Tight turns

Measure how far back the other ones are and carry stickers and put them on. Or just watch for the trailer nose, hoses in the off mirror.

 

I’ve never used them. I get how they are used and their purpose. Shouldn’t take too long for you to develop a good sense of what’s going on, with or without them.

 

You've been given some good advice above. Perhaps measure how far back the mark is on a marked trailer, get a roll of red duct tape and put on the trailers w/o during pre-trip until you no longer need them.

 

At 90 degrees between the tractor and trailer you're rotating in place on the tandems. There's a practical need for that so trucks are designed to allow that. To err is human so there's a margin for error before you damage the truck. That margin is big enough it's obvious you're past square with the trailer. Where people screw up is in trying to use that margin for error to squeeze past something leaving no margin for error. So when they err they damage their truck.

If you think you need to go past 90 degrees you're thinking wrong. Either you just don't have enough space or you're going about it wrong. Like trying to come out of a parking spot with someone too far forward you can adjust your position in your spot before you try coming out. You can slide your tandems. Have some chalk so you an mark where they were. You can knock on their door and ask them to back up. You can call dispatch and ask for advice.

 

Hardly ever more than once a day. It's a good question and you are trying to learn. Thank goodness for both.

 

I’m a 23 year driver and I’ve never heard of a stop spot ?? Enlighten me please Thanks

 

In my life, never be in a hurry.

When I get into a hurry, I break something. usually VERY important to someone.

I never heard of such things as stop spot so it must be a figure of speech in your region etc. What I am thinking on is that you are pivoting your tandems. When one axle is rolling forward and the other is rolling backwards your trailer is being rotated in place. It's NOT going anywhere until you line it the way you want it to.

It's REALLY delicate to be doing this sort of stuff to trailers. Some types of trailers do not balance well on your 5th wheel and get really TIPPY. Your rear overhang is a problem and always will be. I usually set my tandems to the old 48 foot mark that was valid in those days like 30 years ago and follow that plus 10 feet. I don't always get away with it but usually do.

It is good to have fear and caution getting into a packed truckstop full of people who probably will rip your entire front end off by morning getting out. Ive had that happen before. That's a phone call you don't want to make to dispatchers.

"Hello, unit number please?"

"What do you mean totaled?"

"What do you mean your tractor's front end is ripped off. You are running late to this delivery today."

Things get real interesting when you are in a tight spot. Even more so when you think you can go past 90 degrees with the tractor and force the issue. Don't You will break something.