45 degree alley backing help please

You guys rock! I talked to a guy that just flunked this test, so I'm worried when I start learning that it's gonna kick my tail too.

 

Thing I hate the most, (in school) is the re-set.

If I make a mistake, and I know it, I have to drive the rig ALL THE WAY AROUND THE YARD and start over.

So even if I know what I did wrong, by the time I get the rig back to the start I've forgotten. (it takes about 3 minutes and you can only go at idle speed)

Grrr!

 

My instructor told us to "turn towards the trouble". So, if your trailer is veering to the left, turn the wheel to the left. If you're veering off to the right, turn the wheel to the right. Helps me everytime....I don't even have to think about it. Hope this helps!

 

Know where your trailer is all the time (don't guess) . If your not sure set your bakes and (go look.) Don't worry about them other drivers they had to learn also.
If you can't get it backed in. Don't be afraid to (ask for help).
When you are at a Truck Stop (don't back into a parking spot as long as you can pull trough one). If you have too (ASK FOR HELP).You can't get fired for asking but you sure can when you back into that pretty big rig setting there. (you might get you butt kicked also) Good luck friend Danny

40+years experience plus 4 million miles.

A little trick is to take hold of the bottom of the steering wheel and that will be the way you want the trailer to go.

 

I passed my 45 alley backing yesterday! I got 2 out of 10 points, 1 for taking a right turn around a cone too wide (better than 3 points for hitting it) and 1 point for a pull-up, I can definitely live with that.
Another school had a short tractor and short flatbed trailer and they were screwed up so bad. Every one of our 8 students passed.
Now for the road test tomorrow, wish me luck!

 

I cant figure out when/where to start turning in reverse, instructor said something about double the distance away from the turn. Please help

 

Slow, Slow and Slower, this will give you the time to correct, you go to fast and your not on it...........well you missed it...............go slow, very slow, creep, no one gonna give you a hard time for going too slow

 

Guys, a couple of things about backing up.

Don't feel real bad if you farble it up. Just as long as you don't hit anything (me) anyhow. Backing up an articulated vehicle goes opposite to everything your mind has learned since your first steps.

Pullups are no disgrace. You'll do them many times in your trucking career. You'll find many spaces, alleys and docks that are designed to accomodate 45 footers on a cabover (or in East Coast cities a horse and wagon). 53 footers and long conventionals are a fairly recent phenom. Better a pull up or two than pushing it and hearing a *crunch*.

Everybody here has had a day when you can't hit the ground with your hat 3 times running. Our tractors are almost half the length of our tank trailers. Get cranked tighter than 20 degrees or so and you can't catch the trailer. Soooo, you do a pull up or two... or three.... and ignore all the snickers around you.

 

Hum being new as you are your gonna have lots time too learn and pratice, like when you get on glare ice dock payment , o-ya 45 gets real fun then, but i just learn too pull the air brakes for trl and push around the 45, something they dont teach you in school , worked for me , may not work for all trls, but steady and slow is the answer and lots paitance goes along way, i know he hit my leg with his book the trainer i had when i did that,stick my head out the window, even one day while at the ta i seen this big black guy just standing out there on the doorsill backing in his trl , what a idiot, good way too get killed,but yes if you have a car and two wheel trl you can learn that way too, its all about practice, i even would go so far as off peak times at your local companys and ask nice if you practice in there docks, Everett.

 

Everett,

You are correct when you said they don't teach you this in school. I have never heard of pulling the trailer brakes while backing , but dang it I can sort of visualize how this might work! Can you please explain this some more and I assume you would only do this on ice?

Seems like this could damage the brakes? I would appreciate more information on this.

Thanks