Tandem placement and turning radius

You joined in 2012 and you are just now trying to figure this out

 

So in 9 years, you've never grasped that a trailer with a shorter wheelbase less off-track than one with a longer wheelbase (tandems slid back)???

 

Well, I typically drive with the tandems all the way forward (if I can make the weight limits on the tandems and drives with the tandems forward). Whenever I found myself in a (rare) situation like the drawing I included in the OP throughout my career, I always found some way to solve the problem without sliding the tandems forward. The difference is that when I was in this situation about a month ago was the first time that another driver told me about this.

My trainer would have taught me about this if this situation came up when I was on his truck, but the situation just never came up.

I still think "better late than never."

Since when were all drivers with 7 or more years of experience perfect and knew EVERYTHING?

 

I never really thought about it because I NEVER drive on public streets with the tandems all the way to the rear. The only time I ever drive with my tandems all the way to the rear is at a shipper or receiver that requires it.

Whenever I get a new trailer, and the tandems are all the way back, I ALWAYS slide them forward.

 

Better late than never.

 

Theres nothing "deeper" to understand here. It's simple. Holy ####s sake.

Pretend you have a 53 foot van.

Tandems forward, trailer is gonna track closer to track of the truck and you're gonna gave more tailswing because the pivot point on trailer is further forward on trailer.

Tandems back, trailer is gonna track further from the track of the truck and you're gonna have less tailswing because the pivot point is further back on trailer.

Turning radius isnt going to change because its limited by how sharp the truck can turn the steering axle in either direction.

 

This is the 26th reply to the OP, but it's the FIRST reply to directly address the OP. Well done.

 

a tire is 10' feet long. turning before a yellow post will cause a strike, turning after may cause a strike

 

Just by looking at your drawing, and if this is a real question, why wouldn’t you drive a little farther before starting your turn and back up to cut in harder once you’re at the yellow post, ensuring your trailer would clear the guard shack? If it’s their policy to have them slid back don’t you think that many many trucks before you have made that turn without issue? And wouldn’t you look at the corner in question and wonder why you’re having problems with it?

With your tandems slid back you’re pulling a 53ft, running around with them slid up all the way all the time like you claim is akin to effectively pulling a 42ft trailer or so. Yes they will turn differently.

 

I did all that. But that would not get the rear of the trailer far enough to the right to make the trailer clear the guard shack. What made me able to clear the guard shack was sliding the tandems forward.

Most trucks that go through that exit turn right drive away from the guard shack and off the receiver's property. Most trucks that exist that drop lot do NOT turn left and do a U-turn like i did.

I suspect that on the rare occasions when other trucks drive out the exit and turn their steering wheels to the left to make a U-turn like i did, the other trucks frequently have the same problem that i did.

I didn't need to look at the corner in question and wonder why I had problems with it because I knew I needed to get the rear of my trailer to the right. It just didn't occur to me that one way to keep the rear of my trailer to the right would be to slide the tandems forward until my co-worker told me about it.

 

Why did you make a second thread on this? All the answers you need are in your first thread.