24 OffRoad LB vs SB?

Voting for long bed (cause that's what I got). Short box would be just too small for the huge amount of stuff we bring on our annual Yosemite trips. Tundra 6.5 bed barely fit everything so I'll still have to pack more carefully to make it fit in the taco. Plus I just think the short box looks funny with the double cab. Maybe it would be more proportional with the extra cab?

 

Trucks primary purpose is to haul cargo, that's why they exist. Mines a short bed, couldn't find a long bed configured the way I wanted, so i figured I'd give it a whirl. A mistake I won't repeat. If you are going to regularly haul stuff, and don't want to get creative stuffing 10lbs of cargo in a 5lbs bed, get the long one. It will make things much easier.

 

Unfortunately, yes, plus a few inches. My 07 double cab LB Taco fit fine.

 

SB vs LB is buyers choice alone. All depends on how you use the truck / what you do with it, and how often you use it for that purpose(s). Everyone's situation is different. Most people I talk to get a SB for parking reasons. Do you have to park in a parking garage for work or home and use your truck as your daily driver - I can see where a SB would be much better in that situation. But I got a LB because I use the truck for larger items - dump runs, hauling a quad, multiple bales of straw, etc, but I didn't want the width of a current full size truck. I don't have an issue with the truck's length when driving/parking - I just hate the narrow parking spots that seem to be everywhere around where I live and work, and a current full size just doesn't fit well in those from a width perspective. I had a SB Nissan Frontier that I rushed into because I was without a vehicle due to an accident about 12 years ago, and I remember how mad I was the first time I tried to take my mountain bike to the trails, and it wouldn't fit in the bed with out taking off the front wheel or dangling it over the tailgate. I regretted buying that SB the entire time I had that truck (and didn't keep it very long as a result). So I'm a vote for the 6' bed. I think unless you have daily parking issues that will force you into a SB, you won't regret getting a LB.

 

The short bed is for people who don't realize they would be happier with a 4Runner. The long bed is for people who want to actually be able to haul something. Drivability is a skill issue, not a design issue.

 

A good way to look at it. Over and over in the long time shopping and trying different vehicles stuff that carried find in my Sienna would not fit in the to me silly short bed models. When I was a professional guide my 4Runner had back seat room opposed to the Tacoma back seat experience like or worse than a discount airline.

My long bed will not fit in my garage but for next few years I have frequent need for a pickup that does on and off road work.

With mostly short beds for test drives and knowing features it became clear that except for steering or radius, long bed has superior handling. That longer wheelbase handles common sorts of bumps better.

The other matter with a whole lot of testing is the way many have use, I would not even want another 4Runner if I was still a river guide. A Grand Highlander has configurations that can tow plenty, fine for a lot of unpaved driving, quiet, superior handling, and even a turbo not hybrid is better fuel mileage.

I'm probably differing with choices many make but I'm driven by function. I am taking the compromises of a light truck for personal use for how often I need it for professional use in next few years.

 

Long bed for the win!!

 

One reason I like Tacomas is the short turning radius. I rarely haul anything longer than what the 5' bed can handle. When I do, such as a long piece of lumber, I have a rack that fits in the hitch.

 

I believe both 2nd and 3rd gen DCLB is 140.6" or 140.9"

 

The long bed is for people who should have bought a half ton, especially since the 4th is almost as wide as a half ton now (on the outside, at least).

100% agree on the 4Runner comment: with seats up, it's more comfortable than a DC Taco, and with seats down, the "bed" is longer than 5 feet. Overall dimensions match the old RC Taco.

 

I haven't looked up any specific dimensions, but I agree that it seems like the 2024 Tacoma is nearing the width of a full size 1/2 ton from about 15 years ago. I had a few 90's era Chevy trucks (both half tons and 3/4 tons), and those trucks seem downright small compared to the 2018 F250 Super Duty I had a few years ago. That truck was wide, tall and very roomy (I remember my kids asking me back then if we had bought a limo truck since there was soooo much legroom in the back seat). But the current crop of 1/2 ton trucks are still wider than the current Tacoma (or at least feel wider when driving/parking). I did cross shop the current Chevy and Ram 1/2 ton's against the Tacoma when I was looking just to be sure I was making the right decision, since I do use the 6' bed and tow some smaller trailers. I have had waaaaaay too many vehicles over the years, and one of my favorites was my 1/2 ton Ram from about 2016 - smooth driving, lots of power with the Hemi, comfy interior - but it was still so wide that when I parked at work next to another vehicle, I had to be really careful opening the doors to get in/out - just not a lot of room in most parking spots these days. And I've had low back issues for over a decade so that got to be painful sometimes trying to wiggle out, without door dinging someone with my big truck. When I had my Ram 3500 Dually and had to temporarily use it as a daily driver for a couple of months, I just set out for the farthest spots away from any other cars because that behemoth didn't fit in a parking space nearly anywhere around where I live.
While I agree the Tacoma is bigger than before, its still smaller and easier to live with on a daily basis from a width perspective, and I use the 6' bed often. Of course, I also have a SR5 so I'm likely a bit narrower than the OR's, and definitely narrower than the Pros. But to each their own - its all trade offs in the long run. No perfect vehicle that does everything, everytime, without compromises.

 

Had a deposit on a SB premium pkg. When we showed up to test drive the SB we were immediately concerned about the bed size for camping trips and using it for truck things. We even considered upsizing to the SB Tundra. The LB Taco isn't much smaller than the SB Tundra, but ended up being the perfect compromise. 6k miles later with a base LB and zero regrets. Relatively easy to maneuver around the city, although we have a smaller vehicle if we think we'll end up in a tight parking garage or street parking.

 

Initially, I wanted the short bed but depending on the color, the short bed looks out of proportion IMO. But for camping reasons, being able to throw a couple mountain bikes back there, and general truck use; I'm soooo happy I ended up with a long bed.

Found this "two person" that fit me(myself) perfectly tent at: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Quechua-...Blue/312228577?classType=REGULAR&from=/search

 

LB

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I made 4Runner comments but I'm lost on the half ton comment. There was nothing appealing about others' poor ratings including safety and most all of them had beds only 6 inches less useless than the 5 ft beds. At one pre-sales stop at Ford dealer what fit in my Sienna and not a Ranger could fit angled in a 5.5 bed then making the rest of the bed as useless to me as 5 ft beds.

Also a close associate with F-150 can't get the metro area fuel economy I get with the 2024 Tacoma same time he has the short bed, and poor crash rating.

This can make sense to me. One associate purposely bought the short bed to fit in his garage but also pull his utility trailer when needed.

 

I like the look of the long bed but personally didn't need it for my uses. The short bed offers me plenty of room for my camping gear, more than a 4runner would, and the backseat has been removed to make room for my dog. Really just comes down to what you see yourself using it for, the biggest item that will go in my bed is my cooler and that fits easily with 5' of space.

 

Thanks for all the feedback! After looking at them more I thinking I am strongly leaning long bed for my use cases (biking/skiing/camping) along with thinking it looks better than the SB with bigger tires. Does anyone know if the truck in the picture above has a leveling kit or just the bigger tires? Know what size those tires are?

 

Well, I didn't read all these posts, but OP should try to read all the threads with titles like: "how do I fit "THIS" in my short bed??" Substitute for "this": Bicycles, dirt bike, 4 wheeler, snow mobile, myself sleeping and just about anything else that would fit in a 6 foot bed instead of a 5 foot bed.

TOO bad Toyota doesn't/didn't make a full 4 door cab with a 6' bed that had a MANUAL tranny!!!

 

I swung by that dealer earlier in the week. Different truck, fairly certain the exact same setup.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/285-70-18-34”-on-24-models.841436/page-2#post-30118846

 

I’m a guy that actually uses the bed everyday for work/various hobbies. Short bed does just fine. Only times I have ever desired a foot more space is the occasional camping trip where I would have liked to sleep in the bed rather than messing with a tent. If something long needs hauled I either use the bed/roof rack or trailer anyways… 99% of the time something u can’t haul in a 5ft bed also isn’t gonna be able to be hauled in a 6ft bed. Also, subjective I guess, but 6ft doublecabs looks awkward to me… short bed much better looking proportions in double cab config.