Why doesn't anybody make a small truck with a 6.5 foot bed?

[Deleted member 9101]

Maybe that's true, I dunno. Still seems marketing departments target campers and camping as a major selling point for trucks, though. Perhaps it's being able to accommodate slide-in campers is what they're after.

Nope... they target travel trailers, hence Ford's "max tow" package, built in brake controller, automatic sway control, and obnoxious tow mirrors. Slide in campers are pretty rare these days and get covered under the HD payload option or they just get a 3/4 ton.

 

[phsycle]

Maybe that's true, I dunno. Still seems marketing departments target campers and camping as a major selling point for trucks, though. Perhaps it's being able to accommodate slide-in campers is what they're after.

Especially the mid-size segment, this is very apparent. Lifestyle trucks is the general theme in all of the commercials. No construction site shots, workplace backgrounds.

Having said that, it seems at least there is growing demand for longer beds. Toyota decided to mix in LB's in TRD OR for the 3rd gens. So enough people must've checked the "yes" box on the surveys.

 

[Buliwyf]

Ford can't change the SD suspension. It's exactly how we want it, give or take 4" more, and some King shocks.

Aluminum bodies, bonded, riveted, and bolted.
Doge has air ride on somec drw's.
Rear e lockers stock.

There's some innovation.

ERS will be a nice add on in the future. But it might cost as much as a diesel upgrade. A super capacitor ERS on a 2wd truck, to give it electric AWD, would be cool.

 

[Clutch]

I have a 17 F150 Super Crew with the 2.7 Ecoboost. The truck rides like a car, handles great, pulls a trailer effortlessly, and gets 24-25mpg on the HW doing 70.... nothing ground breaking about that at all...

Oh that is a great truck, no doubt about it. While yes, there are improvements...but nothing that hasn't been done before. So I don't view it as earth shattering.

Earth shattering would be powered by Mr Fusion and a truck that could fly...

 

[DaveInDenver]

Nope... they target travel trailers, hence Ford's "max tow" package, built in brake controller, automatic sway control, and obnoxious tow mirrors. Slide in campers are pretty rare these days and get covered under the HD payload option or they just get a 3/4 ton.

So they all don't still put this in their owner's manual? Some variation of this diagram has been in my 1984, 1991 and 2008 owner's manuals and apparently still in the 2018 Tacoma (which is where I grabbed this).

 

[DaveInDenver]

Lifestyle trucks is the general theme in all of the commercials. No construction site shots, workplace backgrounds.

Lifestyle is what Toyota has sold for as long as I can remember.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

So they all don't still put this in their owner's manual? Some variation of this diagram has been in my 1984, 1991 and 2008 owner's manuals and apparently still in the 2018 Tacoma (which is where I grabbed this).

View attachment 462148

Couldn't tell ya. What I can tell you is I have yet to see a single commercial or advertisement mentioning it. The slide in camper market is almost non-existent when compared to other markets thst they can target.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

Oh that is a great truck, no doubt about it. While yes, there are improvements...but nothing that hasn't been done before. So I don't view it as earth shattering.

Earth shattering would be powered by Mr Fusion and a truck that could fly...

While I see your point.... jumping from 16-17 MPG on the HW to 24-25 MPG was pretty earth shattering for me.... along with "full boost " launches with the traction control off ?

 

[Clutch]

Lifestyle is what Toyota has sold for as long as I can remember.

View attachment 462166

Is that a Yamaha Big Wheel in there? Always wanted one of those to dork around on...see quite a few of them running around here. Mostly hunters come fall.

The Toyota pickup is akin to stepsides...kinda worthless as a truck per se, but fun to run around and play in.

Ford has been doing the ride like a car thing for awhile now.

 

[Clutch]

While I see your point.... jumping from 16-17 MPG on the HW to 24-25 MPG was pretty earth shattering for me.... along with "full boost " launches with the traction control off ?

They are fun to drive...boy howdy! That combo is arguably the best bang for your buck right now. Still see it as marginal improvements. A 5.0 will get 20 easy...and still pretty peppy.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

Is that a Yamaha Big Wheel in there? Always wanted one of those to dork around on...see quite a few of them running around here. Mostly hunters come fall.

I had a BW 350 for a few years. Fun to putt around on... handled like crap. Fortunately shares it's top end with the warrior 350, so you can get pretty cheap performance parts.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

They are fun to drive...boy howdy! That combo is arguably the best bang for your buck right now. Still see it as marginal improvements. A 5.0 will get 20 easy...and still pretty peppy.

My neighbor has a 5.0 in his and he loves it. It tows just fine and can definitely push you back in the seat. While I can easily pull away from him.... he sounds sooo much better.

 

[Clutch]

So they all don't still put this in their owner's manual? Some variation of this diagram has been in my 1984, 1991 and 2008 owner's manuals and apparently still in the 2018 Tacoma (which is where I grabbed this).

View attachment 462148

Dave, here is haul/tow selector.

Scroll down and you'll find info for slide-in's.

https://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/17RV&TT_Ford_F150_Sep7.pdf

Like what @Jnich77 was saying...believe they sell more trucks to guys that tow travel trailers, than haul in-bed campers. Why the payloads suck, and towing is pretty good.

 

[Clutch]

I had a BW 350 for a few years. Fun to putt around on... handled like crap. Fortunately shares it's top end with the warrior 350, so you can get pretty cheap performance parts.

They can be found pretty cheap...always think I should pick one up one of these days...and then I forget about it.

My neighbor has a 5.0 in his and he loves it. It tows just fine and can definitely push you back in the seat. While I can easily pull away from him.... he sounds sooo much better.

Yeah, nothing like the sound of the V8!

In my reality..a NA V6 would be more than enough...

Had my license suspended when I was 16 for drag racing muscle cars...blew pass the cop at 120 in a 45...(whoopsie!) I have to stay away from high powered vehicles...as I have no self control. Gave up street bikes for the same reason.

I used to be young and dumb...now I am just dumb.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

They can be found pretty cheap...always think I should pick one up one of these days...and then I forget about it.


Yeah, nothing like the sound of the V8!

In my reality..a NA V6 would be more than enough...

Had my license suspended when I was 16 for drag racing muscle cars...blew pass the cop at 120 in a 45...(whoopsie!) I have to stay away from high powered vehicles...as I have no self control. Gave up street bikes for the same reason.

I used to be young and dumb...now I am just dumb.

I think I paid 150.00 for mine. The guy took the carb off and never rebuilt it. I paid a buddy 100.00 to put it back together and get it running. Later did some head work with a cam and exhaust and it really came to life. Ended up selling it to a guy for a few hundred more than I had in it, so I was happy to hand over the key.

As for self control... it's a daily struggle for me. Having a street and a sport bike keep the speed bug confined to two wheels for the most part. Now, when my daughter is old enough to help twist wrenches, I'm going to start upping the power on the Ecoboost.