Build an 8 or 8 1/2 foot wheelhouse?

[Shadow]

I'm planning on building a wheelhouse. Just wondering why most houses are built 8 feet wide and not 8 1/2 feet wide. They are still road legal at 8 1/2 feet and would provide more interior room. Is weight the primary reason or is it to minimize leftover materials, considering plywood and siding comes in 4 x 8 sheets. Thanks in advance for any insight.

[svonasek]

I'm pretty sure every house I've ever looked at advertised as an 8 foot house was 8 1/2. I think it's just easier to say 8x16 instead of 8 1/2 x 16.

[OTCBigBass]

my house along with most other houses I've ever looked at are 8 foot wide, I'm sure do to the 4' x 8' materials.

[pegleg]

I would build it to the exact width of your truck wheel base. In deep snow you aren't busting a new track for your wheel house.

Also, if you fish Mille Lacs at all the resorts make their bridges to cross the cracks the width of trucks - 8' wide. I crossed bridges with my 8 1/2 foot wide house and needed to put down planks on the side of the bridge in order to cross the bridge with my fish house.

[lispeej]

what is the estimate cost and time to build one of these wheel houses considering my limited fab skills?

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

Spending $2k on a frame, you could probably have a completed house for as little as $5k if you had some stuff laying around, and cut some corners with materials. On the high end? If you can dream it, you can build it.

[Shadow]

I'm planning on welding my own frame. I plan to build it so even at 8 1/2 feet wide, the wheels on the trailer match my pickup wheels. I haven't drawn it out yet, but I should be able to move the wheel systems in an additional 3 inches from the outside of the frame. I haven't heard any reasons not to build it 8 1/2 feet. The 6.5 foot houses are actually 8.5 wide with the wheels on the outside of the house. I was just curious why the professional house manufacturers didn't take advantage of the whole 8.5 feet allowed.

[Smoker]

Don't forget you may have a few things that will make it wider than 8 1/2 ft. You would have a door nob unless you go with a flush mount handle. Any clearance lights or out side lights. It might not sound like much but it would depend on the mood the officer is in. I know a guy who got stopped for having a load in a pickup and it was past the mirror by 5 inches (legal limit is 3 inches) and he got a ticket. Most snowmobel trailers are 101 inches because if you hook a strap to the outside of the trailer (depending on the strap) you could add another 1/2 to 1 inch.

[svonasek]

I've got my autocad drawing of the 8x16 (+3 foot v front) I just built. You're welcome to it if it will help you any.

[jwhawkridge]

svonasek - Thats the dimensions I want to build, any way you'd be willing to give the plan out???

[svonasek]

Yeah. No problem. I'll try and put some dimensions on it today during my lunch. I'll post it later.

[svonasek]

Here's the drawings I used to make my frame...

[jwhawkridge]

DUDE! That is freaking awesome! Thanks!

[svonasek]

DUDE! That is freaking awesome! Thanks!

No problem. It worked out really well for us when we built it. I have a band saw with a cnc stop which made it almost too easy. I think it took us about 4 hours to cut all the steel and then about 10 hours to weld it together.