Getting the trailer square to the dock

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by jimbo3791, Apr 21, 2020.

  1. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    In Arkansas everything is crooked.

    A stiff drink straighens out everything. =)
     
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  3. Wasted Thyme

    Wasted Thyme Road Train Member

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    So does my fiance ;)
     
  4. Brettj3876

    Brettj3876 Road Train Member

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    Depends on the dock plate. Some you can be off square a pretty decent bit and no probs. Or god forbid you get stuck with an old 96. Margin of error becomes 0 then LOL
     
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  5. Kirbs

    Kirbs Light Load Member

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    Docks without lines are always a pain in the ###,especially at night. Only been driving 2 years but it's still my biggest challenge. Seems to just be pure luck whether I get it squared up on the 1st attempt. It can look perfectly square in my mirrors but still be crooked slightly on one side. It can be hell to fix in tight spaces if your tandems are slid all the way back too, because you won't have enough room to pull forward to correct it, so you have to re-setup at an angle.

    Makes no sense that some of these big warehouses can't afford to have some yellow lines painted. Next time if it's a drop I'll just leave it crooked and hopefully they'll get tired of fixing it and paint some #### lines.
     
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  6. Brettj3876

    Brettj3876 Road Train Member

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    Mirrors will F ya. Same with lines if they had the goons paint em. I do the ole turkey neck out the window.

    Wait til you get get into a large car. Tight dock = kick the door open.
     
  7. buddyd157

    buddyd157 Road Train Member

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    i used to work with a guy (really, not me doing this), that would open the door, and put his left leg onto the top step, and sorta get out of the seat, and look back. still had "part" of his body on the seat, not fully off it.

    then i had witnessed more than one guy, stand up on the top step, fully off the seat, backing up.

    i am not sure with many companies these days on how they'd look at that, in case of an injury, like falling off the step, and getting run over?
     
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  8. Brettj3876

    Brettj3876 Road Train Member

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    LOL yea that was me the few months i drove for my uncle when he got hurt. 280in wb classic. 5"6 im half a midget to start with
     
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  9. 88228822

    88228822 Heavy Load Member

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    lots of places theres tons of space to the front so make sure you are using all the space

    some places I can drive up to the check in with the tandems slid to the rear and just back all the way to the dock there's so much space

    I'm generally terrible at backing but when there's tons of space you can always pull all the way up then just steer it in there
     
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  10. jimbo3791

    jimbo3791 Bobtail Member

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    Mine straightens me out with a cast iron frypan up side the head. :D
     
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  11. SmallPackage

    SmallPackage Road Train Member

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    Im so glad this subject was brought up and veterans replied with stories of struggle. This eases my mind because during 30 something years without power steering backing perfectly square has never bothered me. I never really thought about it. That is until recently. It really bothers me now and for some reason I keep thinking I’m slowly getting Alzhiemer’s or something like that causing it.
    I’m not joking. No sarcasm. I’m grateful.
    Thanks for this support group.
     
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