Hi guys,
There is plenty of room to haul two full size motorcycles behind the sleeper in front of a fiver with a 202 inch wheelbase.
The shorter the wheelbase the shorter the tractor will turn. I don't have a formula for this but there probably is one.
The 202 inch wheelbase turns real well, but not quite as short as the 185 inch wheelbase Volvos I have had. The differenc is not really significient though.
Only the buyer can dicide how long a WB he wants.
It really depends on what he plans to carry on the bed if a bed is installed. For example, a flatbed could be installed that extends back only as far as required.
An air slide hitch will slide about 24 inches back from the forward position. That alone creates considerably more usable space.
One might consider sketching out a bed, then measuring space requirements to carry whatever he would like to take with him. This can be done with chalk on a cement floor for example. Measure the length and width of the items as they might sit when fastened down to the bed for travel. That makes it easier to determine the amount of space required.
Removing the forward tandem axle and leaving the rear axle in its current position on this Volvo would result in a 256 inch WB. This would cost maybe 1K more than moving the front axle forward and shortening the frame. That's because a carrier bearing and two new driveshafts would be required. The cost for the parts to do this would probably run somewhere around $1,200 plus the labor.
These last Volvo I weighed full of fuel single rear axle weighed about 9600 on the front axle with an M 11 Cummins and about 5300 on the rear axle.
If a bed is to be built, I reccommend steel rather than aluminum. Steel is cheaper and heavier. A 1/2 steel plate could be added to the frame if one wants to add even more weight.
If the highway is slick, driving bobtail requires more care than driving a car for example. In such conditions, I always leave extra room between me and traffic in front of me.
If a bed is to be built and installed, I reccommend sketching out the entire bed. That way you can sketch in side toolboxes, the number and location of eyehooks you will want for tie down purposes, where you will hook a ramp to load motorcycles, where the ramp will be stored when not in use etc. I also reccommend beveling the the rear corners of the bed and rounding off the front of the bed so it extends inside the rear farings to 4 inches from the back of the sleeper. A headache rack can be fabricated and welded onto the bed also.
I designed and had a bed built for the FL60 I had. I made some mistakes. I would be happy to discuss some important details I failed to consider when anyone is ready to have a bed built.
onezman
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