i failed the alley dock for the third time! uggggh.....

Way to go!
Just passed my test yesterday.

 

That's your problem right there. Don't line anything up to cones, No matter what the CDL teacher tells you. IN the real world there is no cones just cars, walls, fire hydrants, ect.. Look at the ally dock as it is, Do not use the cones as turning references, Or starting. However, When you back up pay attention to your trailer tires 100% of the time, they are where the trailer is heading. Once you start to back up picture a straight line where you want to get those tires in line with. Once you start backing up jackknife the cab and get the trailer tires where you need them. once there are getting close start turning the cab the other way untill you get it straight. While you are looking at the tires you spot check the ICC bar and the rest of the trailer to make sure you don't hit anyting. Depending on how far forward or back the tandms are will affect your swing of the trailer. Like a pivit point on the ground.

Once you get the trailer straight and you are about 1 foot or so far back from the white line you turn the wheels hard to complete the allly dock. Try and save your GOAL's for when your getting close to the line.

Hope this helps.

Oh you passed! Well I'll leave my post here to help anyother new guys.

CONGRATS!

Also, If you live in MA, I got a good company you can work for. They are located in seekonk, MA. PM me if you want there info.

 

This issue has plagued a number of people because they don't see (understand) the Angles and the information floating around the web is intentionally incomplete, incorrect, or misleading.

 

The 90' alley dock was killing me and I'm going getting it now about 1/3 of the time. But some pointers that have helped me.

1) You are right about taking a break. After a certain point you break down and just won't get better, you need to give your mind and body a chance to absorb the info.

2) Practice, practice, practice as much as you absolutely can. If they won't let you practice at the yard then get a toy model and practice at home.

3) I was always overshooting the slot a little and punching across the line with the back of my trailer, so if that is your problem then try to get the rear tandem to just graze the inside of that nearest cone. The alley is narrow.

4) If possible, pull forward thru the alley-dock (if it is just lines and cones) and when the middle of the trailer passes that last cone cut the wheel over hard. Hang your head out and see where those trailer wheels are going and remember that spot, you need them to follow that same path backwards.

5) Turn the wheel less than you think you need to because it is really easy to oversteer and when you do it is really hard to get back under it.

6) Right and left, left and right. Remember when backing that you straighten a trailer by turning into the direction you see it drifting in your mirror. So if you want it to drift further, turn away from it. Turn into the drift to straighten the trailer.

 

Use a 53" It is actually easier to control!

I often have to back 28" and 53", I usually do more pullups backing a 28", 53" for me it's usually 1 pull up to straighten it out, 2 if I am having a bad day.

 

Lots.of great advise, i'm glad you finaly passed, bit really therrs one thing no one bothered to tell you RELAX thats all you should need, most trucking jobs require you to back into docks so if youre havingroblems you need to relax and get a grasp of what you need to do then just do it like your job depends on it getting done,.cause it does, if your tence you will blow it every time I actually got peed off with my dmv guy and decided he was going to fail me no matter what I did so I slamed my truck around his corse and didn't care what the dmv guy thought, yeah I passed the entire test the first time, this was done many years ago before we had achools so I learn how to drive the old way , which was just doing it, gpod luck to one and all in testing, remember just RELAX. B104 10,4

 

People sure like to post on old threads lol...

 

lol its a old thread but all you have to do is get the tandems in the box the pull forward & its a straight back to the "dock"

I have seen most scholls teach this as more of a wide arse trun into the hole......i was taught to pull up right next to the hole & jack the heck out of it lol ......

my old school teaching this.....uh if you look @ the quality equiptment they are using you will get a feeling for my previous mentions of it as a mill iinstead of a school lol....but they teach enough to past the tests one yer fourth or fith time LOL it only took me once

[ame]http://youtu.be/q4DmZFei08E[/ame]

 

1 turn to the right as you start, then immediately back to straight steers...wait for the trailer to start to appear as you look out you window....just follow it in from there..if you look like ur long turn more right, if u look short, turn more left....u get three "get outs"? come to Michigan...we dont get any "get outs"!

 

I can't back if I don't see a line, a trailer or a dock, so I am probably going to fail this exam lol