Backing in tight places

Don't worry, you will get plenty of practice backing at school.

Do be aware of one thing, though. I had an instructor who taught "Drift Left, Steer Left" and "Drift Right, Steer Right". I finally figured out he was talking about the FRONT of the trailer. The other instructor said to place One hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and "steer where ya want it to go". Both of these techniques did not work for me.

To me, both of these techniques were really confusing. With lots of practice, I finally got it: if i want the REAR of the trailer to go left, STEER right. Same thing, only different for the opposite: To get the REAR of the trailer to go RIGHT, STEER left. Keep the control inputs SMALL, too--this means don't turn the steering wheel too much or overcorrect. This is easier said than done, but it will come with practice.

Lots of great videos on You Tube for backing--some funny, some disasterous, some amazing to watch--like the guy that backs doubles and triples (most people do not ever attempt to do this).

But, yeh, take your time, turn off the CB, Check BOTH mirrors frequently and use a spotter if available.

THEN you learn that a RGN, that has the axles all the way at the back of the trailer and dramatically increases your turn radius, tears off the mudflaps if you back the tires on the curb, trying to match your mirror position to the truck next to you. So even if you don't hit anything, you get to have fun customizing a new set of $40 mudflaps for the next hour or so. A couple times of doing this will teach you to GOAL, even if you got the backing down pat.

 

This certainly was NOT true of the school that I went through. I hope that this has changed a lot over the years. The instructor that we had explained "well, MOST of your driving is going forward, not backward." Even as a dumb, green student, this came across as very lame...:smt011

 

i hate this, ive heard it alot and think its stupid

 

Just back into the "Hall A" docks at Anaheim convention center a few times, it will all be a piece of cake after that

 

Too bad the Omni in Atlanta is gone! That was always fun because of the angles and being under the building always threw off first timers! Especially the curving ramp down under the place! LOL

 

Two suggestions:
1. New drivers tend to cut the trailer into the slot too early. Your pivot point is your tandems. So, they need to be close to the truck on your side before you cut it hard.
The trailer will go where the tandems go.

2. Watch other drivers back into slots. Analyze what they are doing. I have been driving for 5 years and I have learned a lot by doing this. I still watch other drivers because you never learn enough in this business.

 

One more suggestion:

Stop BEFORE the right rear of your trailer is firmly embedded in the left front of the tractor in the next dock...

All goes back to GOAL!

 

Keep this in mind too. Will another driver call his wife later that night to tell her that he saw...

a) another driver hit another truck
b) a driver GOAL 15 times or ask someone for help.

Think about it,

 

If you can take your truck, go to a truck-stop or abandoned warehouse and practice. I've got a spread axle trailer and it's a whole different animal when it comes to backing.

The biggest suggestion I can give you is to relax and take your time. Do as many pull-ups as necessary. Don't worry about what other drivers are thinking or doing. I was in KC a few weeks ago and I saw a student backing with her trainer. I bet she did AT LEAST 15 pull-ups before he took over and backed the truck. It wasn't in a tight spot either.
Take your time.

 

This is pretty much what I call moon backing... Getting as close as possible to your hole, rolling past it, and about the time your truck tandems get even with the middle of the truck hood just past your hole... cut your 90*.. roll on up leaving about 8-10 feet before you get to the obstacles in front of your hole and then cut it around as to have your truck and trailer in a crescent moon shape. Let your hood slowly cut back around and follow your trailer right into the hole. This takes a little practice, but once you do it once or twice, you will have it for good. Man, that's hard to explain in text... hope you can make sense off it!