Wheelbase

[RaceItAgain]

I am planning on building a small Toterhome to pull our 37’ fifth wheel trailer.
Our FL-60 has a 223” wheelbase which would work fine with one floor plan we have.
Our alternate floor plan I could reduce the wheelbase to about 200”. The DW likes the shorter floor plan which is the minimum length I can get by with for it to be re-titled as a motorhome in Arizona.
Is it worth shorting it to 200” for better maneuverability?
How will the shorter wheelbase affect the ride?
What in your opinion is the shortest distance between the back of Toterhome and the pin I can safely get by with?
When I figure out answers to the above questions I can start on the working drawings.

Thanks in advance,
Marty

 

[geofkaye]

first question: does your f-60 have the stones to pull the total weight?...a f-60 is a mdt and there are limitations.....weight is the biggest issue next to money...other than those issues I suspect you will not even notice the missing 23 inches with a 37' footer behind you.....

 

[Bob86ZZ4]

I know the fl60 isn't a hdt, but, it sure seems a lot heavier duty than a 1 ton Ford/Chev/Dodge p/u truck. I certainly see lots of them dragging around huge 5vers. I say leave the wheelbase alone. If you have any extra room on the deck you've got a nice place to store some bikes/scooters/lawn chairs/large tote with toys/etc....

 

[Doc Weaver]

My FL60 is a half and half, toy hauler, whatever you want to call it, and I have had the back half loaded side to side and floor to ceiling, and still had plenty of power. Granted, a class 8 would most likely outrun me, but the FL60 out climbs my old Silver Eagle easy. I don't claim to know much about big trucks. I'm just adding my experiences.

Doc Weaver

 

[Radman-TC]

Doc,
What kind of Toys are you hauling?

 

[Doc Weaver]

Originally posted by Radman:
Doc,
What kind of Toys are you hauling?

Not really toys. Most of the time I'm carrying sound systems, video gear, and related tools. Other times I'm carrying my convention booth. I started another company, so we will see what I carry next.

Most of the time I'm just using it for a place to stay while I'm working in another town. In one year I've almost paid for half of it by the savings of not using hotels. I think Holiday Inn's stock went down because of me.

Doc Weaver

 

[RaceItAgain]

Thanks for all of the responses.
I am surprised that removing 23” from the wheelbase won’t make it maneuver better when parking etc.
I received the official word from Arizona it can’t be a Motorhome / Toterhome unless it’s only a tagalong (bumper pull) trailer. I can built just can’t get it reclassified.
I don’t know if there are enough stones to keep up with you goefkaye. I usually keep up with the flow of traffic on the street, now the racetrack is something different. The FL-60 has more power than I pull with now and lots more brake.
Geofkaye I read your recommendations about hitch location on another forum. How far behind the centerline of the axle would you mount the hitch?

Thanks again

 

[geofkaye]

...RaceItAgain: first, I need to know some measurements....length of truck from center of front axle to center of rear axle and the wheel cut in degrees....2nd the length of the trailer from the center of the hitch to the center line of the front most axle/second axle/third axle....weight of truck and weight of trailer loaded....and I will figure it out for you and post it back...it will take a few minutes as I have to lay it out on the driveway with chalk and a tape measure when it isn't raining like hello here in cincinshitty Ohio and the mold an mildew isn't growing in my regions that don't see much sun lite.....geofkaye

 

[RaceItAgain]

Geofkaye
The FL-60’s current wheel base is 223” I could make it 200” and still have plenty of room for everything. I don’t know its weight. I’ll ask freightliner what the wheel cut is.
The trailers loaded weight is 14,200 lbs. of that 2900 lbs. is pin weight.
Center of pin to center of first axle is 264”
Center of pin to center of second axle is 297”
Cooking out here and you’re swimming back there. Try and stay dry.

Thanks for your help

 

[geofkaye]

....I HAVE THE LOUISVILLE CAR SHOW THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AND MAYBE SATURDAY SO I HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ASAP....AT LEAST THE DRIVEWAY IS CLEAN WITH ALL THIS RAIN TO DO THE LAYOUT!....GIVE ME A FEW DAYS TO GET THINGS UNDER CONTROL AS THE GIRLZ ARE INSANE WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO A CAR SHOW AND STRUT THEIR STUFF IN PUBLIC/IN FRONT OF CAMERAS ETC.....I JUST HAVE TO KEEP THEIR CLOTHES ON AND BODY PARTS UNEXPOSED SO I WON'T HAVE TO LEAVE THEM IN THE LOUISVILLE SLAMMER TILL ARRAIGNMENT ON MONDAY....4:30 AM HERE AND I NEED SOME SLEEP....geofkaye Rivercity Group