45 degree backing

You want a step by step? Just happen to have it:

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.

 

Take the truck out of the whole thing. If you were sitting in the trailer, driving it, how would you back that trailer into the spot?

Once you can imagine that, then just use the truck to steer the front of the trailer around to make it do what you would do to make that back.

And try to stick to small turns with the truck, you'll be able to adjust your direction faster if you try to stay towards the front of the trailer.

 

If all else fails, go find the yard spotter guy, (usually way in the back behind some trailers) and give them $50 bucks to spot your wagon.

 

I dont really think that there is a correct or non correct way to set up . I mean yea you can't be 20 ft out from the spot , but it really all depends on how much space you have in front vs. How much over hang your trailer has .

I have tried that hole thing like they tought in school about so many ft past then turn , straighten out then turn the other way , and then wiggle back and forth . I mean yea its a good concept and all , but doesnt always work out that way.

I am sure other will have things to say about this comment , but whatever I am my own person . I do what works for me .


If you have a bad feeling about it . Get out and double check !!!

 

My trainer and I practiced a couple days during his thanksgiving vacation.I could have requested another trainer but I had a good one and we never fought once.So I spent the holiday vacation with him and his family and that Satuday and Sunday we spent all afternoon in a large vacant lot and practiced.

 

This post is worth a lot of thanks because its precise and you took the time to post it.Very well done.Its worth printing,hopefully the op did just that.

 

if you can find a line , mark or crack on the ground that lines up where you want your trailer, or tandons at then aim , correct and follow. if the nose of the tractor is making big swings to either side stop pull up start over.


i will also pick a spot on the wall and follow it back with my mirror. lots of times i find it easier to follow the right mirror in, seems to be a more true line.

 

I remember with my cool old Pete pictured here, it had manual steering, and at some places I had to request a dock that had a space on either side of it, as I couldn't spin the wheel fast enough to get the trailer where I wanted it, and there wasn't enough room to get the unit straightened out. Godfrey Foods in Waukesha, Wis. was one of them.

 

Although I am still a "rookie" and I do these as part of my daily routine , sometimes 4 or 5 times a day (Dedicated) account : So here goes move "tandems" to 14th hole this eliminates too much over-hang , makes it easier to focus on tandems ( make sure to return them to proper "hole" on departure). As you stay close (3 or 4ft ) from the side you wish to park on and once you spot a space ( Stop inspect for nails,glass etc.)
At night after inspecting parking spot I drop one of my work gloves at the end line of outside parking space ( This is my MARK), pull front of trailer to that mark and go hard RIGHT and go HALFWAY of whatever space in front of you and then go hard left (STOP). Proceed slowly and look for your parking spot.
Now pull your trailer slightly past the truck right next to your space, you SHOULD have enough space in front of you to turn your tractor and behind you to clear the truck next to your parkng spot . Once you get close to your mark (G.O.A.L) before you enter the "box" .

 

I got lucky as far as trainer goes too. We got along good and didnt have any issues.
He made sure we ran through thanksgiving ,
We were required to have 40 backs to upgrade at the end of training , and I believe I had my 40 in like 3 weeks ..

Trainers are another big part of your skills at the end...