Any advice on backing?

Go slow,literally.

 

Yep, relax, take it slow, don't over correct. Steer in very minut increments. Set up is the key! Focus your attention on the tandem tires themselves and steer according to where they are instead of just watching the back of the trailer. Other than that its just going to take practice. Don't be too hard on yourself it was only your first day!

 

yeah dont worry. i still mess up backing at least once a week. lol

 

And as far as the dark.. when in doubt get out and look

 

Practice, practice, practice.

 

Forget about trying to hold steering wheel straight like in car, you can't straight line back a truck like that. You get wheels kinda of straight. Then as you are backing turn the steering wheel left 1/3, then turn steering back to center, then go 1/3 to the right. So you are alway turning steering wheel left and right. Don't even think about it, just keep turning steering wheel 1/3 to left and 1/3 to right. If you stop turning steering wheel, you will go to far one way or the other. the trick is to never stop turning the steering wheel left and right. or do 1/4 turns, the further your turn the wheel left and right the more the front of tractor will swing , but the trailer will go straight back. So to keep tractor under control just do just do 1/3 or 1/4 steering wheel turns left and right none stop. The none stop left and right of the steering wheel is the trick. How much you turn the wheel just makes the tractor swing left and right more. So turn it less and it looks like your tractor is going straight with the trailer, but we know the tractor is really going left and right none stop as you back the trailer in a straight line.

 

Watch the trailer tandems...not the trailer...go real slow and adjust for drift by steering (slightly) in the opposite direction. When you want the tandems to go left, steer right....

 

Don't even worry about it, you are in School to Learn. Might take you more then one day to get good at it.