Wheel Base Question

I don't worry about the wheelbase so much.

B&B Concrete had a custom frame with a 260+ inch wheelbase on a freaking old antique International 9800 Paystar. They used one fuel tank with waste gelled fuel as ballast for weight. On our roads that POS truck shook so much that it failed the structural floor and the contents of the cab on it with me fell down to the frame and drive shaft one day.

They added a few more hundred rivets and handed me the keys to drive it some more. Like a idiot I meekly went to do it. If I had a truck that was ... alive in some way conspiring to KILL ME the driver then that particular yellow POS was it.

If B&B valued me at all, they would have junked that truck and bought a used short nosed peterbuilt day cab with airride to match the other one. My trainer had one, he trained me in it. He specifically QUIT with a very specific comment for the three bosses to hand that pete to me. But no. I felt slighted. Long story short and if I continued it will take the post sideways.

Anyway. What I want in a tractor is setback axle. Nothing longer than 240. When you get into say the 200's then you must have very good suspension. Im not afraid to take a 240 into a underground cold storage in one particular place where there is a concrete wall that is a absolute and irrevocable barrier against your 240 inch tractor and a 48 footer. Never mind the 53's which was given to the yard Ottawa and a folded 20 dollar bill to dock it and retrieve i when finished. Ive given my 53 a few times to Mr Ottawa to dock for me. Takes him but a moment. And prevents me from wrecking stuff and getting fired. Best 20 I ever spent each time.

If you gave me the crapcadia and the Pidgeon Box to choose from, Im going with the Pete, provided it has airride and many other considerations in good conditions.

My last truck I touched was a long nose 379 pete, white with red accents and a 600 CAT with a jacobs braking system that caused the valves inside that engine to ring like the Bells of a steam locomotive. 300,000 miles on the clock taken care of, not abused and the auction bidding took off at 30K on up.

I am happy I drove it. I am happy I had it for a while. I am not happy I did not have 30 to 40K it would have taken to buy that thing on the spot as is. I miss that particular tractor think the wheel base on it was about 220. A nice conservative length without being too short or too long.

 

it don't matter, what does is what the drive train is.

 

I would assume the Pete has a smaller sleeper.........

 

There’s your difference ......

The FL will probably ride better.....