Short box vs Long box

Do you know what the issue is? I'm just curious since they use so many of the same parts in both trucks it seems hard to imagine it wouldn't work, or they couldn't have factored it into the design of the LB. I must be missing something, but to me it seems like it's just a SB with longer frame and bed.

 

it's all to do with the driveshaft, as far as I know. Same reason the TW is only available on the shortbox.

 

+1


When I first started doing research before buying I thought the LBs looked horrible... of course I was basing that on pics at Toyota.com and other sites. Once I stood next to one I loved it.

 

when we go on trails we sleep in the bed of our trucks.. unless you measure less than 5ft, you'll be glad you got a 6ft bed!

 

Short bed with bed extender lets you fit anything you could fit in the long box.

Anything truly long is going to hang out the ass end of either box.

Short bed looks more proportional to my eye, and my truck does more offroad/bad weather transport than hauling anyway.

Short bed it is.

Other people may have other uses and other needs, but please guys, steer clear of the "x sucks, y rules!" crap. Anyone who understands the concept of right tool for the job should know it's never that simple.

 

I don't see where bad weather is better on a short bed.. in fact it should be in theory better with a long one as it takes more to spin it around and it has a longer wheelbase. The tires and driving makes the most difference

For offroad there is absolutely no real advantage of having the short bed. You can really get everywhere the short bed goes although it might scratch a little more. Once again, the driving aptitudes and equipment (tires, suspension) will make the difference.

Really you just need to ask if you want one more foot in the bed. I do because I sleep in it and no way a 5ft would allow me and my gf to sleep in it.

 

I will know soon, I am putting a locker from a short bed OR to my Sport long bed (changing the rear axle)

but the turn radius and break over seriously they don't make shit of a real difference if you have proper protection (i.e. sliders and bumpers). Yes you will rub a little more, but don'T tell me you won't get there because you have a long bed. You need to see videos of people wheeling their LB.. The problem is that there are few because they are sport models so most buy the off road (logical choice)

 

You hit yourself with your own fallacy here. It doesn't take "more" to spin the longbed than the shortbed (more what, exactly? Force?). Spin is induced by loss of traction with continued application of another force. Once traction decreases to a certain level, the length of your bed makes no difference. Traction loss is going to be influenced more by driving surface than anything else when it comes to bad weather.

Where short bed does have the advantage over long box in poor weather and offroad situations is more maneuverability, albeit only slightly. It's a simple fact of physics that an object one foot shorter can fit into some spaces and pull some moves an object one foot longer cannot.

I've got no argument with you about the equipment making the most difference, but that's neither here nor there...we're comparing bed types, all else is assumed to be equal.

Anyway, all of this is kind of beside my original point, which was that I personally don't need a long bed because:

a) I think it looks ugly as sin on a double cab (tires aren't big enough to be spaced that far apart and maintain a cohesive look for the truck - my opinion).
b) I do more driving than hauling, so the extra bed space wouldn't be very useful to me. The shortbox is plenty.

Yes, you're right - in the end it comes down to "do I want/need the additional bed space?" For me personally the answer is no, but I'm certainly not so naive as to think that's the answer for everyone. Buy what you want to folks, they're your trucks.

 

Maybe he means bad weather transport in some too large to fit in a car or on a roof rack, but not large enough to require a full sized truck?

Funny, I always thought short wheelbase vehicles made the best plow vehicles. Better traction, easier to maneuver, and less of a lever affect if the ass end started sliding.

I never said you couldn't get there. However, it would be more difficult. Personally, I try to avoid scratching my rig up. If you're going in with the mindset to scratch it all to hell because you decided to by a bigger vehicle why are you wheeling a $20-$30k rig?

I have a 3" lift in my SB as well, so it still has a better break over angle then a lifted LB unless you've got a 6" lift. Oh, and the fact the LB's don't come with a locker can make things trickier too.

Where I wheel it's usually tight ATV trails winding back and forth between trees and banks. A 4 foot short turn radius makes that easier. Sure I could stop, back up, turn but that takes a lot of the fun out of it and slows things down. Means I couldn't keep up with my jeep buddy, or I'd be holding him up.

The right equipment like bumpers and sliders means you're throwing $2-$3k at solving the problem of vehicle maneuverability by armoring it so you can hit shit instead of avoid it!

 

Oh yea ? well by next week my lb will be blown

 

$4k for what, 30 more HP? lol Maybe you should've just bought a full size chevy or dodge or tundra.

 

? what are you talking about - its more like 70hp/70tq - oh and that means alot more in the tacoma than the tundra since it weights a fair amount less.

 

I didn't mean to "loose traction" in a straight line for the long bed in slippery.

but if you ever drove something short like a Jeep Liberty, and something long like a full size pickup with long bed, you'll see that when the rear end breaks loose in a curve, it's WAY easier to control it with the longer wheelbase.

Spinning in a straight line has no difference because of wheelbase.

 

I think if you were wheeling with us, you'd have a bumper and armor, whatever length your truck is..

seriously wahtever everyone says here, there is really no difference is what you'll accomplish with both truck (not talking about locker vs LSD here). The ONLY decision factor should be "do I NEED one more foot in the bed".

In my opinion, unless you 1- put a toolbox and still need useable bed space or 2- sleep in the bed, there is no point on getting the long bed (unless you prefer the looks of it)

I'm done here.

 

What about taking an atv? I think that should be an option 3. I know my Honda just fits in my LB without resting on the tailgate. I wouldn't want to drive a long distance with an atv resting on these cheap tailgates. That was my main reason for getting the LB.

 

Rides better down the highway with the longer wheel base too!

 

Oh I bet. Can't even feel the machine in the back

 

I would...... But then, I have 2 pieces of bed frame angle iron reinforcing my tailgate.

 

Definatly long bed...looks way better stock and lifted...who gives a shit if it doesnt turn quite as good???

 

def long. Got room for a toolbox and still have room for other stuff