90 Degree and Offset Backing

The toy semi idea helped me alot during school. Helps you get the big picture

 

There are even video games in trucking that in three dimensional will do backing. Certainly realistic enough to aim a bobtail at a trailer to connect via mirrior and also backing them as well.

Remember that a 53 foot is a easy trailer to nudge and nurse into a spot. It's the small ones like a 20 foot TONU shipping container that will give you the most heartache trying to back in. Especially if you have a tractor which wheelbase is equal to or longer.

The slope of the ground you are backing on is important too. A loaded trailer cannot help but aim itself downslope. You sort have to steer against the slope to get under that onery trailer and hold it there. It's easier to do than to try and read this and comprehend.

 

Yes,started on the wretched "Super 10" then the normal ten.Clutched too deep all the time,then just floated.

 

The secret is paying attention to what your doing vs how the trailer is reacting to what your doing. If you wait to correct until the last minute its usually to late and you'll end up over steering trying to compensate.

If by chance you have to nose up to a cone like what I had to do it all depends on how far up to it you go. If I was close to it, I would always "short" coming out of the 90. If a I was to far back from the cone. The trailer would be on the other side of the lane. It comes back to the previously mentioned setup.... it matters.

One thing I learned is as what others have said. Watch what your tandems are doing. They are doing 1 of 2 things. Pivoting the trailer, or rolling it to go backwards. Its a slow dance of sorts and you can see it when you go into the 90 angle (Pivoting). Or chasing the trailer (rolling backwards) You lose a few feet in the transition when chasing the trailer so you kind of have to plan ahead for that. Hence why I said you may have to correct it early.

If you notice anything from watching experienced people they float the wheel back and forth. Usually correcting early and in small adjustments. Unless larger ones are necessary. I always had a rule of thumb so to speak. Keep the tandems a few feet away from the cone. Create an imaginary line in your head of how you want to get that trailer around that cone. Think of it as hearing the swoosh of the net in basketball. Make it a challenge. For me that's when it all started to sink in.

Hope what I said helps. Because if you plan on pulling a flat bed.... its a little different. Unless your future employer has both. Then you'll be totally screwed up for a short while like I have been lol.