Backing

well I got a cdl test coming up just 2 days after you which is thursday and I have no problem backing a straight line, but find it a bit difficult to do a 45 degree backing, as for downshifting you have to be don to a certain speed then push the clutch then put the gear to neutral then release the clutch then rev up the rpm a bit then push the clutch and down a gear

 

or in a shorter term double clutch,if he wasn't taught that well good luck to him then

 

If your straight backing the best advice i can give you is keep an close eye on your mirrors and turn into the drift, (ie trailer starts drifting left turn the wheel left) As for down shifting, just find the rpms that you need to match when down shifting. get the right rpm and it should fall right into gear. Good luck on your test

 

This may sound funny but go buy a toy tractor-trailer and practise with it and imagine which way you need to turn the wheel to make it do what you want it to do.

 

That sounds crazy, but it did help me picture how to do some of the backing when I was learning. An old timer showed me this trick.

 

dont over think it....

even us "experienced" drivers have backing trouble every now and then.

As for the shifting, try it without the clutch. I maybe shouldnt have said that.

 

I would just get this trucking game called 18 wheels of steel, it's very realistic

 

I just finished and I too was having a hard time downshifting until one of the instructors told me a little trick and since that day it hasnt failed me yet. In downshifting use the brake if you have to but bring the rpm's down to a 1000 once its there cluth it out rev up rms to about 1400 and then clutch and shift to lower gear. Worked like a charm for me. DMV test day aced downshfting.

And yes as for backing as mentioned before if the trailer is drifting left turn wheel to left to straighten it back out.

Also did anyone else have to parallel park for your dmv test or is this just a texas thing?

 

For straight backs: Large....left. Out of sight....right (Meaning as you are looking at your trailer in your left mirror)
For doing your 45's try and keep the angles to a minimum and visualize the whole process as holding on to the nose of the trailer and pushing it where you need it to go. And remember that most times you are allowed one 20 foot pullup in case you are out of whack. Don't you yourself to to far off before oyu use the pullup.