R3500 bed/box

[northerngn]

Hello guys and gals! I just found this board and am excited to have you guys help me along with my new (old) truck

It's a 1989 R3500 (so its still a square body)
Ex fire dept support truck
all original 50k miles and solid!
454 and 4 speed manual with granny gear
I really want to put a bed on this thing but need some pointers...
Short or long box?
How to tell where to measure?
Fleetside cab(I'm told me rearend is narrower)
bad info get a dually cab? ect ect so on and so forth...i want to finish the looks ill sent the few pics i have so far...

-Dan

 

[Stewzer55]

Being a cab and chassis your wheelbase may be different than if your truck came as a "complete vehicle" There is no difference in the cab itself depending on the rear wheel configuration but being a cab and chassis you may have a narrower rear axle.

 

[northerngn]

Being a cab and chassis your wheelbase may be different than if your truck came as a "complete vehicle" There is no difference in the cab itself depending on the rear wheel configuration but being a cab and chassis you may have a narrower rear axle.

So a fleetside should work then?
what are the short/long wheelbase options so i know which bed to get?!

Any pics of yours?

 

[John81287]

Should be a long bed. Being a crew cab, short bed was not an option. This could be different with can n chassis though. So wait for someone else who knows a little more to chime in. Welcome!


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[Boonie]

I think some of the firetrucks around here were crew cab shortbeds. never measured them, so Im not sure, but they didn't look like a longbed. they were all cab and chassis models with a utility box

 

[Cowboy Cadillac]

Measure your wheel base and compare it to factory short and longbox wheelbases. If it matches one you've got your answer, if not you may have to fabricate an extension to/reduce a box size to get it to match up. Thats where I'd start anyway.

 

[89Suburban]

We have a squarebody dimensions section the the site library you could compare your wheelbase too.


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[northerngn]

Ok maybe this will help as far as rear end width goes...
I drove through the snow and looked at my tracks.
The rear tires seem to lay tread to the inside and outside of the front tire tread...
Is this how a normal width rear end tracks(truck that's a dually that came factory with a box/bed) or is this an indication of a narrower rear end common with a chassis/cab?
-Dan