Help backing flatbed

It takes a skill that can’t be explained. I never have issues. Let’s just say practice makes perfect.

 

Basically. Setup is key. Any backing.
Get close to front of trucks you’re gonna park by. Drive in front. You see an open spot.
Drive forward until you looking at driver side of the second truck passed your spot. Cut away to the right. Hard. Aim until your truck. Not truck and trailer. Truck, would be between the parked trucks. Cut back to the left. Drive forward. Watch your trailer. Line in up with spot. Back in.

Picture in your mind if you was in the spot and coming out the spot and going left. It’ll go in the same way.


It’ll go like this. But go to you looking at second truck driver side. Spread axle follows slower than duals. Or tight turns just drag front axle.

 

The best advice I ever got about backing up was from an old timer. He told me to mostly watch my drivers side mirror. Just glance at the passenger mirror occasionally to make sure you aren’t gonna hit anything. If you try to use both mirrors it will throw you off every time.

 

I’m pretty sure Western ain’t gonna give these guys a dump switch.

 

And don't jack the trailer at too much of an angle loaded. Anything approaching 90° your 5th wheel will allow the trailer to rock over. I have seen more than one truck who's trailer had rocked over and was either looking like it was about to flip or the trailer was rocked over towards the cab far enough to be sitting on the frame of the truck.

 

Western had dump switches when I drove there. I was there for a year. My experience there wasn't bad at all.

 

Ive never had a dump on a spread axle and been able to get it backed up anywhere and everywhere... Dont ever put a spread axle at 90degrees you will do nothing but tear #### up... Getting into spots takes alot more finessing and pull ups... A cali legal 53 spread is incredibly difficult to manuever in reverse in tight places... Instead of lining up ur back where ur parrelell to the spot you want to get it into and then cranking the 90degree angle like you would with a van.. instead go out more at a 45 degree angle and give urself a bit more room to back.. what ur gonna do is get the truck parrallel to the opposite row of trucksand ur trailer will be at an angle. Watch the back of ur trailer only and when u start to feel some resitance from getting at to steep of an angle, turn wheel the opposite way and straighten out. Rinse and repeat..if spots are really tight and not much room to pull up and manuever its difficult. Just take ur time. Its a bit hard to explain in language but some dudes on youtube should be able to give u a good visual. Just search for backing up spread axles or whatever.

 

Pretty much all of this. I've figured out some tricks over the years, but i just don't know how to explain it without actually showing someone when they're having issues. Let me see if I can explain it.

When setting up for your back, with the spot on your driver side, cut towards your left/the spot to get closer. As you go past, go right and try to get the truck/trailer as close to 45deg as possible with the drivee rear corner of the trailer pointing at the spot you want to go into. Stop. Turn your wheel from 1 half turn to 1 full turn to your right. Start to back up and watch the driver corner of the trailer. If it seems like its not turning in enough, turn the wheel upto another half turn. As the trailer goes into the spot and starts to get straight between the lines, start turning your wheel back to your left and follow the trailer in. If you're late on turning back to your left the trailer will continue to turn in towards the spot/truck that is on your left. If you go slow you can continue back until you feel you're close enough to that truck, then stop. Turn your wheel back to the right approx 1-1/2 turns and pull forward as far as possible until you are straight enough or run out of room that you can back up as straight as possible. Stop. Cut your wheel back to your left and get your steer tires as straight as possible, then proceed to back up.

Here's the mistake I see most new drivers making is they begin to back up BEFORE they turn their wheels and get set up.

Also, when you 1st get set up at 45deg, get out and look at where your trailer is and try to visualize it going into the spot.

 

Listen here old timer - we all know flatbedders can't back to save themselves.

@Western1 - it IS really hard to put into words, written or spoken. Tell your trainer what and where you're going to practice a little bit, and you'll pick it up pretty quick. It took me a bit of time to figure it out. I installed a dump valve because it is arguably easier on the equipment.