Possible to build leaf springs on a semi?

I hope this is the right place to put a question like this, if not let me know and I'll move it to the appropriate section.

I'm a newer driver, but I've been getting heavy into understanding truck systems as I want to eventually run owner-operator and as far as I've heard, the tried and true method to success is keeping truck expenses as low as possible (mainly in repairs).

Now, my company has an older Pete out in the yard that I can tell has not been used for a while (as the paint has a nice light coat of patina on it). This company is also VERY good with maintenance (they have a shop with their own technicians and mechanics...), so I would trust buying this Pete more than any Pete at a used truck lot.

I like the Pete a lot, but I believe (just at a glance that is), that since it's essentially specced like a company truck, it has a shorter wheelbase (I'm gonna guesstimate it's probably 250"/265", we haul reefer so think company reefer truck, specced to save fuel). I would like to stretch the frame but rather than go through all that work, is it instead possible to build up your leaf springs and slide the fifth wheel farther back to allow for more room WITHOUT cutting and welding and reinforcing the frame?

Obviously I realize it won't change how it handles GWVR, but I'm curious if one could get away with it, so that if you slid the fifth wheel all the way back it won't cause the truck to sag. Maybe even play with air leveling so if the rear end still rides too high you can compensate for that.

Thanks a lot to anyone who would know! For what it's worth, I'm still learning about the idiosyncrasies of these trucks, I started out as a self-taught car mechanic before becoming a trucker, really. So I am familiar with building up leaf springs on a car for more weight and stance, but not really sure if the same would apply to a tractor.

 

You'd be much better off doing a later suspension from either a Volvo or Freightliner with the gears you want.

The air ride difference and ease of working on the later suspensions will be huge.

Just moving the fifth wheel is affecting weight distribution. 250-265 WB is longer than you think.

 

Interesting, so that would be a bolt-in (or mostly, anyways) swap from the Volvo/Shaker to a Peterbilt, to allow what I want to do?

From my memory the Peterbilt has Air Leaf suspension, I believe it's a 2006 model (somewhere in that range). I can try to get more specific with the model and the options it would have, but honestly I don't know too much about it...but it's very similar to the one I drove in driving school.

Would the latter's swap be bolt-in or requires a bit of tweaking, I'm not super familiar with how different Volvo or Freight-liner's suspension is compares to Peterbilts.

 

I would buy a cutoff personally, then make it whatever length you want. It's really not as hard as you would think.

The Pete suspensions are ok, but later Volvo and Freightliner are easier to work on and align.

Here's a 250" WB. Lotta room between the nose of the trailer and the headache rack.

This truck will have a Volvo suspension and 3.50's in September to get rid of the ridiculous KW 8 bag bs

 

Gotcha. I'm usually leary of chopping and welding frames, I'd pay a shop to do that since I can't weld, but with as much 300" wheelbase trucks out there that I see, clearly it's possible...
And that's an impressive amount of room for 250", the one in the yard looks nothing like that space-wise. Although I wonder if that's because it has cali fins on the sleeper and air dam or if it's because the WB is even shorter than I thought...

 

[QUOTE="Big Road Skateboard, post: 12054638, member: 317618"

Just moving the fifth wheel is affecting weight distribution. 250-265 WB is longer than you think.[/QUOTE]
Your right 265" is a fairy long wheel base .. I can't imagine needing any more on a reefer .. unless your wanting to piss Dino off then you gota have the belt buckles 1st

 

That's a good lookin truck.
I liked stretched 386's
Good luck

 

Not understanding what building leaf springs have to do with making the wheelbase longer?

 

The idea was that instead of lengthening the frame to give more trailer clearance, you build the leaf springs on the rear so you can slide the fifth wheel back without having the truck sag too much. Hence, stronger leaf springs.

However, this appears to be a non-issue and I was a bit worried about nothing, according to the other commentators here.

 

Not a good idea. You want the 5th wheel at least centered between the drives, if not slightly ahead.

With air ride, its normally a non-issue. Levelling valve compensates for whatever amount of weight you put on it.