Man I hope I get used to trailer backing

I think this is bad advice. The guy will get used to the quickness of the short wheelbase and get in a rig and will just be lost. The dudes never backed a trailer before, he should be learning on 53 footers as that is what he will be taking his CDL test with.

 

My biggest problem seems to be, not pulling up (as in, past the intended space) quite far enough before I start backing.
But I am getting better, after nearly a year.

I did fairly well in school, but that was practicing in the same space.
Once OTR it is harder, because all the dimensions are never the same from one dock/truck stop to another.

I had an accident while backing, 2 weeks after I went solo. Luckily the only damage was to my truck's fender, with none to the offending post of the shipper. The post was just low enough that I failed to see it in my mirrors, and I was inexperienced enough that I failed to notice it while pulling up to that very tight dock. Or, maybe I did notice it but forgot about it once I started to back.

 

Thats some good advice. Always pull up as far as you can, a lot of times it really helps get the spot in your sights.

Youll get used to it. You have to. You never know what kind of crazy docks you'll end up at. lol

 

Ok now pay attention good stuff hear.#1 advice on backing a boat sled or utility trailer is good practice to gain control of the back... driving the trailer not letting the trailer drive you#2 hold the wheel at the bottom, move your hand in the direction you want the trailer to go. You are worried about the back of the trailer. If trailer starts going to your left but you need it to go right with your hand on the bottom of the wheel move your hand to the right. Bingo we have a winner. Final on backing 101 it's gonna be up to you and your judgment on how much to move the wheel. In real life I try to set up my rig as straight as I can in to the spot then you don't have to over correct as much.

 

Finally one who understands teaching top and bottom!

I have had this topic many times, so I put it in a document in Word just for occasions like this!
[FONT=&quot]Use the steering wheel to your advantage! Everybody teaches "steer the opposite direction"...bad thinking, poor instruction!

Your visual part of your brain is already doing a "reversal" with all the information coming in through the eye...it has to reverse the image to be processed. So when you try to think "opposite" you actually are stressing yourself a bit more. Here is the trick I taught all my students for 15 years:

The top of the steering wheel turns the direction you want going forward, the bottom of the steering wheel turns the direction you want to turn going backwards.

The set up is the most important part of backing into a dock or parking location. Let's learn what I call the "Banana Profile":
1. With the units in a straight configuration, drive across the front of the location until the space between the tractor and trailer is at the midpoint of your location.
2. As you cross this midpoint, turn right to a 45 degree angle away from the point. Drive straight (45 degrees from the location) until the tandems are at the midpoint of the location. (You must be watching your driver’s side mirror) As the tandems attain the midpoint turn the wheel left (again) to put a bend in the tractor/trailer until you have achieved the "Banana Profile". (The tractor/trailer has the same shape as a banana.) Now straighten up and continue until you have clearance of the driver’s side rear corner of the trailer and the location the trailer will be backing into.
3. At this point, you should be able to smoothly "track" right into the "hole". Just visualize the line and adjust the turn aspect (declining) as you enter the hole and straighten up as you go.

LET THE TRAILER DO THE WORK...ADJUST TO THE TRAILER, DON'T FORCE THE TURN MOVEMENT BY OVER STEERING. The longer the trailer, the more time it will take to show its movement. Don't get anxious, be patient, and let the trailer make some movement, then you correct the tractor to the movement of the trailer.

1. When backing, place your hand palm down on the center bottom of the steering wheel.
2. Use the bottom as your guide for the direction you want the back of the trailer to move.
3. Having your hand, palm down, gripping the wheel will prevent you (with the natural limits of movement) from over-steering. DO NOT LET GO OF THE WHEEL!
4. Grip the window post (the separation bar between the wing window and the door window) with your left hand, and again, DON'T LET GO. This "anchor" stops you from moving around in your seat...every time you move it changes the visual perspective in your mirrors...SIT STILL!
5. A tractor/trailer combination will NEVER back in a straight line...you need to "add" and "subtract" turn movement constantly. A little adjustment either way will keep the units straight and where you want to go.
6. If there is no "guide line" painted on the surface, visualize the straight line you want to line the driver’s side (sight side) of the trailer then the tractor onto.
7. When you start backing, pay attention to the tandems (trailer wheels)...these are your first and primary points of lining up the unit. As soon as the tandems have gone into the box, begin reducing the turn aspect of the tractor (bring the nose around to the "square line" with the trailer. Now change your focus to the midpoint of the trailer...just before the midpoint gets to the "line", get the tractor square with the trailer so there is no turn occurring...you have achieved the aspect of straight line backing once the tractor is square with the trailer and the midpoint of the trailer is in the box.
8. Keep in mind there are 3 "pivot points" to a tractor/trailer combination.
8a. Tandems are the rear pivot.
8b. King pin (drive wheels) is the center pivot.
8c. Steer tires are the forward pivot.
To move the tractor trailer either direction (right or left) you must accomplish an "S" configuration/movement with the tractor/trailer. Which direction you need to move the units is the direction you begin the movement. (This is for forward adjustments...if you have not centered the units in the dock.) To move it will require 3 steering movements...make sure the movement is sufficient (far enough forward in distance) to achieve the moving distance required (right or left). Just imagine you are driving on an "S" painted on the ground and follow it COMPLETELY. [/FONT]

 

The most important thing about backing is just like going forward..GET THE BIG PICTURE..90% of backing is what you do goin forward before you ever put it in reverse. If you set-up correctly, you'll just be following the trailer in the hole. A great set-up can make a terrible backer look good

 

Take your time, relax, and goal as much as needed. Every back is different out there and some are cake and some feel near impossible. The type of trailer your pulling is also a factor. I learned on a 15' utility trailer years before i ever drove a semi. My school had 40' tandems and i now pull a 48' spread axle. Big difference between the 3. Of course the utility trailer moves the quickest but taught me to stay on top of it or it would jack knife in a heartbeat. Tandems set different back different, the further back the slower the turning. Spreads have (better have) a dump on the rear axle which can make the rear slide around. But the key is PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!!! You will get it, it just take some time.

 

P.S. Im not sure about the student "stories", but the instructors stories have some merit, as many of them (related to trucking) gave me an insight that only 30 years behind the wheel can give you. I can tell you have a need for structured training, but learning can come in many forms. You will notice they will direct those stories to a basic subject matter, as some people learn in different ways.

 

At Roadmaster in Orlando we were trained on 53's. We took the CDL tests with 48's.

 

And a great backer can make a terrible setup look good.