How to measure a truck bed
Measure the bed floor from the inside of the bulkhead to the inside of the closed tailgate, at floor level, in inches. Makers label beds by a nominal length in feet (5.5, 6.5, 8), and the measured floor is usually a few inches off the nominal figure. Match your measurement to the generation's bed table, not to the sticker.
Three measurements
- Floor length: bulkhead to tailgate inside face, tailgate closed, at the floor. This is what SAE J1100 calls the cargo floor length and what fit charts mean by bed length.
- Inside width at the floor: side wall to side wall ahead of the wheel wells.
- Width between wheel wells: the narrowest point; it decides whether sheet goods lie flat and which toolboxes drop in.
Why the sticker and the tape differ
Nominal sizes are rounded labels. A "5.5 ft" bed measures close to 67 inches on one generation and 66 on another; a "6.5 ft" bed can be 78 or 79. Cover and rack makers fit to the exact generation, which is why every fit table on this site is per generation and per bed, not per nominal size.
Use it with
The tonneau tables, the rack and toolbox tables, and each truck's bed dimensions on its compatibility page.