Funny how the ones most in favor of the deeper bed are "only" 6' and taller, and probably under 40. Average size guys ( 5'7-5'10) DO have a problem reaching over the side to the bottom, also us older farts don't want to drop the tailgate and climb up every damn time we need to retrieve a smaller item up at the front of the bed. That's probably why Ford put a tailgate step and grab pole on the new Super Dutys. Ford built a standard depth bed for many years, and I hauled as much concrete, lumber, and sod as any new truck could handle. There a lot of older truckers out there who would agree.

 

amen!

or you can go jack the tail gate off a new superduty

 

I didn't mean to start a fight here. I'm not complaining about the bed depth, I was actually making a joke but I do need a way to get to the front of the bed. I'm an electrician at a surface coal mine so I need the truck to sit higher so it's easier to clean the mud out of the wheel wells and I also need ground clearance just to get around off road.
Does anyone own this step gadget? What is it mounted to? I tip the scales just shy of 270# I don't want to climb on something that is supported only by the sheet metal.

 

When I saw that yesterday I went to their site and found the directions. It bolts directly to the frame, not the sheet metal. You should have no problem.

 

At first I didn't like the higher sides, then I put a raised platform in the bottom of my bed. I can slide shovels, etc. under it and it makes it easier to grab stuff. Necessity is the mother of invention.

 

I'm a 59 year old fart who is 5'6" and I have a problem with the tall bed. The top of the bed comes up to the bottom of my neck and I don't have a prayer reaching in the bed or even getting into the bed. To get in the bed, I have to leave the tailgate up and climb up on the trailer hitch to get in the bed.

I looked at the new Tundra with a good friend of mine who is in the market for a new truck and the bed height was at least as high as the Ford and the depth appeared a little deeper. It made the tailgate slightly lower but the reachover was more. He hasn't bought a Ford because of the bed (he is also short and carries his motorcycle in the back of his truck) so the Toyota wasn't better. However, if he doesn't get another GMC, he will buy the Tundra because of the performance advantage.

 

Sorry fellas if I mistook it for cpmplaining. There is alot of that on this site about the 04-07 f-150 and I am guilty of it too from time to time, but overall I absolutly love the truck and wouldn't trade it for any other. I think ford it hit right with this truck it is as close to perfect as it will get imo. Every truck has their drawbacks the f-150 just has fewer than the rest

 

Ya know, we all bleed blue around here, but in some ways our trucks are like our wives, ya gotta bitch now and then to get something done! Just remember to duck when that frying pan comes your way!! LOL!!

 

Hey, it's about time I get a vehicle I can actually fit into, I'm 6'4" and tired of all these short trucks. I love my FX4 because it's so tall.

 

I'm 6'8" and I love my trucks big size. you guys that are under 6'2" need to get a ford ranger. I weigh around 300lbs. My truck hauls more sausage than a jimmy dean delivery truck!

 

I'm 5'9... and I like the taller bed... Like previously mentioned I also use the tire to stand on...but when I've been in a rush (running) about getting items out, I just use shear strength to pull myself over the bed wall (grasping the inner lip area of the bed).

The height has already "paid itself off" since I can have Comfortable double layers. I can fit quite a bit of 50-60 lbs. bags of concrete & sand in the first layer and have enough bed height left to (safely) carry those taller skids and job Boxes.

With the older or "Other-brand" beds... I'd have to go crazy with the tie-downs and ropes for the fear of the cargo on top flipping over the lit'l bit of bed rail remaining.

 

Hell, I'm only 5-7 and about 190. I can hardly even get into the truck bed, much less reach the bottom from outside! Still, I like the size of the truck and bed - being deeper, it'll haul a lot more material. I'll probably get some kind of helper step or something. I already put tube step rails on the cab so I can get in and out easier, and mine's just a base-model 2WD! Right now I'm using a polymer box to stand on when tying stuff off to the tie-down points (like a load of brush). The other day I took a load of logs/brush to the landfill which was the first big load I'd put in the truck. It has the 6500# GVW package, but even so, when I loaded the entire bed full of 2" to 6" pine logs topped off with cut branches up over the height of the cab, I could easily see it had settled about 4" in the rear. This is where those disc brakes come into play - the truck handled and stopped with no problems, and the 4.2L V6 had no trouble with it either. The way I had the ropes knotted, I didn't have to get down to the tie-offs to release them for off-loading, but I really could use some kind of step to hang on the tail gate. I picked up a set of bed rails which I haven't installed yet, and they will make it much harder to reach over. I may have to give that a little more thought.

 

Get yourself some scrap wood an make a step.an a piece of rubber so you dont slip. bottom an top .works great.just dont forget to put them back..

 

I am one of those that also loves the deep box! It looks tough and makes the overall truck look better. I hope Ford does not change this feature in the future. I am only 6' but i don't have any huge problems getting stuff from the box....

 

Maaann, I don't know what you guys are complaining about. I'm 5'2 everytime I need something in the front of the bed I pull out the 3 step ladder and reach in no problem, if the ladder gets loose and shifts to the middle of the bed, then I step on the tire and get on, or open the tailgate. Oh yeah i'm over 40 with a bum leg from an ied. Kinds of reminds me of my ex complaining about not having any shoes to wear to a function, till she met a female veteran with no feet...courtesy of an ied.