Backing a 28' trailer for my CDL test. Need Advice

Good luck, and I hope you have a short truck. Those are a pain to back up.

 

Small adjustments and you be fine.

Good luck.

 

Just practice. When I did local we had one pup like that. I can put a 53 anywhere, but on occasion when I had that pup, it was a clown show lol lol.

 

Definitely small adjustments. Don't try to back like it's a 53, but more like you're on a riding lawnmower and backing that single axle cart. Matter of fact...if you don't have a riding lawnmower, see if a friend has one (and a cart) and practice with that.

 

Watch your axle when your backing, keep your adjustments small, go slower than you did with the 53, the 28 is going to react twice as fast, cut your speed in half it will help, Practice alot.

 

No rules about stopping just don't pull forward.

 

Small adjustments when you want a small turn, but huge fast ones when the trailer starts going more than you asked. Long WB and short trailer is pullup city. Like backing a log splitter behind a bus.

As was said, you will want to go very slow when the trailer is jackknifing. It is fine to stop, turn wheel, move back in a 6" spurt and look again while stationary be sure it dont get away from you. If it does your gonna kill the pullups.

 

Biggest problem I've experienced and seen is: Drivers over correcting. Be patient. Let it play out with a little correction. Learn...

 

The little pup is a pain to back. Ive wrestled 20 foot seacans full of ballbearings plenty of times. Makes me looking completely nooblet gong display.

Then I realized Im so used to pushing around very big, long trailers and stick them anywhere. Then I make little wheel inputs for the pups and they go in. If it's really bad you will see me wriggle that tractor which proclaims to all the world how bad I am at this trucking thing.

A little goes a long way with a short pup.