Tandem placement and turning radius

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by expedite_it, Jan 22, 2022.

  1. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    Sliding your 5th wheel 6 or 12 or 18” isn’t really going to make a noticeable difference. The reason you noticed a large difference between a daycab and a sleeper truck had to do with the wheelbase of the truck. You’re not going to slide your 5th wheel enough to get you out of a jam.
     
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  3. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    I have always thought that wheelbase meant the distance from the wheels on the driver's side of the truck to the distance to the wheels on the passenger side of the truck. I have a feeling that you mean something else, like maybe the distance from the steers to the drives.

    The reason I noticed a large difference between a daycab and a sleeper truck is that there is such a large space between the back of the cab of the truck and the front of the trailer.
     
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  4. lester

    lester Midwest's #1 Feed Hauler

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    This thread is so entertaining I don't want it to die!

    Moving your fifth wheel closer to the truck essentially makes your rig shorter. Moving you trailer tandems forward especially makes your rig shorter.
    As shorter vehicle will always be more maneuverable than a longer vehicle. A geo metro can make a left hand turn and stay tighter to the curb than a suburban. A Volvo with everything slid forward can make that turn and stay tighter to the curb than a 280inch peterbilt with a fixed spread to the rear.

    They can all make the turn but some might be able to do it easier
     
  5. lester

    lester Midwest's #1 Feed Hauler

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    Okay now you've got to be trolling us here or you just don't pay attention to anything. You say you thought wheelbase was referring to the width of the vehicle?? Give me a break man. Distance from the wheels on the passenger side of the truck to the Distance to the wheels on the driver's side of the truck??? That doesn't change!
     
  6. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    I think that some trucks have a greater distance from the wheels on the passenger side of the truck to the wheels on the drivers side of the truck than others. For instance, on some trucks, it might be, say, 7'8" from the wheels on the passenger side to the wheels on the driver's side, while on another truck, it might be 8'00" from the wheels on the passenger side to the wheels on the driver's side.

    I never said or implied that the distance from the wheels on the passenger side to the wheels on the drivers side changes on an individual truck.
     
  7. Rideandrepair

    Rideandrepair Road Train Member

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    The wheelbase is the distance between your belly and the steering wheel. That’s what my Trainer taught me. He knew everything. He had over 2 yrs experience. I owe him a lot. Any more questions? I’ve got answers.
     
  8. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    Have you ever slid your fifth wheel forward just to tighten your turning radius around an obstacle?
     
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  9. Rideandrepair

    Rideandrepair Road Train Member

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    No, just stating a fact. I have however pushed my belt buckle down to loosen its radius around my belly, which is a big obstacle. Same principle only opposite.
     
  10. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    You are right that sliding the fifth wheel forward would allow a semi-truck to tighten its turning radius around an obstacle, but it would probably only shorten the apex of the track of the semi-truck by like 2 inches lol-----There is probably not one single member of thetruckersreport.com that ever slid a fifth wheel forward just to get around an obstacle lol----

    You slide your belt buckle down when you sit down, and then you slid the belt buckle back up when you stand up lol----You ought to get suspenders so you don't have to deal with that any more.
     
  11. God prefers Diesels

    God prefers Diesels Road Train Member

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    If he lengthens his suspenders, does it cause his pants to ride lower or higher? I feel the answer is obvious, but I'm just trying to understand this on a deeper level.
     
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