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I have spent time around pickup trucks from as young as I can remember so I take for granted knowing the different parts of what make up a pickup truck. I realized, however, that clearly identifying the parts of a pickup can help to better understand the words being thrown around to describe them.
What is the anatomy of a pickup truck? The main sections of a pickup include the bed, the cab, and the front end that all sit on the chassis. Each of these sections all contain many more parts that make up the pickup’s anatomy.
Although every pickup truck year, make, and model will have differences, lets take a closer look at the common parts that make up the main sections on most pickup trucks.
When it comes to what makes a pickup truck, well, a pickup, the big open cargo box or hauling surface that sits on the back of the truck behind the cab is the number one thing that makes it a pickup. Although the exact origins of the word “pickup” are not known, it is very fitting as the bed of a pickup allow you to “pick up” and haul cargo of just about any sort, shape, and size (well almost). This is where the work takes place.
There are three main pickup truck bed types, the regular box like bed with sides walls & a tailgate, flatbeds that are a flat surface with no walls on any side, and utility beds. Of course there are many variations of all of these types of beds, but for the sake of simplicity, just think about it as the standard pickup box, the flatbed, and the utility bed.
All pickup beds, regardless of the type, will contain a set of tail lights at the rear corners. Each of these lights will contain a brake light, turn signals or blinkers, reverse lights, and tail lights that turn on when the parking lights or headlights are turned on.
There will also be a rear bumper under the back of pickup beds, unless removed, that is attached to the pickup frame or chassis.
A standard pickup box has a flat floor (except for humps for the wheel wells) with walls all the way around, making it like a box with an open top. The top of the sidewalls have reinforced railing known as bed rails that can support weight to install many different accessories like caps & covers to close in the box bed (See my article on keeping things dry in the bed of your truck here), racks for hauling larger & longer items, etc.
The walls of a pickup box bed help contain the cargo within so it doesn’t just fall off onto the road. The standard box bed also has a tailgate for the back wall of the bed that is hinged at the bottom to fold down and provide access into the pickup bed. When closed, it latches shut and many can be locked to keep your bed secure when it has a camper shell or tonneau cover installed on top. The front wall next to the cab is often called a bulkhead.
Most newer pickup box beds have solid round loops for tie down points in the corners to attach rope or ratchet straps to. This allows you to tie down and secure the cargo you haul in the pickup bed whether it be a motorcycle, ATV, your refrigerator during your move, or your load of lumber for your next project. You get the picture.
The inside of pickup box beds often come from the factory with just a painted surface. As you can imagine, when the bed gets used, this paint can get scratched up pretty good so many beds will have a bed liner added to them. A bed liner protect the bed from being dinged or scratched up and keeps it looking nice for years to come. See my article on how to protect the bed of a truck here.
Some pickup truck owners will replace their standard pickup box bed with a flatbed. A flatbed is just that, a completely flat surface with no humps for wheel wells and with no bulkhead, bed walls, or tailgate. This allows for cargo to be easily loaded from the sides or back with a forklift or other equipment without bed walls getting in the way.
Flatbeds are very popular for commercial workers as well as farmers and ranchers. Commercial workers will often mount welders and other equipment on their flatbed. Farmers & Ranchers like to haul large bales of hay for feeding their livestock.
Pickup truck utility beds are custom beds that contain an assortment of lockable storage boxes on either side of the bed. These boxes usually take up a lot of space on either side of the bed and leave a skinny flat space in the middle for hauling miscellaneous items.
Utility beds are used a lot by commercial contractors and construction workers as they can haul their tools around with them in an organized manner. They can also keep their tools secured in the lockable storage boxes.
Just in front of the pickup truck bed, is the cabin or cab. This is the portion of the pickup that carries the driver of the pickup and any passengers.
Pickup cabs come in single cab (one full size row of seating), extended cab (2 rows of seating, front row is full size, back row is not full size), and crew cab (2 full size rows of seating) configurations.
A cab consists of a shell, enclosed by a roof and side doors (anywhere from 2 to 4 doors), windows on all 4 sides, and typical vehicle interior parts such as seats, dashboard, instrument cluster, climate controls, driving controls (steering wheel, shifter, pedals, etc.), etc. The cab can be very plain & basic on low trim level pickup’s and very fancy & comfortable on top of the line models.
Pickup trucks usually sit higher than normal cars so they are often equipped with running boards or side steps below the doors. This can make it much easier to get in and out of your pickup truck. See my article on running boards here.
There will also be a set of side view mirrors attached to the front doors. Many pickup trucks will be equipped with over-sized towing mirrors to be able to see around the wide trailers they often tow. See my article on why to use towing mirrors here.
The pickup truck front end is the last section of the truck that is visual and can be seen. The front end is everything you see in front of the base of the windshield past the front of the cab.
A pickup truck front end includes a hood (also known as an engine cover, or in the UK, a bonnet), front quarter panels or fenders, grill, headlights, parking lights, turn signal lights, and front bumper mounted to the frame or chassis.
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There are many critical components housed under and within the front end of a pickup truck. Under the hood, you will find the engine, gas or diesel, that is the heart and muscle of any pickup to get the work done. Access to many other components and vital fluids can be found here too such as engine oil, transmission fluid, brake, fluid, power steering fluid, etc.
Behind the grill, you will find the radiator, air conditioning or a/c condensor, turbo intercooler (if equipped), and often the horns.
The front bumper sits under the grill and provides some protection to the front end of the pickup and the components behind the grill. For much better protection, a heavy duty steel custom front bumper can be helpful. See my article on “Why Do I Need a Custom Front Bumper?” found here.
Under the pickup truck bed, cab, and front end, sits the chassis or frame as well as the running gear (suspension, axles, driveshafts, etc). This is the backbone of a pickup truck and is built more beefy than on a standard car to handle the load and demands that a pickup truck gets thrown at it.
The frame is usually like a ladder made of tow large and heavy rails running the length of the truck and connected with cross members (like the rungs on a ladder). The suspensions components are attached to this frame and the body of the pickup sits on top of this chassis.
Running gear refers to the drive shafts, axles, and springs. The running gear of a pickup truck is usually heavier duty than that of a normal car to handle a heavier load more safely.
Pickup trucks are generally two wheel drive or four wheel drive. In two wheel drive, they typically come in a rear wheel drive configuration. Four wheel drive trucks are usually rear wheel biased, meaning the rear wheels are the main drive wheels and the front wheels are only powered when the four wheel drive is engaged for added traction in snow and off road. Having a rear wheel drive bias is better for towing.
Although there is a lot more detail we could dive into, that gives you a pretty good overview of the anatomy of a pickup truck.
Who made the first pickup truck? Although there were some pickup trucks earlier, “the first well-known pickup truck” was probably the Ford Model T Runabout with Pickup Body produced by Ford in 1925, according to buyautoinsurance.com found at www.buyautoinsurance.com/pickup-truck-history/.
Whether you’re new to the trucking business, work on a site with trucks or have been professionally driving for a while now, understanding the components that compose your truck is part of what makes you an expert. Though the specifics vary from vehicle to vehicle, it is crucial to know general truck anatomy in case you ever need to change a tire, check the wiper fluid, or replace a taillight. Once you know the general anatomy of trucks, finding things on your worksite rental trucks will be a breeze. As you and your crew set out to work, review the parts of a truck with new drivers to keep your workplace informed and safe.
Bed
As one of the most obvious parts of a truck, most people are at least familiar with truck beds. The bed of a pickup is a large open cargo box or hauling surface on the back of a truck. This is a defining feature of pickups and can haul all sorts of materials or cargo of various shapes and sizes. Some of the main parts of a truck bed include:
Tailgate
Bumpers and Brackets
Taillights (brake lights, turn signals, reverse lights, and parking lights)
Rear Fender
There are regular box-like beds, flatbeds that don’t have walls on any side, and utility beds that have some built-in storage options. There are more specific modifications and subtypes, but these are the main three types of beds that come with a pickup truck.
Cab or Cabin
Next is the truck’s cabin, more commonly called the cab, which is where the vehicle is operated. The cab is a closed space where the driver sits (and the passenger) and sometimes even has built-in sleeping compartments for long-haul truckers. The main components of the cab are the door panels, the seats, and the windshield.
A regular cab (or single cab) will only have one row of seats for 2-3 passengers. A crew cab is a bit larger with a full-size back seat and 4 full-size doors. Then there’s an option in-between, the extended cab, which has a full-sized front row and a smaller back-row seat.
There are also two primary designs used when it comes to engine placement and shape:
Also known as a flat nose, the driver is seated on top of the front axle and the engine. These are more common in Europe where there are different regulations for truck dimensions. These tend to have a better turning function though they are not as safe as conventional cabs.
These designs have the driver seated behind the engine, just like in your typical car. The large version of conventional cabs, or a long nose, have a longer nose and a square shape; they also tend to use more fuel and have less visibility. The aerodynamic cabs have sloped hoods instead and are meant to reduce drag.
Front End
The front end of the truck is made up of some of the most essential components of a truck, especially everything under the hood. Anything you see beneath the base of the front windshield is considered part of the front end of a truck, including:
Hood
Engine
Radiator & Supports
A/C Condenser
Grill
Headlights
The hood or engine cover is how you access the internal mechanics of the truck, such as the engine (which can be gas or diesel). Engines are the heart of a truck that keeps your vehicle running, but the hood gives you access to all kinds of important parts, like engine oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, etc.
Then there is the grill of the truck, which acts as a vent to allow air to move in and out of the vehicle. Behind the grill are the radiator and supports, the A/C condenser, and also the horn most of the time. Then of course we have the front bumper, headlights, parking lights, signal lights, etc.
Chassis
Finally, there’s the chassis, which you can think of as the skeleton or backbone of a truck. The chassis is the frame and the running gear (such as the suspension, axles, and driveshafts), and sits under the bed, cab, and front end. To visualize the chassis, imagine a ladder: it has two parallel beams and a lot of crossbars that support the axles, engine, cab, fuel tank, and batteries of a truck.
For larger trucks, especially ones that are meant to haul heavier cargo or equipment, the chassis will also be beefier to ensure there’s a solid foundation for the rest of the truck. The size of the chassis will determine the size of the truck.
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Drivers and other truck users play a huge role in the transportation industry, which means they should also have a handle on the anatomy of a truck. Knowing a truck inside and out is the best way to prevent problems on the road, practice safety to the max, and fully utilize your vehicles for effective runs and deliveries.
With the basics covered, you’re ready to get driving. Summit Fleet is the best source for truck rentals, with competitive rates for either business or personal use. No matter your fleet size, location, or other factors, we can get you the vehicles you need to complete your objectives. Get a rate for a truck rental today or view the rental options if you aren’t sure what you need.
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