Why aren't trucks wide enough? Jason question.

[redpoint5]

Just noticed that every truck recently made has wheels that extend out wider than the body, which is why the fender flares have to be added to enclose them. Why not make the body wider and thereby increase interior volume instead? Can't afford the extra frontal area?

Had that thought while looking at the Cybertruck and noticing the plastic fender flares that look out of place.

[freebeard]

The last faint echo of the pontoon fender era. I blame the Willys MB.

Short term, the box shape led to Ford kicking their postwar design to the French and going to the Shoebox Ford. But on a longer scale, the CJ got it's fender flares.

edit:
An interesting case is the 1950 Studebaker truck.


hymanltd.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/5270.jpg

Earlier models are clearly a stepside. Is this a stepside or slabside bed?

[Piotrsko]

The flares are added to reduce wet spray, more glamorous than the flaps on a commercial vehicle and keep some of the road dirt off the body. In order to get clearance for those wide large diameter tires you need to change the offset of the rim so the tire doesn't hit suspension when turning corners. That change in offset sticks the edge of the tire further out in the windstream. Ever see a 4wd covered in wheel spray gunk?

As for wide enough: not a consumer demand. You can almost put a full sized twin bed mattress flat on the rear seat of my F250, but it's a huge pain to park in most shopping centers between the lines and still get the doors open.

[Isaac Zachary]

1. The wheels have to be far enough out to make room for a wide enough bed. Making the whole vehicle wide to fit would likely increase air drag.
2. Fuel consumption rules are based off of wheel base width and length. So it would make sense to make a smaller truck and find ways to make the wheel base wider at the same time to make it easier to meet CAFE standards.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

An interesting example to compare might be the current generation of the Suzuki Jimny. The international model, also available in Japan despite the higher taxation, has the fender flares, and the wheels have a different offset and are wider too, while the kei model specific for Japan doesn't have fender flares in order to keep width within the kei-jidosha class limits, and AFAIK its tires are also narrower.

No surprise most of the ancient trucks also tend to have narrower tires?

[freebeard]

The Samurai (like my brother's 84 model) got the wide track because of problems with roll-overs. He's only rolled his once.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

The Samurai (like my brother's 84 model) got the wide track because of problems with roll-overs.

AFAIK that was only for some export-bound models, while JDM kei versions and other international markets retained the narrow track.


But anyway, the current generation has the very same axles for both the JDM kei model and the international versions. The difference is basically wheels offset, and a different bolt pattern to prevent interchangeability between the wider-track wheels of this version and the narrower ones of the kei. Gear ratio is even the same for the AT versions, both for the 660cc turbocharged engine fitted to the kei and the 1.5L naturally-aspirated fitted to the Jimny Sierra.

[freebeard]

AFAIK that was only for some export-bound models,

Countries where the owneres complained to their government when they could keep them upright?

IIRC my brothe's went over on black ice.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Countries where the owneres complained to their government when they could keep them upright?

AFAIK it had nothing to do with the nanny-state.

[freebeard]

Countries where the owneres complained to their government when they could[n't} keep them upright?

I need an editor.