Tandems position for backing

A little easier backing with them back,if you have the room in front of the docks.

 

F’em they should have started their day sooner LET THEM WAIT, don’t hit nothing and don’t worry about everyone else waiting, it will get easier with practice
As far as position it depends on the room in front
Practice Practice Practice

 

I was told slide tandems back if it a tight hole for two reasons. If between two trucks your trailer swing can easily hit other truck. It doesn’t really take more room to back trailer if tandems are all the way back. So if you can’t get trailer in dock with tandems all the way back then it’s also your early warning theirs not enough room.

Before 53’ trailers we did not have a lot of tail swing to worry about with 48’ trailer. All the old dock were not designed with 53’ trailers in mind. So some can be to tight. That’s why I was told slide tandems back all the way if tight dock or parking spot. If you can’t get into the spot then you never probably will and the trailer swing would have probably hit the other truck. Also there could be something in front of dock you tractor will hit.

 

Well, horse a piece. When I did multi stop, I had the tandems all the way forward to get around, I wasn't about to slide the tandems at every stop. I just got used to how the trailer backed in all the way up. I didn't worry about trailer swing, I made sure I was always clear. All the way back , is a lot less responsive, requiring several "pull forwards", and many times a lower dock, they will have you slide the tandems back anyway. On many loads, I knew where 34K was and I didn't mess with the tandems all that much. Slow and easy, and GOAL, is the best advice, some trailers, like RR chassis or tankers don't have sliders.

 

Occasionally, when I got one of those "nightmare docks", I would leave the tandem pins open. Slide forward to get around the corner of the building, then slide them back to get into the dock so that the tail wasn't 3' above the plate. Sure beats getting out halfway through to open the pins, especially when you need to repeat the process in reverse when leaving.

 

Excellent thread, Gentlemen.....


-- L