^You said it! It's not hard though once you get the basics down, then it's just practice and take it slow at first. I have done it my entire life (grew up working on farms backing cattle trailers and hay trailers since I was old enough to reach pedals) and even doing that I was a bit "nervous" to put it mildly the first time I had to jam a truck into a spot at a truck stop at 1am. You get used to it and over time it becomes second nature. Now when I went from Vans to flatbeds with spread axles, you can hang that up. I NEVER got the knack down to back one up in tight spots so I just adapted my driving style and started rolling at 4am and stopping around 4pm so I could always have an easy spot hahaha.
LOL i got rid of that job...really tough work i just got done with orientation with TMC and waiting to go out with a trainer. I had to tow a loaded container through downtown miami once and into the port than they would not let me go thru the gates so had to back out and onto the street and get turned around, it took me 1 1/2 hours to get back on track. That was a nice wrecker bill LOL
The spred axles are not that bad if they have a dump valve on the trailer, makes it like a 38' which is very nice and it dont slide on you
like said above SETUP!!!!! is the key. me. i would rather back up a 53 footer than a jet-ski trailer ANYDAY!!
I was once told to take has many times has i had too pulling up and backing up to get in a spot. cause nobody calls in on you for pulling up 20 times but they will call in on you for backing in to something one time. you will get made fun of for both but thats life, **** it and go on.
You know with this said, let me add a note........... When starting out/new............If you are at a truckstop, shipper, consignee, just stopping for bathroom break I suggest always look for the esiest spots to park first.........Even if it's the las row and have to walk a little..........the practice without being rushed, helps...........If you are at a busy spot, you don't want to hold up a line of mile hungry drivers blocking the entrance, street, off ramp, etc. for you to pratice in a spot that woud take a minimally experience driver soimtIMe to get into. Sometimes horns and CB radios will let you know you are holding things up...............LOL Each day is anothe oppurtunit tO practice.......... Good lucK and be careful.......REMEMBER.......G.O.A.L.
Backing can be confusing to peple because most have never had a trailer attached. Personally I suggest finding someone with a trailer hitch and a small trailer then goto an open area and practice with that. Once you have the principals its just a matter of adjusting depth perception to the larger unit. The longer trailers can be easier since they change directions slower than a short trailer. Here are a couple of tricks that I used to teach the wife. Practise all of this with straight line backing only and you will be alot less frustrated. 1. ALWAYS use your mirrors. not only is it dangerous to hang out the window but try backing into a dock in a snowstorm or torrential downpour like that and you'll wish you would have learned to use those mirrors. 2.place your hands at the BOTTOM of the wheel to back up in a straight line to begin with(5 and 7 o'clock position). this way when you move your hands right the trailer will go right ... as you get more comfortable begin moving your hand up (4 and 8 ) then (3 and 9) etc. 3. Once you have gotten to the 10/2 position with your hands you should have noticed that if you have too much trailer in the mirror you will turn your wheel towards that mirror to bring the trailer back around. 4. ALWAYS Make small manuvers at a time. Having followed these steps for straight line backing you should have mastered the basic principal of how to manuver the wheel to change the direction of your trailer and you will be ready for more advanced backing like docking, blind-side and everyones favorite parallel parking. Be Safe and take your time.
