This is just a comment for people looking to buy one of these trucks, or to add a tonneau of any sort.

When I first bought my truck, I didn't care for the extra deep bed. Didn't see a reason for it, and it made it hard to reach over and into for small things.

I was sure wrong.

I just brought home a complete hardtop for my Tracker, and to my disbelief, it fit easily under the tonneau.

There is so much 'headroom' under the tonneau that I've only once in 4 months had to open the tonneau to carry something. And that was just till I got to a wrench to remove some handles on a nordic track, then the whole thing fit under the tonneau.

This truck just gets better.
Chris

 

Good point!

I've had my share of problems with this truck, but one thing I love is the deep bed. I went to kbb.com (kelly blue book) and compared the '04 F150 with many other rigs. The F150 with the 8' bed has more bed space than any pickup out there. Yes, any truck; even 3/4 and 1 tons.

I've personally hauled 3 yards of bark in my rig. It was level with the top of the bed!

 

just took a road trip and threw all the luggage in and with the depth of the bed i didnt even bother tying anything down.

 

I've found that the deep bed is an issue for those of us that want to install a fifth wheel hitch. There are only a very few hitches with enough height adjustment to get the clearance needed between the tops of the rails and the bottom of the trailer.

 

I do a decent amount of hauling (seems when you own a truck, everyone is your friend!!). Anyway the deeper bed saves me a lot of trips when aiding a move.

 

Isnt a fifth wheel more at home on an F250 though? I dont have any idea what kind of weights fifth wheel trailers come in, but Ive never seen one on an F150. Of course, that doesnt mean people dont do it.

 

At the beach last month, the rig next to mine was a flairside 2001 F-150 with a 4.6. He was rigged and hauling a fiver. Of course, it was darn near the smallest fifth wheel I have ever seen. He was happy with it. Nice looking truck, cute fiver.
I personally would never haul anything as heavy as a full size fiver with an F-150. There's always someone that will though.
On the Fiver forum they are into F-450 on up.
When towing, you can't have too much truck.
Chris.

 

There are lots of companies making 5ers just for short box 1/2 ton class pickups. Mine is 27' long and only weighs 4000 pounds with about 800 pounds pin weight. They make them bigger also. This one is 13 years old so this is not a new thing.

 

I know three guy's that ran to buy Heritage's because the beds are too deep on the new 150's to work out of..

I kind of have to agree. I'm 6'3" and I can barely reach the bed of the truck standing on the ground. Of course I keep a fish gaff in the bed to use to grab stuff, but if it rolls into the center of the bed I need something to grab it...

 

I can't help but wonder if the deeper bed and surely higher tailgate don't make it even harder to back an empty boat trailer down a steep boat ramp? Our 1999 F-150 has higher sides than our earlier model F-250 - can't see a thing above the tailgate and must use mirrors only. Would really hate for that to be worse with the newer trucks and I expect that it must be. There are pros and cons to everything, but I don't think I am a big fan of the deeper boxes for our purposes as we don't really need any more hauling area in the bed and more rear view obstruction is a big negative.

 

Ck, take my word they are real mothers to see anything you are towing like an empty trailer. The excuse I need to put high guide bars on my boat trailers. Most pickup's are a pain to see a empty boat trailer and depending on how far the winch stand is from the hitch opening the tailgate might not be an option. I used a net tailgate on my old 250 to solve the problem...

 

I've personally hauled 3 yards of bark in my rig. It was level with the top of the bed![/QUOTE]
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I don't mean to be a critic but i have to ask. Three yards? How many trips? My work truck is a full 8' box and one yard fills it. Other question is did you have it loaded with a tractor? I ask because where I pick up bark gravel ect, they have a 8' scoop. I wonder what that would do to my tailgate on a 5 1/2 bed?

 

I have been towing since 92 @ found out over time you just dont do it ,you nead to look for a few things too help make it easer to {back up} you even can take your tail gait off when you tow your boat if that can help .

 

How deep is the new 150 bed compared to the 97-03 bed to the 80-96 series bed.? Does anybody have any measurements right off hand.?

 

2002 bed depth about 20 inches... 2004 about 22 inches.