Tandems position for backing

I'd like to chime in. I have to say it's easier with tandems all the way back whenever the space in front of the dock door (away from the building) is not a lot: with them all the way back there's only one thing to focus on...the rear of the trailer. With them all the way forward there's two things to think about...the rear of the trailer and the tires (they're so far apart that they have to be thought of as two separate things).

Plus, I feel one would need more room in front of the dock door (away from the building) in order to back in with tandems forward...i.e. you need to basically be straight before sneaking in between the two trailers on either side. Whereas with the tandems all the way back you don't need as much room in front of the dock because you can be at an angle while slighy being between both trailers already and not have to worry about that trailer dangling in the rear.

Just the other day I had to park at a TA Express with the truck stop building right in front of the parking spots. I had to back in at a severe angle to an empty spot...if my tandems where forward I would have either had the trailer tail hitting the truck on the passenger side or my tires hitting the truck on the driver side at that severe angle. But, because I had my tandems all the way back I was able to get both my tires AND the rear of the trailer slightly into the spot in between both trucks while still being at that severe angle...all I had to do then was change the angle of the trailer before backing it in.

 

Centered on the 40’ mark, which is hole 9 on my trailer iirc, I almost never move them

sometimes I miss my spread, but I don’t miss changing tires out

 

If you're unable to successfully straight-line back into the dock, request that they send a few workers w/ pallet jacks y' forklifts to unload you outside.