converting to sliding 5th wheel

any of you had a bolted 5th wheel you swapped or made into a sliding 5th wheel.

if so, what was your options and cost.

i've got a possible tanker deal. but my 5th wheel is bolted to the frame. my only option right now is to unbolt the 5th wheel everytime i switch from flat to tank to flat.

i'd keep the 5th wheel to the most front holes but the step won't clear the mudflaps in a turn. my steers are at 11,200. so i've got 1000 pounds to move forward. which would give me 2000 pounds more capacity if i move the 5th wheel forward. and since tanks love to maximize all the liquid capacity they can.

one dealer i talked to also mentioned height. i could load even more if i had a higher setup but don't know if that would work on the flat trailer.

these tankers i'd be pulling are pretty much level. if i can get the truck set up. my weights would be 12.3 steers. 34 drives. 31.5 trailer. if i could find a way to raise the front a little so that more weight shifts to back on trailer axles. i could load more closer to that magical 80k mark instead of the usual 78k.

these tanks are single bore tanks. but the future would be undetermined. other then my plans ARE to pulling tanks at some point and time.

 

the truck is low 22. don't remember the trailers as i don't work for them anymore. will have to look into that. but i think they were also low 22.

ride height is 3 feet 9 inches. at the bottom of the trailer that sits on the plate.

don't know if i could trust spacers. like i said. one bore tank. that's a lot of jerking around.

still gotta move the 5th wheel forward. i need to move 1000 pounds to the steers. besides possible hieight adjustment.

 

the company was flat. the tanker company bought the flat company and a year later bought tanks and just started hauling there bio fuel.

no mods were made to the trucks.

 

florida made us sit there for 10 minutes. before giving the green light.

and it's not the scales. you DO get weighed once your loaded. usually AT the shipper before your allowed to leave. they load all they can.

 

it was a fleet truck from ohio. i'm guessing they spec'd all there trucks that way. flatbed company.