How to Measure a Semi Truck Wheelbase

A semi truck is a vehicle that forms the towing engine component of an articulated vehicle, the other component being a semi trailer. This vehicle is often simply referred to as a "truck." The semi truck and the semi trailer are connected at a position in front of the rear wheels of the truck, so the semi truck bears some of the weight of the semi trailer. The wheelbase of a semi truck is the distance between the center of the front and rear wheels of the semi truck.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Calculator

Instructions

1. Place the zero end of the tape measure at the center of the front wheel of the semi truck, just over the center of the front wheel of the hub cap.

2. Hold the tape measure against the center of the rearmost wheel of the semi truck, just over the center of the rear wheel's hub cap.

3. Write a note of the value on the tape measure corresponding to the distance between the rearmost wheel and the front wheel. This value is the wheelbase of the semi truck.

Tips & Warnings

• Have someone else hold one end of the tape measure while you hold the other end. This makes it easier to measure the distances between the wheels accurately.

• Wheel bases are usually reported in inches, so ensure that you use the imperial units on your tape measure.

References

• "Semi Truck Color History"; Stan Holtzman; 1997
• "Dictionary of technical terms"; Frederic Swing Crispin; 1961
• WordNet Search: Wheelbase