim levels, including the Limited, Limited Longhorn, Laramie, Big Horn, and Tradesman. Each can be equipped as a 4x2 or 4x4.
For more information, you can visit their specs page here.
Dodge Ram 3500
Dodge's full-ton pickup truck has five available trim options. These are the Tradesman, Bighorn, Laramie, Limited, and Limited Big Horn. Each one can be fitted with an 8-foot bed and are also available as 4x2 and 4x4s.
For more information, you can visit their specs page here.
Toyota Tundra
The Tundra comes with these trim levels: SR, SR5, Limited, Platinum, 1794 Edition, and TR4 Pro. Of these trim levels, an 8-foot bed is available with the SR and SR5, in both 4x2 and 4x4.
For more information, you can visit their specs page here.
What are the different size truck beds? [standard, short, & long lengths]
As you have probably noticed, pickup trucks can be equipped with beds of varying sizes. Generally, there are three types of truck beds that manufacturers offer. And while the bed length within each class of bed might differ slightly from model to model, they are usually within a few inches of one another.
The available bed lengths are short beds, standard beds, and long beds. Short beds have an average length of five foot, eight inches. A standard bed has an average length of six-foot, five inches. Finally, a long bed comes in at an average of eight feet.
Often, the length of bed available is impacted directly by the way the truck cab is configured. For example, it might not be available with a long bed if you get a truck with a crew cab or double cab. This is especially true if the truck you are considering is a half-ton pickup.
With larger trucks, like three-quarter-ton and full-ton, the bodies are built bigger and sturdier. As a result, many trim levels and cab configurations within these truck classes have long beds as an option.
Is a long truck bed better for towing?
If you plan on attaching a trailer or a fifth wheel to the hitch of your pickup truck, you're probably wondering if the bed length will have any impact on towing. Here, we'll discuss how the design of different truck lengths can make for a safer towing experience.
Short beds and long beds each have their advantages. If you choose to tow with a short bed, you'll be left with a vehicle that is much easier to drive after you've parked your camper or trailer. Short beds are also lighter weight, which means you'll probably get a little better fuel economy.
A long bed might be a little more challenging to drive, but they are better at towing in general. The wheelbase of a long-bed pickup truck is substantially wider than those with short beds. The longer the wheelbase, the easier it is to control trailer sway when you're on the road.
Another thing to consider is what you will be towing. While it's possible for a short bed to tow a fifth wheel, it's generally not recommended. A fifth wheel would be hitched too close to the rear of the truck's cab, which could make for a close call if the trailer sway gets out of control. Experts recommend highly that you use a long bed pickup truck whenever you tow a fifth wheel.
A final thought here is to ensure that you always adhere to the manufacturer's guidelines regarding payload capacity and towing capacity. This information will be in your owner's manual, which should be carefully read before you ever attach anything to your pickup truck. More information about this can be found here:
Towing Capacity and Trailer Weight – What RV Owners Need to Know
In Closing
Full-sized pickup trucks are available in numerous options. If you are looking for one with an 8-foot bed, you will be able to secure one easily throughout multiple makes, models, and trim levels. Keep in mind that the smaller the truck, the more the cab configuration will impact the available bed length.
If you enjoyed reading this post on pickup trucks, we believe you'll find the following automotive posts to be informative:
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