Portable sled with shortbed truck quandary

Hello hardwater hitters!

I recently came into a minor (I mean pickey) issue I have with my hardwater setup. I used to have a quad cab ram and I could fit my entire setup inside of the bed, close the tailgate and cover the truck bed with the roll-up cover.

Now, I purchased a crew cab for my growing family (expecting my first child fishing buddy soon!) With the Ram trucks, and most crew cab trucks I’m guessing, have seemingly short truck boxes.

My question is simple; how do you all set up the transportation of shelters? Other than the old tailgate up and ice house hanging in the air method!

**side note** I still have the access classic cover for Ram quad cab if anyone’s interested!

Thanks for the comments IDO CREW!

Stay safe and I’ll see you out there!

-Jim

Get a truck with a big enough box.

One of the many reasons I purchased a truck with a 6 1/2 foot box.

Even with the larger box I haul my gear and my ATV in an enclosed trailer. This leaves my box free, for me to have a table, stove and a sleeping bunk in my truck box (with added topper of course). Using my truck for a solo camper allows me to meet my budget and still make some overnight fishing and hunting trips.

I bought a quad cab for this exact reason. 6’4″ bed but with the smaller back seat versus the crew cab.

Maybe buy a receiver cargo carrier for the shelter?

There are several types of bed extenders that let you leave the tailgate down and keep stuff from sliding out and lets you keep your roll up cover in place. You would likely still get spray/stuff drawn into the back when travelling since the extenders are usually just a set of bars.

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When shopping for a new truck a couple years ago, my only requirements were 1/2 ton, V8, Crew cab and 6 1/2′ bed. It has become pretty hard to find, but they’re out there.

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do unless you haul it in a trailer or leave your tailgate down… I have a very large red Frabill that doesn’t even fit in a 6.5′ bed and I leave the tailgate down for that when I use it. One ratchet strap diagonally across the back works great.

Good luck and congrats on a coming first child!

If you want to keep everything enclosed you might have to purchase a smaller flip over ice house or a hub style house. Otherwise your options are limited to what was mentioned above. I had the same problem needed a new truck but also needed the 6 foot box so I searched and searched and found a crew cab silverado with the 6 foot box on it.

Priorities ! Do you haul people or portables more ? There are bed extenders, or a simple strap works too.

Always had this issue with my half-ton. My buddy showed me a trick that I rarely ever see but works well. Take your tailgate cables and wrap them over the striker on the bed box that the tailgate latches to when it is closed. This essentially leaves your tailgate half down but should give you enough room to fit your shack inside if you put the back of your sled inside first. Should be able to still put your tonneau cover down.

I have a backflip bed cover which looks great, works great but sits roughly flush with the truck bed. Resulting in about a 1″ loss of bed height. So I not only have a bed length issue but height too.

Go shopping for a Clam Nanook or Older Trap 2 (cheap). They fit perfectly. I can put my smitty sled, Kdrill and 949i next to the trap with room to spare.

The Nanook/Trap 2 is very light weight, easy to lift in and out. I modded mine to have Reflectix and a skirt similar to the Otter. You can also replace old Trap 2 tops with a new thermal top for $239.

I also replaced the upright aluminum tubes in my trap 2 with Steel so my pipes slide nice and freely.

Other wise I have not found anything that will fit in the short box.

Last option is either a topper or a bed Rack f some sort but stacking high is not easy in todays taller trucks.

Trade it in and get a longer box

Ok, honestly I might be in the same situation because I just went from a 6’6″ box in a Chevy ext. Cab, to a 1st gen double(crew) cab tundra. Hoping I’ll be alright because the tundra has a 6’2″ bed, unlike the newer crew cabs which only come with a 5’6″ bed.

Next truck I get will have 6’6″ box again minimum. I didn’t think there were a lot of used crew cabs half tons with 6.5 box out there, but I’ve seen quite a few Ford’s lately.

How about someone come up with a decent portable that is 6′ end to end ? Bet you would sell a TON !! My Clam X2 has a front end that looks like it is designed to go through 2 feet of snow regularly. It could have easily been 6 inches shorter and not lost much.

big_g wrote:

How about someone come up with a decent portable that is 6′ end to end ? Bet you would sell a TON !! My Clam X2 has a front end that looks like it is designed to go through 2 feet of snow regularly. It could have easily been 6 inches shorter and not lost much.

The Nanook is the house, just not built to withstand a lot.

big_g wrote:

How about someone come up with a decent portable that is 6′ end to end ? Bet you would sell a TON !! My Clam X2 has a front end that looks like it is designed to go through 2 feet of snow regularly. It could have easily been 6 inches shorter and not lost much.

Clam did exactly what you are describing the following year. The new tubs are terrible in snow compared to the older x2 models.

I bought my last 3 pickups based on ice house size. Main reason I keep buying extended cabs instead of crew.

I had a 2013 RAM Laramie Crew Cab with the short box (5.5ft). Always had to let the shack ride on the top of the tailgate with my X2 which was also a chore to lift and close the tail gate by yourself.

My 2014 RAM Sport Crew Cab has the standard box (6.5′). Although sometimes parking at the airport and in tight spots sucks as it’s like driving a dang semi (although not as bad as some trucks I know that are longer). But I can put my Clam X2 Pro Thermal in and have the box closed now with no issues.

Otter Cabin just fits in the 5.5 ft box trucks with the tailgate closed and big enough to fish 2 people.

Angler II wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>big_g wrote:</div>
How about someone come up with a decent portable that is 6′ end to end ? Bet you would sell a TON !! My Clam X2 has a front end that looks like it is designed to go through 2 feet of snow regularly. It could have easily been 6 inches shorter and not lost much.

Clam did exactly what you are describing the following year. The new tubs are terrible in snow compared to the older x2 models.

Bet my ATV (700 cc) would barely notice….

I have a 2012 Silverado crew cab and my Otter Cabin fits in just about perfect. I actually think the new Ram trucks have shorter than a 5’7″ bed which would be frustrating, at least that’s how my dads looks. I’d say the tailgate extender is the only option unless you get a topper and rignsome system to put the house in at an angle.

Get a hub, and whatever the biggest sled is that fits in your truck for all your equipment. My Nanook actually fits sideways in the bed of my Ram if need be, and can fit another Otter sled and hub in as well, just without the tonneau cover.

If you built something to put the house up on to get it at the height of say the wheelwells would you then be able to shut the endgate and just have the lip hang over (since the front of the sled is tapered)?

suzuki wrote:

I bought my last 3 pickups based on ice house size. Main reason I keep buying extended cabs instead of crew.

Me too. I have a 17 Silverado Crew Cab with the 6.5′ box. The main reason I looked for the “standard box” (which is odd since its not standard) is to fit the fish house with the endgate closed and to fit my atv so the rear tires are not sitting on the endgate (I have 2UP ATV that is longer than a standard).
Yes, its a beast in tight situations, but I hate hauling trailers around all the time. Might as well have an SUV then. Running with the tires of my ATV on the endgate is not a good idea either.

I have no idea why the crew cabs with the 6.5 box is not more popular. Yes, they are harder to park, harder to fit into a garage, have a wider turning radius, but come on. These are trucks meant for utility.

The fact that the majority of crew cabs sold have the shorter box just shows how most trucks sold are used for daily drivers of people who rarely use the beds for anything and the only truck use they get out of it is towing.

Not making a comment on OP’s decision on his truck, but just an overall frustration with why the longer boxes on the crew cabs are not more prevalent. It’s downright hard to even find them at times as dealers don’t order many of them.

I have my 2002 1500 Silverado extended cab with the 8 foot bed. I am looking at replacing it with a new 1500 Sierra crew with the 6.5 foot bed. It will be hard enough giving up the 8 foot bed down to 6.5. I couldn’t imagine going down to 5.5.

To answer the OP question is when I had my old portable, I would put it in back first and then would be able to loop the tail gate cables on the little knobs to have the tailgate sit halfway up. Would allow the fish house to sit on the bed and not be held up by the tailgate. Now I have an Otter Resort and only option is tailgate down and use ratchet straps to hold it in. Not ideal, but that’s the trade off for having the bigger house to fish in.

Great ideas throughout!!

To summarize this is what I found:

1. Purchase a larger truck bed (not sure financially I’ll do so soon )

2. Flip the tailgate straps over the latch hooks. I like this idea and will have to try it!

3. Purchase a different shelter or replace with a hub.

4. Get a tailgate extender.

5. Build a platform above the wheel wells to raise the shelter above the curvature and close the tailgate.

Thanks to everyone for the insight. Seemed to be a popular subject, and I bet it’s due to the same frustration.

For those of you buying trucks to fit your ice shack…. you guys are awesome!

Good luck out there this season!

I have an 8′ bed because it fits my life, I’ve never had too much room in the back of my truck, if ford comes out with a factory 6 door 350 with 10′-12′ box, I’m in!

HAve a ram crewcab and otter lodge. All you do is use two ratchet straps and have the tailgate down. Not that big a deal. If you don’t trust just the straps do the half way up attached to knobs trick. With decent quality ratchet straps I’ve never had the house move.
Buying a truck With a bigger bed isn’t going to happen if he already has that truck. Big expense for a little convenience

The reason we have a crewcab with a 5.5 box is having two kids with a quad cab you could only put a car seat in the middle of the back seat with the youngsters legs on the console. Love the truck with the room I. The cab it’s like having a Tahoe but with a bed in the back and almost half the price