Wheelbase Question for those who been there...

I'm curious hand...what are your plans with that largecar? What kind of wagon are you planning to pull?

 

One thing for sure,,when you decide to sell the Pete tomorrow ornext year, Petes are in demand, sell easier and bring better money, Freightliners don't even make good boat anchors,,As mentioned before the Cummins will be lower cost to maintain or repair,

 

Is the pete a factory 300" or was it stretched? It may be very easy to shorten the wheel base if they left the holes and just moved the front axle to the rear axles old holes. You can forget about aerodynamics pulling a van trailer.

 

You will fall in love with the ride and put up with the occasional inconvenience.

 

I had a Heavy-Duty Wrecker with a 360" wheelbase and pulled Semi Trucks with 53' trailers with no problems. It's all in what you get used to. 300" 's is not really long now days. I say go for the Large Car Peter Mobile,Woop,Woop !! Fly Low !!!!

 

Its easier and quicker to shorten one than legthen it....only one weld when you shorten it...one day job for someone that knows what they are doing

 

I have a 265" wheelbase Western Star now, set forward front axle. My previous truck was a 386 Pete, set back front axle. I think the wheelbase was around 245". I used both to pull a 53' dry van.

Both trucks have excellent ride but there is a world of difference in getting in the tight places.

I have put the 386 Pete in places that would be impossible to get the Western Star into.

Like the only parking spot left at the truck stop. The one everybody left because someone had parked crossways next to the scales in front of the parking space and others had given up on getting in it. Or the docks in the caves at Independence, Mo. where I was able to get the Western Star with the long wheelbase into by the skin of my teeth.

Those places are rare but do happen. Mostly it is just a pain in the butt to get the longer wheelbase in to quite a few places. It can be done but it takes more maneuvering and more time.

I bought the Western Star for the extra room since my wife rides with me. If I were running alone and didn't need the extra room I would have the shorter wheelbase 386 Pete hands down. It drove and rode great as does the Western Star.