step deck turning clearance ?

Actually that seems little out of ordinary considering dry vans normally have more distance from the kingpin to front of trailer.

Normal step deck is 22" kingpin to front. My fontaine is 18" and I've seen some only 12".

The dry vans I pull for UPS is 32"
I actually have to take my drombox/headache rack off to pull their trailers for the winter.

Maybe the previous guy was pulling a step or flat with a 12" kingpin sitting.

 

I don't know what you're pulling, but if it's 8 foot top/40 foot bottom, yeah it's going to be like that. They typically have 12" kingpins. Typically a 10' top deck will have a 18" kingpin. The 8/40 Landstar trailer I pulled was SUPER tight with lighted mudflaps with the fifth wheel all the way back.

 

You should not need to slide the fifth wheel at all. With a platform, you position the weight accordingly and a step will also carry majority of the weight on the trailer axles.

 

With an 8 foot top deck, he wouldn't be able to slide it anyway. Are you with LS or did you buy a Doonan?

 

He may not need to slide the 5th wheel forward, but I think he was also questioning the weirdness.
And with a platform, especially 8' top, he should have extra room to slide forward compared to a van trailer. With the setup he's explaining, he wouldn't be able to hook almost anything but a flatbed.

 

Get in a big parking lot and make slow partial turns with your trailer. Stop part way into a turn set the bakes get out and look at what kind of clearance you have. Then you are not guessing. If you have a 12" or 18" kingpin then it is going to be close.

 

What EXTRA ROOM? A normal trailer would be worse for clearance as the frame rails would be in the normal position and no on the outside of the top deck. View attachment 57650