Chassis Question

[iamsuperdan]

Would just like to point out, that based on this thread alone, many people don't realize you can still very easily buy a new regular cab truck with an 8ft box and rear wheel drive, with much lower content than the loaded crewcab models.

Ford and GM make them in 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, and 1 ton models, while Ram make them in their 3/4 ton and 1 ton models only.

And you can easily purchase a 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, or 1 ton extended cab or crewcab with less equipment too. WIth either a 6.5ft box or an 8ft box, depending on the brand.

 

Now, the downside is that even the most basic models will still have power windows/mirrors/locks, AC, and touchscreen of some kind, cruise control, rear camera, ABS, and some fo the other safety nanny features.

[DJMar]

1 hour ago, iamsuperdan said:

Would just like to point out, that based on this thread alone, many people don't realize you can still very easily buy a new regular cab truck with an 8ft box and rear wheel drive, with much lower content than the loaded crewcab models.

I don't think anyone doesn't realize this, but when was the last time you saw a new truck on the road that was a base model, standard cab, long bed? The vast majority of truck sales in the US (between 76%-80%) are crew cabs, most with 6' or 6.5' beds. It's an even higher rate in Canada.

Even so, a 2025 F-150 XL standard cab with an 8' bed is still nearly 20 ft long. 

[iamsuperdan]

31 minutes ago, DJMar said:

I don't think anyone doesn't realize this, but when was the last time you saw a new truck on the road that was a base model, standard cab, long bed? The vast majority of truck sales in the US (between 76%-80%) are crew cabs, most with 6' or 6.5' beds. It's an even higher rate in Canada.

Even so, a 2025 F-150 XL standard cab with an 8' bed is still nearly 20 ft long. 

I see them all the time. When I was fleet manager for a Ford dealer, I talked to countless clients (both commercial and individuals) that wanted basic trucks and had no idea that we could simply order them one. And 8 weeks later, their new F150 XL reg cab longbox or F250 Supercab shortbox would show up with its steel wheels and steel bumpers and vinyl floors and manual seats and no park sensors or chrome or adaptive cruise or BLIS or pedestrian braking or giant touchscreens or remote starters or LED lighting or any of that. The local Chev dealer stocks plenty of base model Silverados. And the Ram Tradesman models are super commonplace. 

The issue is that most dealers won't stock them, because "that's not what people want." So people come in, see a lot full of crewcabs with the stubby box and all the options and because they have low attention spans and aren't willing to wait, they just take what's in stock then complain about how trucks are expensive and have too much equipment.

Which begs the questions. Do people actually want loaded crewcabs? Or do they just take what is on the lot?

People buy what's in stock, so that's what the dealer orders. What would happen if dealers ordered more zipper base model trucks? Do people buy because they want them or because it's what's immediately available. Again, everyone seems to want instant gratitifcation, and convincing someone to wait 8 weeks for a new vehicle is a challenge. 

Here's the other thing. Dealers make more money on a loaded crewcab than a base model. The markup is higher, so even if they dicount it harder, they'll still make more money with the loaded truck. Plus, sales people get paid on deliveries, not orders. So most salespeople will really push what is in stock so they get paid sooner. Again, in stock, show a discount, people get suckered in, salesperson gets paid immediately, dealer orders more loaded trucks because that's what's selling. 

 

 

As for truck size, in 1975 an F150 regular cab with 8ft box was around 213in - just under 18ft. A 2025 F150 reg cab with the 8ft box is about 228in - roughly 19ft. So that's only a foot longer. 

 

 

 

[Rob Hall]

19 minutes ago, DJMar said:

I don't think anyone doesn't realize this, but when was the last time you saw a new truck on the road that was a base model, standard cab, long bed? The vast majority of truck sales in the US (between 76%-80%) are crew cabs, most with 6' or 6.5' beds. It's an even higher rate in Canada.

Even so, a 2025 F-150 XL standard cab with an 8' bed is still nearly 20 ft long. 

I rarely ever see civilian new RCLBs on the road here in NE Ohio, occasionally a white fleet truck w/ various liveries.   

[DJMar]

1 hour ago, Rob Hall said:

I rarely ever see civilian new RCLBs on the road here in NE Ohio, occasionally a white fleet truck w/ various liveries.   

If I get a chance I will snap a pic of the Walmart/Home Depot/Costco parking lot near me (yeah, it's a nightmare) and we'll see how many standard cab long beds we can find! 

[Tabbysdaddy]

There's something wrong with anyone that would buy a brand new truck without air conditioning. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, Tabbysdaddy said:

There's something wrong with anyone that would buy a brand new truck without air conditioning. 

I rather doubt that's even an option.

But I wouldn't buy a brand new truck, with or without air conditioning, even if I won the lottery and literally had money enough to heat my house by burning $100 bills.

Edited 4 hours ago by Ace-Garageguy

[mcs1056]

On 9/11/2025 at 11:59 AM, StevenGuthmiller said:

And the only thing they’re carrying in the back is a new Vari-Desk for the office or a couple of house plants from the farmer’s market.

 

 

 

Steve

Ok. Let’s not exaggerate.

i personally witnessed a new Dodge…sorry, “Ram” crew cab load 8’ 2x4s. 
 

Hearing the wife yell at him for breaking the windshield when he shoved them through the opened sliding back window was priceless. 
 

I couldn’t even remember why I was at the store after that.

[stavanzer]

I own one of these beasts.

2007 Chevy 2500HD, CrewCab 4x4, with the 6.5 Ft bed.

She is a top of the line Model missing only the Z71 package.

18 years old with 112,000 miles. A real Cream Puff!

She was my Dad's truck, and when he passed, my mother gave it to me. My Folks bought it used from the Sales Manager at the Local Chevy Dealer in town.

The S.M. ordered the truck new for his own use, which is why it has all the goodies.

Would I have paid for this truck new? Probably Not. I don't need the Four Wheel Drive (although my folks did) and it is more truck than I would have wanted. 

That said, I am grateful to have it. It was my Dad's last truck, and I remember him every time I drive it. With any luck, I'll own it for a long, long time.

I looked up her Specs. 20.6' Long, Wt. 5900 Lbs. Payload 3000, Lbs.

All the truck I'll ever need.

[Brian Austin]

I don't think a '70s or '80s Chevy crewcab Dooley with 8 ft bed is particularly compact.  🙂

As far as modern pickups go, they're going to be long if they have 8 foot beds.  Thats a standard size for work trucks and you can get all sorts of vocational bodies.  One ton chassis trucks are even longer.

It seems to me trucks have been marketed as passenger vehicles for generations.  Suburbans were placed with other Chevys in station wagon brochures.  I sat in the driver's seat in a Suburban back in the '80s, and was glad I didn't have to drive one.  It felt absolutely immense.  This was at a camping club outing, so it would have been used for towing.

The present day preoccupation with truck ans SUV size feels weird since up to the 1980s cars were the size of light trucks.  🙂