Having trouble with alley dock

I highly doubt that your last two sentences could be any further from the truth. Go and see what flatbedders really do before making crazy assumptions.

 

Agreed. I've wrangled a skateboard or two in my day. Tight lumber yards come to mind when I see this assumption. Plus backing a split axle is a whole new ballgame than a van.

 

I guess you both missed the part where I said MOST! And yes I have pulled a Spread axle reefer many a miles in my day so... Again, PRACTICE is where it is at. And I stand by my comment. MOST (not all) flatbedders can't back up because of lack of practice.

 

Hey man, I started out on a yard goat actually. Most frustrating thing ever, took me like 900 times (literally) to be able to put those trailers in the dock perfectly with 0 pull-ups. This guy will get the hang of it, some day.

 

Flatbeds can't back is ill informed. Flatbeds can't due to lack of practice is laughable. Using "most" to quantify your statement shows that you are utterly clueless.

 

We have all at one time watched a flat bed back up in a truck stop, driver. Again, MOST not ALL. You really want to say that if you hardly ever back up, Your going to pop the trailer right in the first shot every time? Now who is ill informed? Have a nice day.

 

One of the most important things about backing, is how you set yourself up.
To far out in the middle, your going to be chasing the trailer a lot.
Not far enough ahead of the space you're back g into, you'll wind up with excessive pull ups.
Don't learn to make minor adjustments as you back, you're gonna be crooked and have to pull up again.
Most importantly, don't guess. If your not sure G.O.A.L.

 

What helped me out. Was my instructor told me "that a 53' trailer takes 10 feet to react to you turn" its always helped me out.

 

@crazybread has it gotten easier?

 

Nothing could be further from the truth.
Most flatbedders can back up, but choose not to when ever possible.
If you understand the dynamics of an open deck trailer, then you would understand.
The center of gravity is way different on a flat bed, they don't have side walls and therefore the extra support, so they can't bend like you do in a reefer or box.
You bend a flatbed that way, you'll wind up binding the trailer on the drives, or worse case scenario, you topple the trailer.
Most flatbedders that visit tight lumber yards, job sights, quarrys, etc.., not only can back, but quite often have to blindside around obstacles in their way.
I am a flatbedder. Love it and the challenges.
I can tell you from personal experience that there have been times at job sites, that I have had to blind through an S curve, back around the corner of a bldg, back 600 ft to make a turn into a warehouse.
The bottom line, no matter what truck you drivr, what trailer you pull, at some point you have to do some weird backing, so practice, practice, practice.