Where to put tandems for alley dock?

I always put my tandems all the way back when doing a true alley dock.

 

To the OP's question...... And other new drivers reading and learning here......
Sliding the tandems to the rear will make the trailer turn slower, allowing time to make corrections, and it mitigates the tendency to over- steer/ overcorrect.

However, it does take a little more room with your front end swing, and you will have to allow a little more room for your initial set-up (pull forward a little more).

Watch your tendems when backing, not the end of the trailer.I

Find out the max length for tandem setting in your state (probably 41'). Exceed that and the examiner will fail you before you start. Think about it. Why would he allow you test in a rig that is exhibiting an OOS condition.

Good luck.

 

I always just did the back with my tandems set as they were on arrival. Then moved them if asked to just before bumping the dock. I also did the reverse upon leaving the dock. Learn how to do it in all settings and as I said before know the laws on these settings where you test. That examiner in most cases will not help you do this. They will just remind you why you failed.

 

That's True.... Backing is Backing. From reading posts....it seems if some are used to back and some forward, yet your scaled for the middle....are you gonna slide your tandems just so you can back up into a hole? Not just a dock delivery, but at truckstops, etc....back it up from where the load is scaled....My experience.

 

Does it really matter?

Only difference is amount of front end space for the truck and tail swing on the trailer.

Course, places like Chicago and Cali will require all the way forward with their tight spaces.

 

It actually makes a big difference. I back up around 100 trailers a night and it is much easier to hit the docks first shot with them all the way back. As said before you gotta learn it wherever they are and where you scale if that applies to you but all the way at the tail is much easier if you have the room. It's kinda like how a 53' is a million times easier to back than a 28'.

 

Better to learn to back a trailer with the tandems at some random intermediate position than taking a shortcut like sliding tandems to back. Sliding tandems to the rear will lessen your "tail swing problem" but will also require you have more space in front of the parking spot. Backing is not a big problem unless you never learn to do it, so just learn to do it. Not even the IRS can take away a skill you learn.

 

I like them all the way on the bumper myself EASY PEEZY

 

Yeppers. Even more so in a tight lot like I am right now