alley dock

What's the issue with it? It's a 90 degree back into a dock, or yellow painted lines if your taking a test.

 

also what kind of alley dock are you guys trying to do? Is the dock a straight back, is it angled?.....
Different docks take different actions

I would suggest looking up youtube videos of backing to get an idea

 

Go to youtube and watch a video on the alley dock. If it's the 90 alley dock, the basic point is to put a 90 degree bend in the truck and trailer and pivot the trailer to where it goes into the hole. Give the wheel a good amount to the right about two turns, and as it starts to get close to the 90 degree bend give it a good amount of left and chase it into the hole. Make sure to adjust your use of left or right in the steering wheel and try not to overturn it. If you overturn, you may possibly hit something. You may have to pull up as well, just depends on the backing situation. Also, when in doubt, get out and look. Adjust as necessary

 

if you jackknife it too much going back and its getting close to hitting something then turn right and go forward to remove some jackknife and then turn back to the left and finish putting it in. I see people who give too much jackknife and they cant seem to figure out how to reduce it and fix it for several tries...

 

Blindside alley docking is something you need to get real good at VERY QUICKLY if you want to be productive in the NE. Pin settings on the trl will determine how quickly it will start to angle. Everybody learns a different way...

 

I have only blind sided a couple times but I stick to 11 western

if you have to blindside always get someone to spot you to help

 

You have to sit and think about it maybe. The more of an angle (an "L" shape) the truck is to the trailer the more movement you get on the nose of the trailer. And the straighter (truck and trailer are one long line) are to one another moves the nose less and the truck moves backward more quickly. Go slowly, always.

When you're dealing with limited space in front of a dock you'll need to angle more, find you need to understand the pivot to move the nose of the trailer and when to stop and pull up. Sometimes there will be no lines on the ground, definitely no orange cones, and nobody to help you. You have to start imagining how to move the nose of the trailer, a little or a lot. It really starts in your head. It's predictable and not hard but it's tight space you have to be extremely careful to not make contact.

 

it's all @ your set up. as for me, man i'm terrible @ backing. really i am. but, i'll be the first to get outa that truck and take a look to make every attempt to NOT hit anything. take your time and use ALL your available space and you'll get it in. don't worry if it takes a bit to get it in there. sure ya may catch some heat from other drivers about how long it took you, but that will be NOTHING to the heat your gonna catch if you take off somebody's hood backing in.

 

Very Well Said!