How to straight back a tractor trailer and how to straighten out ?

Make sure your clutch pedal doesn't have a little rubber piece your really have to mash to get the clutch brake to come on, my old truck had one you really had to stand on the clutch to get her in gear from a stop.

 

Not sure what you mean by starting the truck... you may mean either starting up the engine.. or starting to move forward...

To start the engine.. have it in neutral, turn the key to on and wait a moment. . In my truck the needles move all the way right then left then I know it is ready to start... push the clutch in and turn the key to start the engine... let it warm up a bit...

To start the truck to go forward. .. start in 2nd.. put your foot on the brakes and then release the air brakes... yellow and red knobs... let your clutch out slowly until you feel a slight tug... hold it there and release your foot brake...
let your clutch all the way out slowly and once the clutch is all the way out the truck will be rolling forward, then apply the accelerator. ...

Then to switch gears.. you push your cluth in only part way, when you feel it engage.. but you do not want to go all the way to the floor... that will engage the clutch brake which you only use when completely stopped. ..

Double clutching is simply a rhythm. ..

Clutch neutral clutch gear clutch neutral clutch gear

You wont need to muscle it... just use a light grip on your stick and gently pull it out of gear to neutral and nudge it into gear... clutch neutral clutch gear

 

One thing you can do when backing as a new driver is steer from the bottom of the steering wheel instead of the top. That way if you're backing and losing the trailer to the right side, just have you hands at the bottom of the steering wheel and turn the wheel to the left to make the trailer go left, and vice versa. Just a little trick that may help until you get the hang of it. Technically when you steer left from the bottom you're really steering to the right, if that makes any sense, but it kind of makes it a bit easier.

 

I have been a large company trainer for 10 years the key thing to backing is what I tell guys put your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel if you want your trailer to go left move your hand to the left if you want it to go right move your hand to the right and minnimum amount of movement every over movement will mean double the amount of correction you will have to do.. and most and formost when you are new go slow and check your area that you are backing into prior to doing it pre planning your back goes a long way in staying accident free

 

To straighten out while backing up, turn the wheel in the direction the trailer is headed. To make sure your going in straight I make sure my trailer tires and next to the line and i look to make sure my truck tandems are the same distance from the line as my trailer

If you have the clutch pushed in all the way and it wont go in, let up on the clutch pedal slightly and it should go in.

You should always start the truck in neutral, and put it in gear when your going to move,

And whatever you do , dont give up, i used to drive to my next location worried about how i was going to park, now that's the last thing on my mind. practice makes perfect

 

This ^. Sometimes the clutch is out of adjustment, so when you slowly, and very lightly start to let off the clutch, keep a very small amount of pressure on the shifter towards the gear you are trying to get into. It should slip right in.

Also, another VERY IMPORTANT thing....Do not EVER, EVER start rolling into an intersection, or over railroad tracks, etc. until and unless you are already in the gear you want to be in! You will end up getting scared/nervous/frustrated if it won't go in while you're rolling, and end up grinding the #### out of the gears not to mention possibly cause an accident!

Lastly, you are PAYING GOOD MONEY for your instruction! If your instructor is being an unhelpful jackwagon, DEMAND another one who actually does his/her job!!!!!

Good luck and be safe!

 

Steer into danger. Simple

 

If you're stationary and it won't go in gear very slowly release clutch a little whilst idling. It will slip in as the cogs begin to turn and take the pressure off. Often needed in old or worn gearboxes. Once it drops in push clutch back in and take off normally.

 

Often getting into a gear from a standing start will be difficult. When that happens:

Make sure the clutch is all the way to the floor, keep gentle pressure on the stick in the direction of the gear, then slowly let out the clutch. Usually it will pop right into gear when the clutch is an inch or two off the floor. If it doesn't go into gear keep gentle pressure on the stick in the direction of the gear, depress the clutch all the way to the floor and again slowly let out the clutch an inch or two.

Overall when it comes to shifting it seems the two big problems students and rookies have is:

1. Over revving the rpm's and letting the rpm's drop too much. I call this the "Happy Feet Syndrome". Practice in a parked truck to move the rpm's between 1100 and 1500. Notice there isn't very much movement of the accelerator pedal at all. Stomping the accelerator all the way to the floor and then letting it up all the way isn't giving you enough time to get the rpm's matched to your speed and gear to let you make a shift. GENTLE MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE IS NECESSARY.

2. Jabbing for the gear. In combination with the Happy Foot Syndrome this spells disaster for shifting. Students will be trying to go all Mohammad Ali, jabbing at the gear they want as they stomp on the accelerator and bring the rpm's up to 2500 then take their foot completely OFF the accelerator so it drops to 600. Meanwhile they hesitate with the stick in the center and suddenly "WHAM!" make a jab at the gear, guessing whether or not it might have a microsecond at the correct rpm to engage the gear with the end result they get that satisfying super grind and no gear. The only way to reliably get into a gear is to apply gentle pressure on the stick into the gear you want AS YOU GENTLY MOVE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE RPM'S YOU WANT. That way you assure you have the maximum amount of time for the rpm's to match up with the gear and it will go in like a hot knife through butter.