Sliding 5th wheel: Why do some drivers ride with the 5th Wheel so far back?

Unless you need it farther back due to clearance issues, the best place for that 5th wheel is wherever it needs to be to put 12K on your steers when your drives are @ 34K. Farther back, and unless you are pulling a spread, you cannot legally pull 80K. Farther forward is fine, so long as your steer axle/suspension/tires are rated for the weight. It is one of those things that once you find where it needs to be, it doesn't have to be moved...except for the above mentioned clearance issues.

 

You adjust the fifth wheel to add or remove weight from the steers/drives as needed.
Also, with the fifth wheel back you are less likely to damage your ferrings on the back of tractor while making sharp U-turns.

 

Cause it's what I got to work with. Heavy steers out of the gate, rarely can fit an extra 500lbs on em. Lots of stuff to carry.

At my heaviest, all the way back is normally ideal distribution. And I'm so used to driving this way I don't even notice it. Though I did wonder why that day cab and van I borrowed a few days ago turned so quick lol (felt I could back into a mouse hole.)

And as previously stated before. There are only a few ways to put a 60ft load on a 53ft trailer.

 

Is that a stepdeck? Stepdecks normally have shallower kingpin settings than flats. Usually, on a step the front drive axle is uncovered, but on a flat, it's covered. If you have the 5th wheel forward and switch from a flat to a step, you will rip the mudflats off.

 

I've done that once. But had tight maneuvers on a job sight.

 

Here in Manitoba we have spring road restrictions. Meaning 90% of maximum GVW allowed on those roads. Sliding the fifth wheel most of the way back pulls weight off the steers to meet that maximum (10,800 lbs) and still carry a full American weight load (tandem trailer we are allowed 78,300 lbs at 90%, tridem trailer we are allowed 85,500 lbs at 90%).

We have Pete 579's at our company, and apparently they are very heavy to the front (short nose, axle back) so you don't get much room to play with. Most sit with full tanks at 12,000-12,200 no matter where the fifth wheel really is. I've never loaded one so I wouldn't know, but I love my 379. Half tanks with an American weight load, fifth wheel back of centre and it's good everywhere (just not a 65% road).

 

Yes it is. And it shouldn't suprise you I had front row tickets to such a calamity down in Laredo. I've also witnessed someone from our illustrious van division do it with a pup too.

But it was something I first figured out with the T680 I had before I switched. All the way back and that thing barely cleared the step. Drug a load of wood with it from Phoenix to Laredo for a FB truck.

Would have been real handy had they speced em in. I've only seen a handful of our FB trucks with em. Managed to get mud all over the passenger side grabbing a trailer where it never should have been.

 

I always remove my mudflaps before hooking to any trailer. Stow them on my cat walk, where they stay until I need to bobtail somewhere. As long as you're hooked to a trailer, they aren't required on the tractor...so I don't have them. One less thing to worry about.