Trucks with deck

[JMCX]

I can see the appeal of a short box if this is also your daily driver but if the primary purpose is a toy hauler then 8' is the way to go. You see some of these guys running around with three paddles on the deck and it looks like it want's to slip off the back. It's dumb. Also, with a long box you have an opportunity of pulling an enclosed with sleds on the deck.

 

[09 arctic cat m8]

I run a 6.5ft box with my f250 it handles my 8ft sled deck either 2quads or 2m8 well

 

[09 arctic cat m8]

My advice and opinion is quite blunt. Buy a real truck (1 ton Ford, GMC, Chev, or Dodge) and make sure you can haul two sleds and gear for 2 people without the rear end sagging without air bags (think about how heavy your sleds are after a day of riding and full of snow). The short boxes in my opinion are a joke. People with sleds hanging 4' out the back is ridiculous whether on an extension or not. My deck is 8'6" and if I were to do it over again, I would make it 10' long. Sleds aren't getting any shorter and these 163's are just making it within the limit of being 4' behind the tail lights. You can definitely see where I stand on decks and the BS that one sees in the staging areas.

View attachment 206728

i know what you mean man,but than again I can't base my whole life on owing a truck just for hauling a sled deck and sleds, I use mine as my daily driver too, my brother owns the deck, I run a two place sled trailer, the trailer is my favourite, comes in very handy for me, and yea I've seen where the sleds are barely on decks and people haul them that way, pretty scary

 

[acesup800]

I can see the appeal of a short box if this is also your daily driver but if the primary purpose is a toy hauler then 8' is the way to go. You see some of these guys running around with three paddles on the deck and it looks like it want's to slip off the back. It's dumb. Also, with a long box you have an opportunity of pulling an enclosed with sleds on the deck.

The fact the sled wants to slip off the back has nothing to do with the box length. That is the deck length. The amount of overhang on an 8' deck is exactly the same whether it's in a 8' box or a 6.5' box.

 

[1200]

Ya 8 foot deck min 7 foot deck r for short tracks haha ive had 1/2 3/4 1 tons gas propane diesel the best is the most money haha u can figure it out

 

[Pink-Inc]

Without a doubt 1ton with an 8ft bed. The 1ton will leave you piles of payload over the 3/4 and the 8ft box isn't an issue in daily driving. My personal and work truck are long boxes and I get around just fine everyday. I ran a 6.5 box with a deck and extension prior and will never do that again. Get the 1 ton long box and don't look back

 

[52weekbreak]

As always, if you are looking for opinions you will get lots here.

If you have lots of money, tons of shop space to store stuff, and the vehicle will only be used for recreation (and maybe a little work) - Buy a 1 ton diesel long box crew cab with an 8 foot deck with extensions. No issues with either weight or length of deck and you can carry pretty much anything you want. If not, you need to shop for a Kenworth . What you give up is in-town maneuverability and the new diesels can be expensive to maintain compared to a gas engine.

Anything less than that and you gain more versatility at the expense of your ability to carry a mountain sled on a deck of your truck. A 1/2 ton with an aluminum deck might pass (so I am told) from a weight capacity but it would be pretty much at maximums - a condition which should be kept to an absolute minimum.

You can spend a little (I noticed somebody had a used diesel posted here for around $15K) or you can spend $80,000 for the truck and spend a huge amount tricking it out.

I elected to go with a 1 Ton diesel short box as it works well with my fifth wheel trailer (its primary purpose). I do not have a deck as I either am just carrying 1 sled (which I put in the box of the truck) and when I am carrying more, I have a two place aluminum trailer I pull behind. I have no problem with a sled in the box and pulling the trailer so can carry three sleds without difficulty.

You could also do what I do with a half ton.

Pick the vehicle that fits for the majority of what you do and that may, or may not, be sledding. Good luck.

 

[Bnorth]

I run a 7' deck on a half ton and just went from a 163 to a 174 so don't listen to me.

 

[skegpro]

This fell off the truck.

 

[jpmez69]

1 ton SRW or duelly and 8' box. Don't bother with anything else. I had a short box at one time with deck. Never again.

 

[struglin]

I run a marathon 8' deck in a short box deck has movable legs works well long box crew cabs are fine if you live in the country if you live in the city good luck

 

[the_real_wild1]

I run a marathon 8' deck in a short box deck has movable legs works well long box crew cabs are fine if you live in the country if you live in the city good luck

I drive a cclb as a daily driver. Lots of time in the city. Hasn't been an issue.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

I run a marathon 8' deck in a short box deck has movable legs works well long box crew cabs are fine if you live in the country if you live in the city good luck

I run a diesel CCLB with sled deck all year round as a daily driver and no issues,.. its the douche bags with the smaller trucks that think they are invincible that you have to be careful of.

 

[52weekbreak]

Looks like it wasn't loaded in the first place. An 11 foot long sled on a 7 foot deck isn't smart. An 8 foot deck isn't much better. I thing two feet over the deck is to be avoided. 8 foot deck with an extension should keep the unsupported track at 2 feet. Surprising how little difference in overall length between a 154 and 175.

This fell off the truck. //uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171024/729c0ddc67b2dc6a5f96e3968f760ecc.jpg

 

[takethebounce]

Looks like it wasn't loaded in the first place. An 11 foot long sled on a 7 foot deck isn't smart. An 8 foot deck isn't much better. I thing two feet over the deck is to be avoided. 8 foot deck with an extension should keep the unsupported track at 2 feet. Surprising how little difference in overall length between a 154 and 175.

It shouldn't be surprising at all. Its 10.5" lol



I wish I would have gone with a 8' box on the Ram. The Chevy/GM short box is about 1.5" inside longer than the ram. I was able to close the tailgate with two bikes in the back with the Chevy, the Ram I cannot. I run a short deck with flip out extension for sleds.

I didn't go with 8' because of my city driveway length at 20' . The 8' would have stuck out onto the walkway. Now it is not a problem. Next truck will more than likely be 8' box with 8' deck.

 

[acesup800]

1 ton SRW or duelly and 8' box. Don't bother with anything else. I had a short box at one time with deck. Never again.

Why? How does the 8' box help with a deck? A 8' deck is just fine supported in a 6.5' box. The rear support legs are right under the middle of the track. Perfect position actually.

 

[catmando]

I'm with the general consensus . Sounds like 3/4 or 1 ton and 8' box is the best way to go.

I thought you ran a minivan lol

 

[Caper11]

I definitely wouldn't be buying a 8ft box just to put a 8ft deck in it. The problem I see with alot of these deck builders is their extensions are crap or not well thought out.
Im quite happy with my 7ft deck with the extension, it may not look or be expensive as the big name deck builders but its worked great for me since 09.
I agree with the 1 ton comments tho, it would be very sketchy to go from a 1 ton to a half ton with the same weight in the box.

 

[sledneck__11]

Through the deck on the new ford today the box is larger then the ram box forsure. Way nicer fit with the slip tank in there ford short box is close to 7

 

[Dooitorbust]

I run a 7' deck on a half ton and just went from a 163 to a 174 so don't listen to me.

I also run a 174 on a 7’ Lotus, except on a 3/4 ton Duramax. I usually run two ratchet straps down from sled to the deck and a super clamp up front. No problems for me