Just TRIED to do my first alley dock out on my own

It takes time, and the answer is it will depend on alot of different factors, where your tandems are, how much room you have etc.

Normally if I am in a predicament like this I will go back at the angle I was trying to back in, and then straighten out a little and try it again without having to angle the truck. Hopefully somebody will come along who can explain it better, I can teach it in person, but trying to put it in words here isn't going to compute as well.

 

Keep it close to the sight-side and it will be fine on the blind side. Make corrections before your trailer is at the wrong angle. If you see your trailer looking like it is about to go too far to the blind side, start fixing it before it gets off course. Your problem is probably the same as most schools where the instructer tells you to turn your wheels at a certain angle and hold it there the whole time. You have to make small left/right corrections as you are backing up to make the trailer wheels go where you want. Any time you are too far to one side, straighten up your wheels, pull forward, and make the change to fix it. It is one of those things that you will get after doing it over and over in the real field. I find myself doing maneuvers that I learned on my own that work out great. Just yesterday I did a blindside backup at a Petro in front of the busy truck entrance in about 15 seconds. No way I could have done that without experience and you will be able to do the same one day if you keep working at it.

 

Keep in mind that the closer you set up to what you want to back into, the more room you will have in front of the Trk to swing it in front of the trailer. If you set up in the middle of the area, you won't have room for the Trk to swing.

 

see if that trailer guy wants to team !!!

 

Whenever possible slidethe tandams all the way back, that will allow you to stay tight on the sight side and then just "steer" the trl in. Some times you may NOT have the room, hard to say on here. Next time buy the yard jocky a cup of coffee and ask for some pointers.

 

Your failing because your constantly thinking about it. if your driving down the road and constantly thinking how bad the docks might be at delivery, then your screwed.

 

This is the trick. Dont worry about having your trailer angled very much as you set up. Stay close to the area your backing into, and only swing wide enough to allow room for the tractor to do the initial swing to get the trailer jacked. It takes pratice like everyone is saying, but in tight spaces this is the only way your gonna get in sometimes

 

Just takes time. Before u know it, simple as pie every time. Patience is a virtue. U will get it. Take care. Be safe out there driver.