Tight turns

tscottme · Mar 12, 2019

magoo68 said: ↑

I’m a 23 year driver and I’ve never heard of a stop spot ?? Enlighten me please Thanks
Click to expand...

I'm glad you asked. I never heard of them either.
I suspect it's a spot on the side of the trailer somewhere so that if you ever turn hard enough to see the spot, you are know you're at the turning limit.

Chebbydriver7195 · Mar 12, 2019

x1Heavy said: ↑

In my life, never be in a hurry.

When I get into a hurry, I break something.

x1Heavy said: ↑

In my life, never be in a hurry.

When I get into a hurry, I break something. usually VERY important to someone.

I never heard of such things as stop spot so it must be a figure of speech in your region etc. What I am thinking on is that you are pivoting your tandems. When one axle is rolling forward and the other is rolling backwards your trailer is being rotated in place. It's NOT going anywhere until you line it the way you want it to.

It's REALLY delicate to be doing this sort of stuff to trailers. Some types of trailers do not balance well on your 5th wheel and get really TIPPY. Your rear overhang is a problem and always will be. I usually set my tandems to the old 48 foot mark that was valid in those days like 30 years ago and follow that plus 10 feet. I don't always get away with it but usually do.

It is good to have fear and caution getting into a packed truckstop full of people who probably will rip your entire front end off by morning getting out. Ive had that happen before. That's a phone call you don't want to make to dispatchers.

"Hello, unit number please?"

"What do you mean totaled?"

"What do you mean your tractor's front end is ripped off. You are running late to this delivery today."

Things get real interesting when you are in a tight spot. Even more so when you think you can go past 90 degrees with the tractor and force the issue. Don't You will break something.
Click to expand...

usually VERY important to someone.

I never heard of such things as stop spot so it must be a figure of speech in your region etc. What I am thinking on is that you are pivoting your tandems. When one axle is rolling forward and the other is rolling backwards your trailer is being rotated in place. It's NOT going anywhere until you line it the way you want it to.

It's REALLY delicate to be doing this sort of stuff to trailers. Some types of trailers do not balance well on your 5th wheel and get really TIPPY. Your rear overhang is a problem and always will be. I usually set my tandems to the old 48 foot mark that was valid in those days like 30 years ago and follow that plus 10 feet. I don't always get away with it but usually do.

It is good to have fear and caution getting into a packed truckstop full of people who probably will rip your entire front end off by morning getting out. Ive had that happen before. That's a phone call you don't want to make to dispatchers.

"Hello, unit number please?"

"What do you mean totaled?"

"What do you mean your tractor's front end is ripped off. You are running late to this delivery today."

Things get real interesting when you are in a tight spot. Even more so when you think you can go past 90 degrees with the tractor and force the issue. Don't You will break something.
Click to expand...

Red reflective stickers stuck to the trailer so when they are centered in mirror you're at 90* when they disappear from view it's time to take the angle out or crunch the cab

They were popular at cdl school so we knew exactly how hard we could turn or maneuver backing up

x1Heavy · Mar 12, 2019

Chebbydriver7195 said: ↑

Red reflective stickers stuck to the trailer so when they are centered in mirror you're at 90* when they disappear from view it's time to take the angle out or crunch the cab

They were popular at cdl school so we knew exactly how hard we could turn or maneuver backing up
Click to expand...

Oh. Now I understand. How cute. (No offense please...)

The reason I say this is because most trucks make it very clear they are really close to squishing against trailers. Do the students not have eyes?

Then again, I think that might be something very useful in times of really bad weather. I might stick a few strips on myself... Probably a foot strip of that white and red DOT reflective tape.

Chebbydriver7195 · Mar 12, 2019

x1Heavy said: ↑

Oh. Now I understand. How cute. (No offense please...)

The reason I say this is because most trucks make it very clear they are really close to squishing against trailers. Do the students not have eyes?

Then again, I think that might be something very useful in times of really bad weather. I might stick a few strips on myself... Probably a foot strip of that white and red DOT reflective tape.
Click to expand...

I know alot of experienced drivers might scoff at it but when parking is really tight or a dock is, they really help. Or at least they make me feel better about it. I can tell when it's going to but that red circle disappearing is like a driver flashing their lights or etc, it just grabs your attention fast.
More and more I've been in tight spots that give me very little room for error (ive had to get out and look every few inches a turn was so tight)
I don't rely on them constantly, but when needed they help.

magoo68 · Mar 12, 2019

Another alternative that most driver use is watch how close the cab extender rubber is to the trailer... I can see the benifit to the red dot though

LilBudyWizer · Mar 13, 2019

x1Heavy said: ↑

In my life, never be in a hurry.

When I get into a hurry, I break something. usually VERY important to someone.

I never heard of such things as stop spot so it must be a figure of speech in your region etc. What I am thinking on is that you are pivoting your tandems. When one axle is rolling forward and the other is rolling backwards your trailer is being rotated in place. It's NOT going anywhere until you line it the way you want it to.

It's REALLY delicate to be doing this sort of stuff to trailers. Some types of trailers do not balance well on your 5th wheel and get really TIPPY. Your rear overhang is a problem and always will be. I usually set my tandems to the old 48 foot mark that was valid in those days like 30 years ago and follow that plus 10 feet. I don't always get away with it but usually do.

It is good to have fear and caution getting into a packed truckstop full of people who probably will rip your entire front end off by morning getting out. Ive had that happen before. That's a phone call you don't want to make to dispatchers.

"Hello, unit number please?"

"What do you mean totaled?"

"What do you mean your tractor's front end is ripped off. You are running late to this delivery today."

Things get real interesting when you are in a tight spot. Even more so when you think you can go past 90 degrees with the tractor and force the issue. Don't You will break something.
Click to expand...

That's a good point. The 5th wheel rocks forward and back, but when you're 90 degrees to the trailer that's side to side. Coming out of a turn and accelerating you can dump that trailer right on it's side.

MACK E-6 · Mar 13, 2019

x1Heavy said: ↑

Oh. Now I understand. How cute. (No offense please...)

The reason I say this is because most trucks make it very clear they are really close to squishing against trailers. Do the students not have eyes?

Then again, I think that might be something very useful in times of really bad weather. I might stick a few strips on myself... Probably a foot strip of that white and red DOT reflective tape.
Click to expand...

The training companies have decided these things are necessary due to cabs having side fairings on them now.

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