![]() On the plus side, it makes it easier for everyone to climb into the bed, but it works only with the tailgate open, without a load in it, and it adds quite a bit of weight to the gate. ![]() Ford introduced a pop-out tailgate step and climbing bar integrated right into the tailgate, echoing the fold-down ladders on motorhomes and boats. We almost wonder if this was designed in from the beginning or an aerodynamicist wanted to soften the corner for better mileage and somebody said, "What if?"Īs pickups get bigger and further off the ground (especially in three-quarter and one-ton configurations), using the bumper as a climbing step becomes less practical. GM added a step built into the corners of the rear bumper (like Nissan's Xterra SUV several years earlier) and recessed comfortable handholds in a stake pocket in the bed rail. Just as the independent rear suspension makes SUV third-row seats livable, the bed trunk hides lockable space down low where you want your center of gravity to be. Then Honda put a decent-size trunk under the bed in the Ridgeline, made it lockable and just for good measure hid the spare tire in there where it was completely secure. Many years ago I considered a crew cab short bed to be a rather nice car with an open trunk in back. Our only beef is that the gate can't open a full 90 degrees. That makes it much easier to reach the cargo deep in the bed. Popular with domestic station wagons of the late 1960s, the dual-swing tailgate allows you to lay it flat for tailgating parties or for carrying long objects, or open it sideways to avoid leaning over that long tailgate. Today's integrated factory packages are solid, warrantied and still allow for complete use of the pickup bed. No more welding, drilling through important cross members or dealing with measuring tape disasters. However, as frame rails became more sophisticated, manufacturers thankfully have offered factory gooseneck and fifth-wheel-base plate systems. In the 1970s, slide-in campers became popular enough that pickups started getting dedicated RV plugs in the bed, as well as wiring pigtails. Of course, you should stay tuned for even more versatile bed technology, as future pickups get ready to debut for 2015 and beyond.įinally, let us know if there's something you'd like to see pickup makers include as part of their new bed-tech options list. We'll note that some pretty good optioins did not make the list, like Tacoma's weatherproof 120V plug, bed extenders, and bed-access side steps to name a few. You probably have a few others you like as well. Here is our list of the top 10 bed-tech features available on current-model pickups. In some cases it wasn't even the bed itself they changed to make an improvement, but an associated part: The sliding rear cab window and bed light, for example, or the long-wheelbase/same overall length camper specials like the 1970 Ford F-350 SRW configuration, or Chevrolet putting a small bed in a Suburban and calling it the Avalanche. Not surprisingly, sometimes they succeeded, and sometimes they didn't. ![]() Posted by Mark Williams | December 7, 2013įrom the very beginning, manufacturers have tried to make the bed box of a pickup truck more functional, better looking and somehow uniquely their own.
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