Ideal Height of Fifth Wheel when hauling Chemicals/Tanker......Your input??

have a friend that pulls tanker he has a 54" fifth wheel for two reasons product evens out in trailer and product drains out to the rear opening when unloading.

 

I didn't read in your post the make of fifthwheel that you are running, and also is it a slider. In 2002 I had a need to raise mine like that and I had a holland fifthwheel. I found out that Holland made three different height legs for my particular model, all the Holland fifthwheels have a stainless tag riveted to the apron just below the top surface, usually on the front corner. I priced around and found out that the truck dealerships around town were rather high in their pricing so I started calling around to the trailer dealerships in town, (Indianapolis), and found that the local Trailmobile dealer had the best pricing around for the higher legs. They were very easy to change and not all that expensive, so price around, a lot of time the last place you think to look is the trailer dealerships for something like that, but they are nearly all dealers for the various fifthwheel manufacturers.

 

You might want to contact the company that you are going to lease to and find out what fifthwheel height they spec their trailers to, before you get to carried away.

 

Yup, cause Schneider has raised and fixed fifth wheels on their FL. But I believed Dana has regular sliders on there Petes but they have different tyypes of trailers.

 

I'd go 51" that way it doesn't limit you quite so much pulling something else. My Pete is around 51 and I pulled an asphalt tank it worked out ok. I know some guys that put a hand valve on their suspension to bypass the ride height valve. This allowed them to raise the rear of the truck when stopped. Obviously there is some trial and error involved so you don't break anything but it would help the slope of the trailer when unloading.

 

I think I'd try it first before getting too concerned about the fifth wheel. take a load to a CAT scale, I don't think 4 inches is going to amount to much more than 500 or 1000 lbs because you are talking about inches in the top of your tank where there isn't much volume to be gained.

As far as weight it depends alot on your tractor too. If you have a light front axle, you could possibly benefit from the additional weight by sliding your fifth wheel forward and actually be able to haul more.

As far as unloading, I would imagine that most places are sloped to accommodate rear unloading, I suppose you could carry a few boards to put under your drive tires or fiddle with dumping/raising air bags. But you can definitely try it out and get along okay and make your decision after giving it a go.

 

I no longer pull tankers and want to drop my fifth wheel height down to 47" or less to pull dry van. I don't know what brand of fifth wheel you have but mine is a Fontaine with the rectangular pegs for locking the slider. It is 49" high on my T2000 with low pro 22.5" tires and is blocked on the back side for pulling either end dumps or tankers. If you have the same brand I would be willing to make a straight trade. I am sitting empty 250 miles away from you in Laredo right now.

 

Chem Leaman and Matlack speced their company trucks at 54"...

The spacing front to rear can also make a difference. I had 12 new trailers w/ the plates set back as they were set up for 16,000# day cabs and were too heavy on my lease operators 21,000# tractors until we removed the front spacer and slid the trailer kingpin plate up.

Ask the carrier what they want.