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single forward/mid/back


drumtwister

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OK I'm a bit new to the idea to use a HDT to pull my 5th wheel but after finding this great forum it makes total sense to me. Especially considering I'm a heavy equipment/crane operator and have been driving everything you could possibly imagine down the road weather its 14ft wide to 100ft long and 16ft tall. So my question is what are your opinions as to where to place the rear axle? I realize fore and aft will make a difference turning that's obvious. I will fab the bed myself and may move the axle myself. In the future I would like to be able to put a smart car or a couple Harleys on back. Been leaning toward a newer Volvo 630. All the fab work I look forward to.

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Most people single mid on the Volvo's. This leaves enough room for a Smart car or motorcycles like you want and it looks proportional for the truck.

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I have a 2004 630 and I'm singled short. I also carry a Smart car. I may have an advantage though over a lot of trucks. My front axle is 14,600 instead of 12,500. I keep forgetting my WB but I believe it is 218". I could measure if you really wanted to know.

 

Brad

Brad and Jacolyn
Tucker the Wonder dog and Brynn the Norfolk Terrier
2009 Smart "Joy"
2004 VNL630 "Vonda the Volvo"
2008 Hitch Hiker 35 CK Champagne Edition
VED12 465 HP, Freedomline, 3.73 ratio, WB 218"
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To carry Smart single mid, it makes lots of things more "manageable" during the bed build (positioning and anchoring the chocks, anchoring the ramps, centering the winch, just to mention few things). Yea, there are workarounds that people have done to make it work with short singling, but why screw around when you can avoid it. And besides the whole thing looks better (more balanced) when done.

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The major disadvantage to singling long is overloading the front axle. And you will overload it if you have a larger engine and carry much deck cargo. You can get away with it if you do not carry much.

 

Of course, IMO, it does not look very good, but some people prefer that look.

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I would think the closer you position the drive axle to the front axle, the more you would be in danger of overloading the front axle. What am I missing?

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No. As you move the rear axle further back, more of the weight of the cab and any cargo between the axles gets transferred to the front axle. Think bridge. A support in the middle holds the whole weight. As you move the support toward the far bank, more and more of the weight of the bridge gets carried by the near bank...

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I would think the closer you position the drive axle to the front axle, the more you would be in danger of overloading the front axle. What am I missing?

Think of the rear axle like a Fulcrum Point or the pivot in a Teeter Totter. The more you have on the backside of the rear axle it will remove weight from the front axle.

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I know when I was ordering the new truck most of RV Haulers.ca trucks were being singled mid with a 230" wheelbase. Gregg suggested that we go with a 236" WB to accommodate the new Smart Car width and the deck design. I think he is building all his trucks @ 236" mid now. Also, with the 236" WB that I spec'ed I had no choice from the factory as the engineering sheet automatically said I had to have a 13,200 front and 23K rear axle.

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So what are dimentions for single short and long. If single short or mid is the frame shortened or not. I wouldn't think so but I guess it depends on combo length. I really am not worried if I'm a few feet longer than 65' I have a friend who has a 610 with a jeep on the back that sits on a turn table and will rotate and take off the side without removing his trailer. He is 71' never been questioned yet in 10yrs

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I have a 37' 5er and I should be about 65' 4" when hitched.

 

I singled long and will need to add about 1' of steel to the end of the frame for the hitch.

 

Singling short, you can cut or leave long

2006 Volvo 670 singled long

2011 Heartland Sundance 3300CK

2006 Smart passion

2001 F350 DRW CREWCAB

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So what are dimentions for single short and long. If single short or mid is the frame shortened or not. I wouldn't think so but I guess it depends on combo length. I really am not worried if I'm a few feet longer than 65' I have a friend who has a 610 with a jeep on the back that sits on a turn table and will rotate and take off the side without removing his trailer. He is 71' never been questioned yet in 10yrs

And then there are those on this forum that have been stopped....and ticketed for only a few (3) feet over. The more common over length RV's become, the more common over length tickets will become also. It isn't a life shattering ordeal but it will cost money, so be prepared. Does it happen to everyone? No, but you may be "the one" it happens to next.

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OK so you started with 230"WB and 35" OH. Then decided to go to a 236WB which would have made the OH29" now so you added a additional 51" to the frame rails right or was there already that much there because before the frame rails were shortened?

 

The end spec on the truck is 236 WB and 80" OH. That was just an initial factory drawing.

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OK so you started with 230"WB and 35" OH. Then decided to go to a 236WB which would have made the OH29" now so you added a additional 51" to the frame rails right or was there already that much there because before the frame rails were shortened?

 

Unlike those of us that start with a used truck and then have to work within the parameters of what we've bought and started with, Rick was able to spec and order his truck brand new. On a new truck, nearly every aspect of the truck -- including the option of having them build it on a frame that is 51" longer than would normally be used for the selected wheelbase -- is almost infinitely customizable. Anything that you can think of that someone in your manufacturer of choice's Sales Engineering Department is willing to approve for production during their pre-acceptance review process is available for purchase.

Phil

 

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Jim,

 

If you go to a dealer or call the national help line with your VIN they should be able to send you a build sheet on your truck.

Or try emailing this guy at Volvo. He sent mine. Build sheet is nice info to have in your files. Has all the particulars.

ryan.sweetser@volvo.com

2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift

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