I currently have a standard cab long box... I really liked having the standard cab short box pickups! I know you guys are like well go try to buy one! Well I got an awesome deal on the current truck I have, plus it has only 68,000 miles!

So this got me thinking. How hard is it to covert a long box into a short box? I got a pretty good idea but I am curious to see if someone has done it or if there is a "writeup" on it!? Cut frame, lose side moutn gas tank, new drive shafts, new box, fuel lines, break lines, ect.. and ideas are welcome!

Brian

 

leave it long box.

find a short box then sell long box.

 

Any reason why you think that?

 

truck has low mileage.

nothing wrong with it, no accident or rollover.

the wheel base is the problem and anything you do to shorten it will weaken it unless done perfectly.

the cost to do this will be way more then you think it will be.

and lastly, too much pain for a limited amount of gain.

 

So would it be smarter to swap this stuff to a short box frame? or just try to sell this truck as a whole?

 

if you have to have a short box truck then look for one and buy it and sell this one.

 

it would be alot easier to just look for another truck and trade. and if you choose to sell it later its going to be a hard sale telling buyers you cut the frame and converted to a short box

 

I agree with quicklook and capn kirk.

I wouldn't butcher up the truck to make it a short box. Sometimes I wish mine was a short box, but I would never cut it up to make it one.

 

a guy on a local 4x4 forum did it to his f250, i would personally never do it, like has already been said, sounds like you have a sweet truck, dont hack it up. why do you want a short bed anyway? i have a short bed extended cab and that extra foot in the bed would help me out alot.

 

Out of 7 trucks I have owned over the years one was a short bed, and I hated that truck, I work with my truck and it sucks to have to pull a trailer to haul long stuff, it is amazing how much difference 2 feet makes..
If it has to be a short bed I will go back to an Explorer!!!!
But that is just me..

 

CUT IT!

Your biggest problem is going to be finding a box. Brake lines, drive shafts and fuel tank will be easier than finding a box. Find a frame shop, tell them what you want, they'll know where and how to shorten the frame.

As for strength...you aren't going to be carrying enough around to make it an issue.

 

Theres a junker here that has a LOT of boxes, i think ive seen some short boxes just driving by too, but he's a mean guy, i wouldntdo business with him because he rips you off. But depending on your area, finding it may be hard.

 

(emphasis added)

Echo,

The above are (just some of the) great reasons NOT to shorten your truck.

So no offense, but I've got to ask: WHY do you want to have two feet (or 25%) less functionality in your truck? (Not to mention one less gas tank?)

And if that's a goal, why don't you just unhook a couple of plug wires and call it a day? (Okay, that was snarky--sorry 'bout that!)

No offense to anyone who owns one, (and perhaps I suffer from a lack of imagination) but I don't understand why people even buy (new) short boxes, especially in the F-250 and F-350 class of trucks. Full disclosure: I own a '72 F-100 shorty stepside, but that was my first vehicle (20+ years ago), in highschool, and I bought, totaled, for $300., just for something pretty to drive--I didn't buy it to haul stuff.

i realize used truck buyers (like me) can't always find the truck they really want, so they buy what's available, as I did, as we all do, yourself included. (And congratulations on such a low miles truck, btw!) But I don't understand why people order new trucks with a big, bad GVW and a six-foot bed? Is it for towing purposes? Is that why people order trucks like, say, a crew cab, F-350 diesel with a shortbed? I'm sorry, but more often than not, such trucks don't even look like they're used for hauling more than people, in many cases.... That makes some sense to me, if it's a half-ton, 2x4 but, like I say, very often it's a big, bad 3/4 or 1-ton truck, with a shorty bed. Maybe it's just me....

Rant over--sorry. But I (and others, obviously) would like to know why you would wish to put so much time, effort and MONEY into having a shorter truck.

Are you a rock crawler?

Do you plow snow commerically? (I see by your signature that it's a 4x4.) I can see how a shortbox would make snow plowing easier, now that I have a Supercab LB that is 24' long with the plow connected.

My friend said he wanted a smaller truck because it was "easier to park when shopping." I guess I don't shop enough. I do know I would not want to take my Supercab LB into NYC, as parking on the street there IS a b*tch, and the parking ramps would probably refuse to take it, but my friend lives upstate, and wouldn't drive to NYC to save his life.

Curious....

BigSix1

 

There has been a lot of good points for keeping the 8 foot box that have been brought up in this thread.

The longer wheel base will tow better, and the two feet of length would come in handy at times.

But the biggest problem with a short box ,regular cab F150 is the small gas tank in back-18.2 gallons (reads empty after 13 gallons!? ). Some short box regular cab F150s 4x2 only have the single back gas tank. And all of the 4x4 regular cabs/short box only have this small single gas tank if they are a certain vintage.

18.2 gallons just doesnt make it on a truck that gets less than 20 MPG most of the time-especially when offroading in 4x4 low!!

Why didnt Henry put the 32 gallon rear gas tank of the Bronco in these shorty regular cab/short boxs?? Dang!

But the regular cab/short boxes are better looking and cuter!!! But is cuter-better-if you are out of gas in the wilderness or having to walk back to the gas station and watching the Chebbies pickups pass you by??

But the shorties are sure nice when you have to do a U turn !!! And better on the trail--quicker turning.

 

We have 5 trucks in our fleet all except my ford are short box... I wish I had a long box. Weather it be towing hauling or plowing the 8ft is the way to go.

I bought my truck as the site visit/parts runner/cruising truck. I love the extended cab but the shot bed sucks you can't put **** in it. My 4 wheelers or sleds stick out and make me nervous also towing can get sucky.

We have a 2004 F-350 psd 4x4 super cab long bed and is awesome towing but its a hassle to park. A reg. cab long bed is perfect or extended cab short bed is nice. both are good lengths