Running 315's for steers

Discussion in 'Flatbed Trucking Forum' started by Rykstone, Jan 24, 2014.

  1. Rykstone

    Rykstone Bobtail Member

    20
    3
    Jan 19, 2014
    Park City, Utah
    0
    Good morning all. We are feeling a little perplexed in whether or not we should change our current 8.25" wheels/295 steers to 9" wheels/315 steers. A little about our truck. Kenworth T800 with a 285" wheel base. She is long! Sometimes when we are hauling heavy, when the weight of the load dips the rear of the frame, we get somewhat of a "nose up" which reduces our handling ability on the steers. Would running a 315 setup help eliminate this feeling of light steering when we are pulling heavy? Also, by only adding another 1.5"s to the front nose height, is this going to cause more weight to be shifted to our drives or not at all? Our front axle is also a 14600 front. Thanks for any and all of your help.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. passingthru69

    passingthru69 Road Train Member

    315's will help with your capacity for the weight legal side on your steer.
    As for the dipping on the rear part, I believe you need to get your 5th wheel farther ahead of your center on your drives.
    I run a 265 wheel base and my slider goes center of my lead axle and center axle. I'm running a tridem on the back.
     
  4. TwinStickPeterbilt

    TwinStickPeterbilt Heavy Load Member

    707
    911
    Mar 16, 2013
    0
    If it's a daycab I'd say shorten your frame up tight an roll on..
     
  5. Rykstone

    Rykstone Bobtail Member

    20
    3
    Jan 19, 2014
    Park City, Utah
    0
    The truck is of the picture in our avatar and profile. It is a sleeper truck. The fifth wheel is already up. Only a few notches left and we cant utilize it or we will hit the rear ends of our frame on the beams of our drop deck. I have thought about cutting off the rear portn of the frame rails about 8" and squaring it off. The truck is also double framedto the front axle(stock stretch and double frame).
     
  6. KW Cajun

    KW Cajun Road Train Member

    2,383
    3,652
    Apr 12, 2013
    Copperhead Road
    0
    To put some numbers to that "nose-up/light steering feel" what are your axle weights on various loads?
    Your fifth undoubtedly is too far behind center of drive tandems. Replacing with 315's "might?" help counter "the effect", but only slightly, as you're not addressing the direct cause by doing so. You need to get more weight transferred over that 14.6k front axle.
     
  7. Rykstone

    Rykstone Bobtail Member

    20
    3
    Jan 19, 2014
    Park City, Utah
    0
    It doesnt ever matter what we haul. If we are DH we weigh in at 12300k and when loaded to 80k +/- we come in at 12600k
     
  8. daf105paccar

    daf105paccar Road Train Member

    6,564
    7,293
    Apr 15, 2012
    0
    Start with cutting your frame so you can slide the fithwheel more to the front.
    Running wider tires will not help the feeling you decribe.(i have 315's as steer tires and my FEELING is that they work best with a high load on them)
    Raising your nose higher will actually reduce weight on your steers and put more weight on your drives,aldough it will be a very small difference between the 2 setups.
     
  9. KW Cajun

    KW Cajun Road Train Member

    2,383
    3,652
    Apr 12, 2013
    Copperhead Road
    0
    That pretty much tells the tale right there. In fact,, seen some that when the fifth was set too far back the heavier the load... the lighter the steer weight.
    As said before, the 315's will help you max out the steer axle, but imo, I don't think you will get a world of difference, or even close, as far as putting more feel/steering response for the steering.
    It's not much different than those old pickups/cars you see when pulling utility trailers with far too much tongue weight. Makes the rear sink and no weight on the towing vehicles front end.
     
  10. sky_blue

    sky_blue Light Load Member

    63
    35
    Sep 12, 2012
    Tampa, Fl
    0
    Don't cut the frame, what you need is a flip up neck extension for your front jeep. Never cut a good double frame, you'll regret it if you ever want to add a lift axle and you need more space on the frame to get you 14'1" separation to your steer. The 315's are a good idea regardless

    Also, check if the jeep has two kingpin positions, and if it does make sure its set to the front most one, that might give you enough separation to slide your fifth wheel up without hitting the jeep
     
    catalinaflyer and Cetane+ Thank this.
  11. Rykstone

    Rykstone Bobtail Member

    20
    3
    Jan 19, 2014
    Park City, Utah
    0
    Thanks sky_blue but currently we are using the truck attached to a step deck. I already know about the flip neck on a jeep. I have a 75 ton cozad. I am refering to the frame where the mud flaps hang on the rear. We cant even run with mud flaps because we will rip them off when we turn.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.