Backing up doubles

There are a couple of truckers I have witnessed who can do this. But those #### doubles will begin to point wrong not too far into the backing if your steering is so much as a inch off. Hell, the slop in the steering box is enough to throw off such precision backing.

Consider this a stunt. If you master it then I will prostrate before you after you do the 4 barrels backwards with a set of doubles. Im not talking about the B train 5th wheels, Im talking about the little ring hooks that hitch.

I used to run a beaver on such a ring hook and backed it fine. But would not want to back TWO trailers that I now have seen on some RV's towing a Car and then a boat attached to that car.

 

Back the dolly at the end of the first trailer up to the rear trailer - yes. Distance of less than 50'.

Back the whole set - maybe 30' before Jack the Knife appeared.

And that was after 8 years of fooling with the things.

 

Used to deliver pneumatic sugar to Kraft in L.A. You had to make a u-turn & back up to the building to unload. Everything had to be perfectly straight for the hoses to reach.
Me = 20 minutes, hot, sweaty.
Normal route driver = 5 minutes.
Whew.

 

I've been working hard at learning how to set up and back a dolly underneath the rear trailer. It has made my life a little easier more than once, especially in places like our Paducah, Ky barn which is all dirt, gravel, and potholes. It is also handy when I simply feel like being a little lazy (which is most of the time).

I've seen a handful of guys that can back a full set without jacking it all over the place. They're kind of like vegans in that they will tell you about it whether you ask or not. It takes a lot of room to set up right, and given that most places are packed pretty tight there isn't much use for it. The few times I've seen it done the general opinion among the onlookers was annoyance rather than awe because the backer was blocking people from getting through.

 

I pulled them for 8 years myself with a 379 Pete. I tried a couple of times to back them but found out quickly, its more time and effort than its worth and that was just straight line backing.

Ive heard there are guys who can do it, but never seen them myself. There was a Con-Way driver won the Truck Championship at the truck rodeo one year with doubles. He was about the best I ever saw at backing them but he didnt back them too far before they started jacking on him.

Just a slight slant in the terrain you are backing on can throw them off. Its fun to try sometimes but Id never get disgusted if you cant because I dont believe it will ever be anything thats required of you. Learning to operate them safely in all kinds of weather and conditions will be a much more rewarding goal and one you will be judged on more.

 

One of these days, I'd like to try backing up doubles. I used to run super-b and had a couple guys, whom were drivers, stare in amazement when I backed a set into a parking space at the Flying J in Billings.

And this was at night between two already parked rigs.

"How do you do that?!?"

"Practice!"

 

For me it seems easier to blind side 20's don't know why

 

Like this.