Why do some custom trucks have really long whatchmacallits?

+265" wheelbase COE's were the tractors we used for OD loads years ago. Mostly Poles,Glue-lams and Prestressed Bridge beams. Anything over 120 feet load length we'd hook a steer car under the load. Unload suck it up and turn and burn for the next load.

 

I know what you are talking about, I seen a few of them with guys who sit with the seat all the way down looking through the steering wheel to see through a 6 inch opening between the visor and the cowl, shifting with a shifter that is almost to the top of the cab in a lowered truck painted bizarre colors and a gap that I could park a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado in between the sleeper and the trailer.

Most of the time they pass me doing 75.

 

Yep. I think the OP was talking about the guys with a 300" wb, small bunk and a 48' stainless reefer kinda deal. 1st truck I bought was a '73 K100 Kenworth, had a 335 Cummins with a Spicer 5X4. It also had a 290" wheelbase, bought it in British Columbia, out there and the Pacific Northwest you'd see all kinds of long trucks like that back in the day. Freight haulers may have a drome box bolted on behind and licenced as a truck and trailer as opposed to a semi- truck, but they called them mountain tractors. You could get crossways to the point your drives were in the other lane and bring it back out of a skid, whereas a short wheelbase would be jack-knifed into the trailer by that time.

And in my case, my ride was sporting 44000# Hendrickson walking beam suspension, so while the drives pounded up and down like a dribbling basketball I didn't completely ruin my back trying to steer down the big road.

 

Gotcha. Rode w/ the owners(Construction Co.) son(20 som'in) once in his ultra cool truck like Ridge was talking about. Kid was watching a Video on his Dash flatscreen and couldn't drive worth a monkeys uncle. The Truckers Nightmare those Walking Beams off-road. My back still hurts.

 

Come on Oscar....we're truck drivers that. We're known for our long





Tales

 

I think mostly they have those trucks is because that is what they want. Personally I think some guys run way too many lights but its their choice so who am I to argue.

 

I'm happy with my first childhood, why leave it?.......

 

Nothin' wrong with a long wheelbase or alot of lights...

 

Well I think guys who drive aero trucks aren't even real truckers. So there!

 

First time in a NEW(1988?)slop nose KW. Felt like I was in a VW Beatle.