Your Guide to Pickup Truck Sizes

Contrary to popular belief, pickup trucks aren’t just designed for the job site. They can perform a myriad of tasks, from towing campers and trailers to carting the kids to school, accompanying you on your daily commute, or embarking on the road trip of a lifetime. If you’re shopping for a vehicle, you may want to pay close attention to the various truck options, especially those found in the used inventory, since you’ll be able to get more for your money. Here at The Faricy Boys Automotive, we have an impressive selection of used trucks for sale in various sizes and options to appeal to the diverse array of drivers who walk through our doors each day. To help you figure out which type of used truck will meet your needs, we’ve constructed a short guide to truck sizes and what that means for you to make it easy to find the truck that works perfectly for your driving needs.

Size Categories

Trucks fall into one of a few categories, depending on size and capability. Those categories are compact, midsize, full-size, and heavy-duty. Compact trucks are perfect for daily driving, being smaller than some of the other trucks on the road, as well as more efficient yet capable of towing and hauling when you need to complete these types of tasks. Midsize trucks offer the best of both worlds when it comes to size and capabilities. Many midsize trucks can perform optimally on the job site, as well as function as an efficient everyday traveler, making them perfect for virtually any type of driver. Full-size trucks come in handy, especially when work is involved, as they are able to tow and haul more than their smaller siblings. When tasks get to be too much for regular full-size models to handle, heavy-duty trucks save the day. Able to tow and haul monumental amounts, these trucks are the go-to trucks when hard work is involved.

While these categories are common to hear, you may also hear full-size trucks referred to by their payload capacity distinction (half-ton, three-quarter-ton, or one-ton). These categories refer to how much gear, materials, and other travel belongings a truck can hold. Now, these names come from how much these trucks were originally able to handle, but modern options can often handle at least 1,000 or more lbs over the category designator.

Half-ton trucks were originally those that could handle 1,000 lbs or more of payload. This makes them extremely versatile in a number of different scenarios, from tackling a home project to taking on challenges on the job site. The current half-ton Chevy Silverado 1500 can handle up to 2,260 lbs, and the F-150 can get up to 3,325 lbs.

Three-quarter-ton trucks were able to accommodate at least 1,500 lbs of payload, but current options like the Silverado 2500 HD or Ram 2500 can handle more. The Silverado 2500 HD can haul up to 3,979 lbs, and the Ram 2500 maxes out at 4,010 lbs.

When you want to be able to handle copious amounts of equipment and other materials, one-ton trucks (which were trucks that could haul 2,000 lbs or more, originally) were the ones for the job. These heavy-duty haulers are able to tow, haul, and accommodate what other trucks can’t, making them surefire picks for construction sites and other hard-working industries near and far. For example, the Ford F-350 can haul up to 8,000 lbs, the Ram 3500 up to 7,680 lbs, and the Silverado 3500 HD up to 7,442 lbs.

When you’re searching for a pickup truck, it’s important to factor in how you’re going to be utilizing it on a daily basis. If you’re looking for more of a comfortable commuter, a compact or midsize option may be ideal; however, when it’s time to get down to business with some serious work, full-size and heavy-duty options are ready for anything.

Cab Size Options

Pickup trucks are extremely versatile, which is why you see so many of them on the road. From families hauling their kids to baseball practice and dentist appointments to industry workers heading out for a day on the job site, there’s a truck available for any type of journey. When it comes to choosing the right truck for your trip, cab size matters, and you have quite a few options in this area. There are four different cab sizes available, and different brands will have different names for them, so be specific with what you want or ask our team for help to identify the correct model.

The first is a regular cab, which showcases one row of seating and two doors. This is ideal for someone who frequently rides by themselves to work every day and doesn’t need a lot of space inside for other passengers. Extended cabs offer a bit more space, with two rows of seats and two-door or two-door and two-half-door configurations. This may be perfect for those who frequently travel with one other passenger, like a workmate. This space is larger than a regular cab but smaller than a crew cab, which makes it perfect to handle a passenger up front and tools and other gear in the back.

When you’re looking to travel with a work crew or your family, crew cabs are ideal. Four full-size doors and two rows of seating deliver the space you need for all on board, as well as the convenience of being able to get everyone situated without having to climb over seats to enter and exit the vehicle. When you need even more space, extended crew cabs come in to save the day. These are ideal for work crews, as these trucks include more space to store tools and other essentials for a busy day on the job. Larger families can also benefit from this configuration, as it will provide them with the space needed to secure backpacks, sports equipment, science projects, camping gear, and anything else your family is bringing on the road at any given moment. There’s a cab size designed for any driving need, which makes trucks top picks for commuters, families, workers, road trippers, and any other driver imaginable.

Bed Sizes

You also have a choice when it comes to the size of your truck’s bed. Some drivers need to be able to haul more stuff, while others don’t need as much space. There are various bed lengths to choose from: short, standard, and long. Short beds appeal to those who don’t need a lot of room for gear but desire more than an SUV or sedan can handle. A short bed is approximately five feet eight inches in length, which is short enough to be able to maneuver the truck in and out of parking spaces and packed streets without issue and large enough to accommodate gear and more.

When your travels require you to haul a bit more, standard beds are ideal. These beds are approximately six feet five inches in length and work well for those who frequently carry equipment for work or for families who need to stow away sports and camping gear, strollers, and other travel belongings. Lastly, long beds, which are about eight feet long, are designed for maximum capacity, which appeals to those who are regularly carrying cumbersome loads, like beds full of plywood, on the job site and beyond. Many trucks offer configurable beds with multifunctioning tailgates and storage systems as well, which makes staying organized on the road easy.

Choosing the Right Truck

With all of the options available when it comes to shopping for a used truck, it’s understandable that you may not know where to start. That’s why The Faricy Boys Automotive makes the experience effortless, with a top-notch team and outstanding inventory just waiting to help make your travels exceptionally better. Whether you’re on the hunt for your next trusted family vehicle or you need a tough everyday workmate, there’s a truck on our lot destined for you. From truck size to cab size, bed size, and more, let our team help guide you to the truck that works for your needs and budget.

Remember, when you buy used, you’re able to choose from a superior selection of all different makes and models available for much more reasonable prices. So, stop by and discover all that The Faricy Boys Automotive has to offer. Test drive some of our impressive models and design a payment plan that works for you. When you have our team on your side, rest assured that you’ll be satisfied with every single aspect of your truck.