Help me with a wheel base choice ??

Is the front axle set back? that will give you a little mote room behind the cab, but doing power only you should have a headach rack with a supply of chains, straps and other flat bed equip. a longer wheelbase may come in handy pulling odd trailers, etc. sure fuel mileage is a consideration, but are most of the vans mty? a longer wheelbase will ride bettrr bobtailing.

 

There is no such thing as a proper gap for fuel mileage. Come on now.

Get the longer wheel base 228 inches and go forth to be happy, especially if it already has a setback axle up front.

 

You should be looking for a long track fifth wheel slider that goes most or all the way back over the rear axle - lots of trailers have short KP or close landing gear (28' pup trailers)

 

And a 5th wheel protected by angle irons where you can brute force get under a trailer, and let the frame raise it to hook on. A set of bags capable of being deflated back axle will lower your 5th wheel a bit more if needed as well sometimes in muddy drop lots.

 

Go with 228 wb. Will ride better and that's not really long. I run 265 wb and deliver with a 45 ft flatbed in neighborhoods in Houston and never had a problem. Ran in short trucks before and they beat the he** out of you

 

These wheel bases all seem so short. Corse Im running a 4 axle 386 pete with a 244 wheel base right now and looking to move up to a 4 axle short hood 389 that's currently has a 280" wheel base but will need to be stretched to 306 to get a 12' spread from the lift to the rear drive axle.

 

Maybe try a triple drive set? Or add a tag?