How to Measure Your Truck Bed

Why Is Accurately Measuring Your Truck Bed Important?

So, what’s the point of pulling precise bed measurements, anyway? 

Though most pickup manufacturers employ standardized bed measurements—like a 6.5-ft. short bed and an 8-ft. long bed—these numbers aren’t always spot-on. Several manufacturers deviate by multiple inches from their advertised bed lengths. In addition, manufacturers typically offer up to three bed lengths per model, advertised as short beds, regular/standard beds, and long beds—tricky, right?  

While one or two inches of variance may seem negligible, these discrepancies can lead to serious fitment issues when installing truck bed accessories—and who likes returning parts? Knowing your truck's exact bed length, width, and depth is crucial to avoid purchasing incorrect parts and hassle-filled returns.

How to Measure Your Truck’s Bed (Step-by-Step)

Measuring your truck’s bed isn’t difficult, though it requires several steps and a bit of patience. Follow along for a step-by-step guide to ensure accurate measurements every time.

Tools Needed

When measuring your truck’s bed, we recommend acquiring a few tools to make the process as smooth and accurate as possible. These include:

• A Quality Tape Measure: When measuring your truck’s bed, you’ll need a long enough tape measure with measurements in your preferred units (metric or imperial). We recommend a proper tape measure for this process—leave the wife’s sewing tape measure inside.  

• Pen and Paper (or notes application): Whether you prefer your smartphone’s notes app or good old-fashioned pen and paper, having a method of jotting down measurements is always a good idea. Doing so provides a reference to return to for future accessory purchases. 

• A Friend (optional): While not required, having an extra set of hands to hold one end of the tape measure is always preferred, especially when taking interior bed measurements.

Measuring

Now, let’s get to the meat of this article—measuring.

Step 1: Measuring Width

To begin, let’s measure the width of your truck’s bed. Begin by placing the tang of your measuring tape flush against the driver or passenger front of the bedside, near the bulkhead. If you have a friend, have them hold the tang of your tape measure securely against the bedside and stretch the tape to the other bedside. Record this measurement in your preferred units.

Step 2: Measuring Length

Moving on to length, position the tang of the tape measure flush against the bulkhead. Once again, if you have a partner, have them hold the tang in position. Stretch the tape measure along your bed rail to the inside edge of the top of your tailgate. Record this measurement in your preferred units. 

Step 3: Measuring Depth

Finally, let’s measure your truck bed’s depth. While this value is less important, it’s wise to know when ordering products like tool boxes and chests, especially if you’re looking for an ultra-flush profile. Place the tang of your tape measure flush against the bed floor near one bedside. Stretch the tape vertically to the top edge of your pickup’s bedside. Record this measurement in your preferred units.

Truck Bed Measurement Cheat Sheet

If you’d rather not run outside with a tape measure or if you’re ordering a gift without direct access to the recipient's truck, check out our bed measurement cheat sheet. The following table offers bed measurements for all the top North American pickups, including midsize, half-ton, and heavy-duty models. Measurements are for the 2024 model year.

Ford Ranger

Ford F-150

Ford Super Duty (F-250, F-350)

Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon

Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500

Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra HD (2500, 3500)

RAM 1500

RAM HD (2500/3500)

Toyota Tacoma

Toyota Tundra

Truck Bed Measurement Resources

For additional information on measuring your truck bed, check out our comprehensive video guides.

And as always, shop RealTruck for all your top truck bed accessories.