Sleeper to Day Cab

I don’t know what that means . You just have to get under it faster because your tractor wheel base is shorter as well as the trailer . Same with pups . Guys that go from a 53 to a 28 have a hard time because they don’t turn quick enough . Weight has nothing to do with it. I did run a hosteler for three years with Sysco tho and I did use the back window then .

 

They teach all of Stevie's backing techniques at:

Stevie
Wonder
Institute
For
Trucking

 

LMAO!!!

 

Dude. I learned on 53’ dry van with sleeper. I thought a day can with a pup would be a breeze. That little trailer has a mind of its own and it is a child of Satan.

 

Let me give you all sum advise if i can. Remember these key things .
1. When ever possible take as much of your angle away while moving forward, ie... set up at a 45 degree angle or more, less turning going backwards means less chances of hitting something,
2. Always remember how much trailer is hanging out past your trailer axles and try to stay at least that far away if not more from in front of the other trucks/trailers in docks/lots as you drive by them so when you do swing out to set up you won't smack trucks/trailers with your wagon.
3. Your trailer axles are your pivot point.
It is way smarter and safer to slide axles back all the way first if possible,
espcially for beginners, eliminate the risk of hitting something on blind side plus you can concentrate on drivers side.
4. Go slow and try not to over correct.
5. When backing up against a dock, most docks nowdays are built the same using same width between bumpers (not all) but most, once lined up in dock space, aim for outside mounting bolts of the rubber bumpers with side of trailer if your close withi in 2-3 inches you should be fine for dock plate to go in and finally try and visualize a 90 degree angle between trailer and building., this will get you straight or perpendicular to building.
Next time sitting at dock look in mirror down side of trailer, look for that 90° angle.
Doing this will allow you to not need lines to get straight.

Daycabs are a whole lot easier once you get comfortable.



It will get easier and you will get quicker the more you back up.

I've been driving since 1989, never hit anything, most of my driving has been city driving a lot of LTL type driving, currently running a spotter truck moving 90 to 100 trailers a night.
I go backwards as much as i go forward.

 

A day cab can get into places a sleeper truck cannot. Or it will take a little bit of time for a sleeper to get a trailer in the dock.

Long ago we did a truck rodeo, a competition company wide in which I participated but not exactly as a welcome participant because they had their favorites among the senior drivers and they were the chosen ones. However I am one of a handful who managed to get between tennis balls on golf T's stsuck in the two rows. (One row is crooked, The other row is straight. Only the last two balls left and right at the far end matters when aiming your steers. Ignore the rest of them.

They had day cabs for the rodeo and we were years in sleeper trucks exclusively. They told us that if we were handed our sleeper trucks all of us will be crowned champions. There isnt that many trophies to go around. So they deliberately stuck day cabs on the course to screw some of us up.

They did have one rule. If any of the 20 judges observed your head rotating far enough to look out the back window which is really big you have been DQ.

The day cabs were freightliners which were not too shabby. But I would have preferred a Ford 9000 with setback axle. They are not the best trucks. But for me and how I do it, those 9000's were like little witches getting the trailer in and out smooth. All I have to do is look, think and it's done.

The other problem with daycabs for me is stowing everything. I did spend some time in them fighting overweight containers and such over the years to just have a pack of smokes, lighter (Zippo) stanley thermos and coffee in a good container with a small bungee over the top. Plus the roll of shipping air bubble wrap for the radio. (Vibrations)

Hit that first bad bridge plate and you will learn pretty quick if everything is stowed and in order inside there.

I don't "Do" day cabs in winter storms. With that said I have spoken often of having a Mack 350 daycab which would be about 1995ish spring into winter maybe roughly give or take a year going up into the Altoona mountains on ice daily.

A good day cab has a spot on my heart. A truly bad daycab well... with due respect to some of the Moderators I'll shut up about it. At one time they were good trucks. But when abused and sort of handed as a punishment box to bad drivers acting up well.. you can get a bad memory of them.

The one day cab I do not ever want to touch again is that of International. There used to be a older International tractor in daycab form that was just ugh. (Even a suicide Mack Cabover without sleeper, that is considered a day cab. which is quite the experience when the whole cab isnt wider than say your knees, back of seat and steering column. check those hooks back there always, every time. There is a reason they call those suicide cabs.)

Good luck. Adjusting is not that big of a deal. But coming out of a sleeper tractor and into a rodeo day cab in front of a crowd expecting a stellar performance, well. That's an adjustment that has to be made really fast. In about 50 feet before your first barrier to negotiate for points.

 

Yes pup trailers still mess with me after all this time, and i pulled 1 with a liftgate using a L9000 ford single axle running 20 plus stops a day for a paper company delvering printer , copier an any other paper products using pallet jack and 2 wheeler at a lot of stops because of no docks. Starting in Indianapolis running up I-69 to Ft Wayne and back hitting every little burg town in between usually 200 + miles a day.

When i get 1 to move with my spotter truck it still gets me once in a while and I look like a backing through a slolum course .