Maybe, but watch out in California!

:P no problem...when they open my back doors and all the wetbacks leap out and take off running...I just leave during the distraction.

Unless I'm hauling frozen Chinese, then I have problems.

Formula for calculating how far to slide the tandems
 

How much do you want to increase the trailer wheelbase? Take the trailer tandem weight and subtract the drive tandem weight and then divide by five hundred. The answer is how many holes you increase the trailer wheelbase. If the answer is a negative number, shorten the trailer wheelbase that amount.
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This will leave the weight very close to evenly distributed between the trailer tandems and the drive tandems. You will notice a smoother ride.

What percentage of tractors would you guess come with a sliding fifth wheel and is it meant to distribute weight from the drives to the steer axle or can it impact the trailer tandem weight as well?

I've never seen a road tractor without a sliding fifth wheel so I'd guess 100%. However. don't quote me on that, as years of experience with standardized tests have taught me that the terms "always" and "never" are rarely found in corrrect answers.

Sliding your fifth wheel will only impact the drive/steer weight ratio, as the distance between the trailer hitch pin and tandems doesn't change when you move it.

Another benefit of yanking a tank :D

there are some with a fixed fifth wheel...

Re: Formula for calculating how far to slide the tandems
 

Or you could( provided you're not over gross ) take the difference between your tandem weight & drive tandem weight divide by 2(half) then divide by 200-250 pounds per hole. to get the aprox number of holes to slide.

There's couple points here-- that I'd like to remind you of.

(1) You do want-- as much weight as possible up front as legally allowable.

you certainly don't want the majority of your weight in the center of the trailer( this is what- breaks trailers in half) and you'd be better having any
extra(illegal-over weight) on your drives than on your trailer tandems--- there's a chance you can burn off fuel weight- but if it's setting on the rear- you're just SOL- unless you have a first stop that's just down the road before the scale house.

Also, in winter-- the weight on the drives is far more important than toward the rear.

That used to be a "trap" that shipper's dock workers would frequently pull on drivers--- asking the unfamiliar driver( who's never loaded there before) how he "wants" it loaded. These guys load trailers every day.... then the "professional" comes in and ends up-- having to come back multiple times to get it right. Biggest problem is they don't load like a 48' -- and end up with too much weight on the rear. Knowing how much each stack weights and exactly how many "pulls" or "stacks" you're getting-- if they are on pallets or slips all that has to be taken into account. And watching to make sure they either pinwheel or don't pinwheel -- stagger or
load it straight on. It's also a good idea to find out how long-- the fork lift driver's been working there-- determine-- if you should go with his judgement or your own-- especially, if he can't even tell you the weights of the pallets.

Most of Roehl's tractors don't have sliding fifth wheels, mostly only the reefer division tractors do. Usually I leave mine set in the fourth slot from the front, which works for most loads. On one occasion I had to slide the fifth wheel allllllllll the way to the back to make it just exactly legal on the steers in Arkansas -- could have left it alone for the other states, but Arkansas only allows 12,000 and I was something like 13,450 hauling bottled water.