Trailhunter owners: 5ft vs 6ft bed decision?

[brentbba]

5' bed. Offroading I wanted a better turning radius and breakover. Wheelbase is longer than my old Landcruiser to begin with, and turning isn't as good. 6' would have been worse.

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[tnjwinters]

It really just comes down to how you want to use your truck.

 

[JustAnotherDingus]

Mine is being built in a week. I opted for the 6’ bed for a few reasons

- storage volume for work tools. I currently own a station wagon. When I flip the seats down I have a 5’6” long loading deck and I’ve often found with work that the extra linear foot of space would be useful. The whole reason I’m getting a truck is to safely haul all my work gak around without the possibility of it braining me from behind if I get rear ended, so more space made sense for me. I can see 5’ being better for many folks though. I’m glad toyota has the option because I really didn’t want a full size truck. A 6’ taco is what a full size was 20 years ago and that’s deff enough truck for me!

- it was never going to fit in my garage anyway so I might as well have more space!

- I camp all the time, but I’m not (probably lol I might eat my words this winter) going to do any super technical trails. My speed is more exploring forest roads and long haul road trips vs doing things that would necessitate 35s and crawling etc. I figure the longer wheelbase won’t nuke me too much.

- I live in a crowded congested mess of a city. Parking is going to suck either way with a truck. a few more min looking for a spot or having to park a bit further back etc won’t kill me

 

[trailhunger]

Another factor to take into consideration is the payload is like 60lbs less on the 6'.

Kind of backwards, since most of the other 6' models have the same or higher payload than their 5' counterparts.

So even though you have more space, technically you can carry less (weight).

I’d argue that 60 lbs is not a factor unless you’re an MMA fighter checking every carb that you eat before fight night. My tag payload limit is 1,245. Ripped off the ARB sport bar I’m at ~1,320. Add the GFC in October, I’m back to 800 lbs for gear when I tare my own weight. Plenty.

The determining factor is gear length and volume/space. There’s a cohort who like their topper to double as a weekender/overnighter sleeper birth, that extra foot is worth the trade off.

Truck only has an 18 gal tank. Anyone overlanding with a 63qt cooler weighing 85lbs on this truck needs a head check. You're pumping gas before you know it and can restock a cooler more than 1/2 the size & weight. Gotta keep it light, the range on the rig dictates it. More you weigh it down, more you're stopped at civilization with provisions at your fingertips.

 

[ewtotel]

I'm in the same boat... waiting on either one to come open with a deposit on one (the other dealership doesn't take deposits.) I'm very much leaning toward the 6-foot bed just for that little bit of extra space. While taking my TH offroad and overlanding/camping will be a huge part of this purchase for me, I don't anticipate getting into any off road obstacles substantial enough for me to regret not having the negligible approach/departure angle benefit of the short bed. If I wanted to get into that kind of stuff I would have gone with a lifted wrangler or something instead.

All that said... if push comes to shove and I can only get a short bed, I'm not going to cry about it at all.

 

[Vidman]

I agree with you about the less demand for the 6 foot beds but what about the demand for the halo models..you would think Toyota would build a lot more of them to satisfy their customers

 

[Vidman]

I won’t be taking the truck out to do any rock crawling or heavy off road so not worried about any issues related to the off road performance of the vehicle. Just getting to my hunting,fishing and camping spots that are not going to test it out to the extremes.. still leaning toward the 6 foot bed just because lt looks more like a truck

 

[TheDo114]

If you want to load your atv in the bed, buy the 6 foot bed. I have a 5 feet bed and your tires will stay on the tailgate with the risk of bending it. It will also distribute the weight better and you will squat way less than with a 5 foot bed.

IMO, if you're considering a 6 foot bed, do not buy a 5 foot bed, you will regret it.

 

[Cabby30]

Go 6ft bed.
If you aren't going to rock crawl or do any rigorous off-roading, then the extra bed capacity is worth the loss in breakover angle and turning radius. After my first firewood haul I was glad I went long bed.

 

[Wukong]

Since there's several 6 foot bed owners here, can someone help this fellow user out and get him your bed's interior dimensions?

Link: Dimensions of 6' foot bed interior on 2024 Tacoma?

 

[rchrds]

I drive my Tacoma through México and Central America to go caving. This usually takes us on very small roads with terrible maintenance- things the larger trucks with lower clearance (as opposed to a 2 ton log truck) just aren't going to get across. I watched a 6 foot double cab have to get winched off the trail more than once, so that took it out of my choice realm. I really wanted a 6 foot extra cab, but oh well. 5 foot it is to try to minimize overall size. I'm already unhappy with how large the truck has gotten, but the 5 foot is the compromise.

 

[trailhunger]

I drive my Tacoma through México and Central America to go caving. This usually takes us on very small roads with terrible maintenance- things the larger trucks with lower clearance (as opposed to a 2 ton log truck) just aren't going to get across. I watched a 6 foot double cab have to get winched off the trail more than once, so that took it out of my choice realm. I really wanted a 6 foot extra cab, but oh well. 5 foot it is to try to minimize overall size. I'm already unhappy with how large the truck has gotten, but the 5 foot is the compromise.

LC would've been the rig to get then. shorter, tighter turn radius than a 5' bed TH. Do you need a truck to reach the cave.

 

[rchrds]

LC would've been the rig to get then. shorter, tighter turn radius than a 5' bed TH. Do you need a truck to reach the cave.

I need a truck to carry the 3500 lbs of diving gear that we normally take down there. Volume wise it fills the 6 foot bed to the roof of a wedge ARE camper and completely fills the back of the extra cab. I'm curious to see with the rear seats removed if we get the same storage volume in the 2024. The landcruisers and 4runners don't have enough storage space- it's wasted with seat structure.

 

[RESQCAT]

My Trailhunter is expressly for Search & Rescue. Seems tailor made as a platform to build on. I got the 5 ft bed as the truck is roughly 18 feet nose to tail... and this fits in my garage with a little room to spare. It is replacing my 24 year old heavily modded Grand Cherokee (3 pages of upgrades, from tire rubber to the roof rack. Really is quite heavy with steel bumpers, long arm suspension, winch, lights, etc. etc. Was not very built to handle all I did to it. Still works great... but not if I try to tow my 2000 lb Tab Trailer. Just a little bit too much...

I am installing the Leitner Designs ACS Forged, with rack, and an Uptop Overland KILO cab rack. Also a Decked drawer and CargoGlide system. Will carry personal and rescue gear that will be easily accessible. Weboost Overland, commercial radio, Midland GMRS (purely for overlanding, not used in SAR), scene lights, SAR lighting (hazard & traffic direction), Switch Pros switch to control, CaliRaised LED 27w ditch lights, etc.

Waiting to see what front bumpers come out for a winch... Rago? CBI? ARB?

I will see if I need to upgrade rear suspension to level it out or not. On missions I often carry a dog team, handler, observer with gear or even 3 ESAR team members with 24 or 72 hour packs... little tight in the back seat so may need to only allow skinny ones!

My colleague in my SAR unit bought the six foot. He is putting a cap on his, radios, lights, etc. If a bunch of use get these... wow.

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