Backing help

I need some help from you experienced drivers. I have only been on my own for a bit and consistently botch the set up for a straight line. I am either putting the trailer aimed to the left or right if the hole I am trying to back into. How do I get my trailer pointed in the direction I somewhat want to back? I drive a dryvan and I do understand every situation is different but let's assume all trucks and trailers turn the same

 

This guy in youtube does some awesome backing videos. David Crowley
My Trucking Skills
You might find some good pointers in there. Plus he's amusing to listen to.

 

Buy a model toy of a 18 wheeler with a 5th wheel. Play with it on the floor until you understand the relationship between trailer and cab.

The beauty of backing a big rig is the trailer does exactly what you tell it to. Or nothing at all. Or something else in response to a slope in the ground you are backing over.

Set up normally next to the hole you want in. add wheel until your angles get to where your trailer wheels on the left wants to get into the hole. Take away the angle and start working on getting straight. You will learn by doing. Be very careful and get out and look constantly. I rather you do this a thousand times and not take off the hood on your right.

Instead of stressing and making very large wheel inputs. Steer small. You will keep an eye on those trailer tandems because they will tell you what the trailer is fixing to do before it does it.

 

Not sure if you’re talking about parking or what!?! But when I first started this helped me out a lil.

 

When pulling up to the dock or parking stall or whatever, pause for a moment and pick something across from the hole that more or less lines up with it, could be anything like a tree or rock, a truck, another door, etc. use that object as a reference. pull past your spot one or two truck widths and then swing it over until your eyeballs are in line with the hole and the object you picked as your reference. How far past your spot you go before making that swing will vary for every truck/trailer, and also how your tandems are set. You just have to practice and become familiar with your rig.

This is how I perfected my backing as a yard dog. We had 70 something doors at that place and I had a mental note of what “object” to line up with for every door.

The more time you spend in your truck the more familiar you will become with it and eventually you will know what it will do without even thinking about it. Good luck!

 

I think that's what I'm doing wrong I'm not going past the spot I want to park in. I keep turning when the hood of my tractor reaches the line closest to me

 

Just pretend you’re at a traffic light turning right or left into the “lane” where you’re going to park.

 

I focus more on my tires when lining up seemes easier to tellwhere they are pointing for me but I pull a dump I mean I still have to watch .The trailer but I use tires to ajust but thats just what works for me