90 degree backing question

Getting out and looking, or GOAL is a very good thing to do, to ensure you WON''T HIT anything.

For me to tell YOU when to start turning the wheel, is next to impossible. I know MY timing, and my truck and trailer reaction time.

This is something you just have to practice, practice, practice.

 

If the spot you're backing into is tight ALWAYS GET OUT AND CHECK until you have lots of experience. I can't advise you basically because it also has to do with the turning radius of your truck. Petes & KW's & any long nose truck with a longer turning radius are different to where they will push your trailer versus a short nose truck such as Frtlnr or Volvo. Even after driving for years if the space was tight I would "GOAL"/get out and look. Occasionally I'ld have to get out multiple times. Don't be shy about it, better to get out & check than to hit someone.

 

What the above posters have said! If you don't make a habit of GOAL, then you will eventually hit something.

 

GOAL...the situation is never the same.

 

No need to be worried. Just back her on up. The truck will stop when you hit something....either the dock bumpers or the truck on either side of you. No need to get out and look.

 

Honestly I don't have to do a lot of 90's but when I do If I feel iffy about it I GOAL. I used to deliver beer and now I'm doing P&D and have a LOT of really screwy places to stick my trailer, I should realistically be pulling a pup, but most of the time have a 53 in places where it has no place being at all. I'd rather GOAL 50 times and look like an incompetent moron, than be the guy that smashes my trailer into something.

As far as judging the right by what you see on the left, that can be hairy. You CAN do that if your always in the same truck/trailer length and setup and know the place your backing into, but what if your judging the right by the left, but because of your space a couple stops ago you slid your tandems up and left them there (I do that all the time being in the city), now there's a lot more trailer behind the wheels, if your using them to judge the blind side, that can turn out bad. Something to keep in mind.

 

You should always be concerned about it, but not scared...

And never THINK you can make when KNOWING is only a 53' walk away!...

Once I KNEW the space was big enough, I would focus on just being as close as possible to the left side knowing that would work...If it's very tight(rare) GOAL, your pride should never be hurt getting out to look! But hit something one day when looking would have prevented it, not the same!

 

I second this motion.

Just toot your horn several times to let everyone know that you're in backing procedure and if you hit anybidy then you can blame it on them.

 

My trainer always told me to watch the trailer tandems. And get out and see how much space you have on both sides