Need Tips for Driving a LongBed

Hi all,

I'm looking for any tips or resources that I can read, watch or use to help me live in the bay area and still enjoy my long bed.

Most of the frustration comes from actually gauging turn radius on small streets and parking in small parking lots. What I've been resorting to is that, I will take the space and time I need to park and will only park by backing up since it's basically impossible for me to park head first.

Any tips would be appreciated or even just a discussion about this since I really don't want to have to sell my truck.

 

A double cab long bed is almost as long as a crew cab Tundra. Eventually you will get used to the longer wheelbase and stop running over curbs. Always has a longer wheelbase though.

 

If the 18 wheeler guys can do it, so can you!

 

drive it like a semi truck.

 

The only tip I have is this. You need to be good at using your minds eye.

In any car, you aren't cranking the wheel to make the car turn, nor are you cranking the wheel to make the front turn. You are cranking the wheel to make the rear-most axle turn. You have to visualize in your head where your rear axle is, how it trails the front, and how it reacts to the front's steering.

Or in other words, if you start yanking the wheel, is your rear going to clear? Try this. On a right hander, go straight until the back seat headrests are even with the curb's end. And then turn right. Don't swing left to go right. Losers pull that shit. Just move straight until your truck bed can make the turn, and then turn sharply.

A good driver should be able to use their minds eye and extrapolate where each tire is, and where each bumper corner is.

 

If you watch full size pickup drivers park in crowded parking lots, you'll see that they almost always back in.

 

A friend once asked me why I reverse park with every car I drive.

It's easier.

You want your steering axle to be the last axle to leave the aisle, and the first axle to enter the aisle.

 

Good advice.

I still misgauge a curb in my DCSB...can't imagine what it's like in a long bed.

 

I have driven the occasional dually mated with a 30 foot trailer. Pull one of those through the burger king drive-thru, and you can drive anything.

 

or a santa cruz is calling your name

 

Don't be afraid to go to full-lock with the wheel on a tight turn: don't stop at "sorta-full" when you start to feel resistance: There is a little extra left in there: Full Lock. It makes a difference. If you run over the curb a little: who cares unless there is a pedestrian standing there? That's what extra ground clearance is for. You're not making the turn at 50 mph. (Hopefully)

 

...and can I assume this is with the off-the-chart towing mirrors you have fully extended as well??

Show off.

 

just don't apply too much pressure to the wheel while in full lock for extendet time periods. not the greatest for your power steering.

 

Are you a new driver?

 

Lots of good advise here. Also consider lane positioning at all times. Especially for turning and parking. My Mall crawling, part time trail limo.

 

Agree: Point well taken. Momentary: Make the decision, time it right, let it return.

 

Nice looking truck! Perfect proportions IMO from the side view on it. Love those long wheel-base 6' DC Tacoma's. I looked long and hard for a 2015: nope. 2014: nope. Had to go with the SB but it had everything else I was looking for.

 

Even in my short bed Tacoma, I almost always back-in. It's much easier.

Otherwise, when pulling head first into a parking lot, I make a wide turn, then back up while aligning my truck more with the spot I want to go into, then pull into the spot

 

[/QUOTE]Otherwise, when pulling head first into a parking lot, I make a wide turn, then back up while aligning my truck more with the spot I want to go into, then pull into the spot[/QUOTE]

Agree. Sometimes it is better or necessary to park front in first. When I had long trucks I found it a little easier by going past the space a little then backing up. This gave a better angle and only needed a couple back and forths to get into spot nose first

 

BUY SUMA MIRRORS ! I have a DCLB & back into spots for sure !