Anyone have any advice for a student on straight line backing?

Calm down. You'll be fine. Nobody got backing down immediately. But back slowly. Watch your trailer and make slight adjustments while backing.

 

Stop overcompensating.

Make sure you mirrors are properly adjusted. It's hard to know if you're straight when the mirrors are messed up. As soon as you see it start to drift then turn into it. You know you're turning too far and overcompensating so turn less.

It really is that simple but it does take some time to get used to. It's normal to overcompensate at first. It takes a bit of time for it to come back when you make a correction and when it doesn't come back immediately people tend to turn the wheel more, overcompensating.

 

Put one hand at the bottom of the steering wheel. And sit back in the seat and look in the mirrors which ever way you want the back of the trailer to go move your hand that way.......

 

Watch both mirrors.if your tandems dissappear in a mirror ,steer to where you see the tandems,then countersteer for a second,losing the tandems is an early indication,your off track.waiting too long to correct will require greater input.Dont forget counter steering!
If you sumply make a correction without counter steering,youll be off track again,in a few moments.

 

Little movement on the wheel transmits to big movement in ###. Dont get impatiant waiting for the tail to move, alot of time people over correct becuse they turn the wheel and the trailler dosnt imidetaly respond. Its not a strait peice of metal, it takes a sec for your tractor to actualy start changing the trailers dirction.

 

You'll be okay.

What I did in school was I put my hands at the 9 and 3 position then when correcting only turn the wheel to where your hands are at 12 and 6 in either direction.

That way if you mess up, you are only off about a foot.


I hope that helps!

 

Try using the clutch intermittently to control momentum while getting your head around the steering.

 

If you are having troubles with your hand on the bottom of the wheel, then put 3 fingers on top of the wheel and then try. Don't grip the wheel.

Was some advice given by another driver. (If backing a 28 foot single, then use one finger on top.)

But cool your jets. These things don't move fast in any direction, reverse included. Calm and cool gets to be your friend real fast.

I had troubles with the 90 and 45. Most days now I'm fine, every once in a while I can't get the angle right.

Although, today I had an odd occurrence. In my personal vehicle I found myself trying to back an invisible trailer... That was amusing for a moment wondering why my personal vehicle wasn't turning the right way.