Backing Problems

[just_froggy]

Hi All. Ok, I have a big problem. I'm going back on the road in a few weeks after being off almost a year. I can drive and jam gears with the best of them, but I can't back. I never have been able to do it. I got by the state tests by the skin of my teeth. I barely passed the backing course at Transport America's orientation, and any of you who have been there know how much of a bitch that thing is. The only reason I passed it, the instructor has his hands in his coat pockets and moved that hand for the direction I needed to go. I've driven team at TA and Werner with my other half. He usually backs the truck in for me if we are at a truckstop or a shipper/consonee (i know i spelled that wrong) that is too busy for me to take my time and do it. When I have time I practice. But I just don't understand why I can't get the concept of backing. People say to me that it will come to me in time. I'm starting to lose hope. I don't want to depend on my other half doing all my backing. I'm proud to be a truck driver but I am ashamed that I can't back. Does anyone have any suggestions that might help?

[Aligator]

To back straight:
Put your hand on top of the wheel. Look in the mirrors and move your hand toward mirror that shows most of the trailer.

To turn:
Put your hands on the bottom of the wheel. Move your hand in the direction you want the trailer to move.

[nickbtubas]

for me when backing, i "drive the trailer" when i back up and not the tractor


that works for me but Different Strokes for different folks

[Sabine]

I drove team with my husband until his death. I never backed. I got more and more intimidated by the idea of having to do this.

I do alright now, learning every day.

I couldn't do it with him sitting next to me. That was my huge hang up. Maybe there is an issue with you too. Make him go in the sleeper.

I sometimes would back up, but only if he was out of sight.

[Midnight Flyer]

You might try http://www.newbiedriver.com/articles/Backing.htm. I think that's the right address. Anyway it is a good article that takes you step-by-step through the backing process. 8)

[Rockee]

My thinking is your just gonna have to practice, practice, and then practice some more. Some people are good at doing some things and some are not. All of the above advice is good. For me and most others it the set up, thats whats gonna make it or break it on backing for some people, think about what you want to do and how you want to do it, then do it slow and easy, slow means you will have time to correct a mistake before it becomes more of one. Dont worry about the billy big rigs on the radio (turn it off) and their comments.
Their only mission in life while waiting for you to back up is to sit and wait it out. Did I say practice?

[AmEagleDrvr]

Try this: http://www.newbiedriver.com/articles...ng/Backing.htm

[Skywalker]

One thing that I have found that works well for me, and I taught others to do this:

When you first enter the area where you are going to have to back in the trailer....go very slow and scan the entire area. Get a good sense of the surroundings...especially where you are going back in. Then when you are assigned a door or a spot, be sure that you run down the front of the trailers/trucks as close as is safe, but not too close, then when you pass the spot...right about the time that your right shoulder is just past the spot, turn your wheels sharply to the right and run to the right until you are angeled well then turn your wheels hard to the left and just go a about ten or 12 feet, then STOP. Before you begin to move in reverse, do TWO things: 1, roll your window down and look back at where you WANT that trailer to end up. Don't just look at it. SEE it. You want to "VISUALIZE" in your mind the path that the trailer is going to track right into the spot where you want it. 2. Again, before you start moving in reverse, turn your wheel back to the right a turn or two then start moving backwards. Look out the window and see where the tandems are tracking. Adjust as necessary. Use ONE hand on the steering wheel....its hard to look back with both hands on the wheel. You will have to turn the steering wheel back to the left to make the corrections, but the trailer should track better and your corrections smaller.

If you get nervous....just stop and take a breath....or several as needed. Always do your "setups" at IDLE speed, and always do your backing at IDLE speed. You should never touch the accelerator when backing. Try on your own when you have some spare time to back into spots between trailers that are farther apart than one slot. Or take and put some full soda cans on the ground 15 feet apart....use 6 of them, and make a slot them back in between them. If you run over one, the only penalty is that you have to buy another soda. Keep in mind....you will be in the real world so if you have to do 5 or 6 pull-ups, so what...? We all have to do it occasionally....even drivers with many years of experience. You just gotta do what you gotta do.

But I think that if you work on "visualizing" what you want to accomplish, you will find it getting easier and easier. I still use the technique, because it works, and some of the loading racks that us tanker guys have to back into are a little trickier than backing to a dock..... Just take your time and practice whenever you have some time to do it. You'll make it happen.

[fireman932003]

I had a real hard time backing the other day. I usually get it on the first shot but this time I could not back it up to save my life. Just one of those days!

[Rockee]

Uh Skywalker I just gotta ask, can he just use his left shoulder instead? It would make it so much eaiser..........

[okie]

I have improved dramatically on the backing we do at the terminal when returning from a trip. But every WalMart we go to is a totally different setup/situation. Been with a trainer for 3 weeks now. I was pulling into some WalMart docks thinking to my self this one looks easy 8) , and of course they would be tough. And of course some I would say, what the heck nobody could get it in there :shock: and do those quite well. So these last few days I pull up with the "this is going to be tough mindset" and have improved. My trainer likes to call the WalMart as soon as he sees a Walmart from the highway. Which has resulted in the door rolling up and half of the dock crew as an audience. As for the soda can thing, I finally said man thier are so many lines and he quickly jumped out and threw some gloves on the appropriate lines and I nailed it first time. Other than backing, training has been great.

[eoplocust]

hows this for a backing story. for the last maybe 2 weeks every back i did was flawless ....AT DRIVING SCHOOL. and i set up differently several times to actually practice backing rather than just doing say a single route over and over.but when i went for my road test this past saturday guess what...... TEN pullups and i did not get the trailer in. granted my dmv only has 2 cones about 8 ft from the "wall" in the middle of a large lot. i should still have at least got it in, but since i failed i gotta wait 2 weeks to try again. all the practice in the world did not prepare me for alley docking into the middle of a large lot with only 8 ft of outline. but i will work on it some more and practice in the middle of a lot to get into parking spot also. you live, you learn, you live some more.

[Drew10]

Backing a truck in the "real" world will greatly vary from what is learned in training. Training gives you some basics and concepts to establish a foundation for the backing situation you may encounter when out on the road.

A couple of basic concepts that have helped me over the years:

You have 2 units you must steer when backing. The tractor, and the semi-trailer.

A semi-trailer does not have its own front axle, the drives of the tractor must "substitute" as the front axle for the trailor. The drives of the tractor then become the "steer" axle for the trailor. (whether moving forward or backward).
Keep a good visual on the amount of "cut" or angle your drives are giving, as they "steer" the trailor during the back. Keep the cut to a minimum, as much as possible.
As the trailor is backed you must also be aware of the tractors angle to the trailor (same as the drives to the trailer as mentioned above) and any obstacles you must steer the tractor around.
Keep the angles/cut (or Jack) to a minimum between the tractor and trailer.
What may look really good during a back from the perspective of the trailor, may look really bad if the tractor has to travel a full 90 degrees to get back in line with the trailor (also known as getting back under your trailor), and getting the tractor back "under" the trailer may take alot of real estate and move the trailor totally away from the hole you were trying back into.

Doing "pullups" to help get the tractor and trailer back in line is perfectly legitimate and should be used as needed. Keep in mind that when a pullup is used the tractor will be needed to be steered opposite from what it was being steered during the backing technique.

It does take some practice, and the ablility to adapt to each backing situation as they are encountered.

[Slimland]

To back straight:
Put your hand on top of the wheel. Look in the mirrors and move your hand toward mirror that shows most of the trailer.

To turn:
Put your hands on the bottom of the wheel. Move your hand in the direction you want the trailer to move.

Just_Froggy

This is they way I would go for right now, I too had very poor backing..

If you look in the mirror, and you notice more of your trailer in one than the other, then you are not straight. Just turn the wheel in the direction of the mirror.. Try it.

When you back -- ALWAYS check your surroundings and get the mental picture.. Also if you have to get out a hundred time's DO IT.. I have at one time got out and look probly 15 times.. I was tired and it was a pretty big spot.. As you go along you will notice, the smaller the spot, the easier.. Because you have something to go by, and the larger spots, I would carry a rock or something to put on the ground to guid you..

I am not going to lie and say it is easy, but what I will tell you is you do get better, the more you do it.. And after 20 years you still will have problems, Exspecialy when your tired.

Another suggestion is Turn off the CB-- the cat calls and CB rambo's, and supper truckers who think they know it all, will just frustrat you more..

The time I had got out at least 15 times,I had left my CB on and heard it all.. But there was one guy who stood up for me.. He said { You guys think he looks like a newbe or and Idiot,, well it is better than Hitting someone and being one}.

Practice at the yard, after you think you got it, get a little presure on ya, and do it again..

I wish the best for ya.

Slimland

[cdreid]

I cant hit a wide open dock to save my life. Im talking a building with 12 open docks and 40 football fields of room to maneuver in.

Give me an impossible, dangerous dock that scares the hell out of daycabs and ill nail it every time.

Dont stress over it. You're not paid to one shot docks instantly and never pull up. You're paid for two things.

Get the freight there on time and dont hit anything. Notice that "no pullups" isnt in there. That "impressing other drivers" isnt in there. That "getting in quick" isnt in there. When i see a driver having trouble i either help him or i pull the yellow knob and browse the net til he's done. When im having trouble.. i dont worry about it. I actually >intentionally< pull up multiple times when i have trainees in the truck. I GOAL on probably 50% of docks or more. I dont take chances. Sc**w joe newbie who just got a truck and wants to talk smack on the radio. Or joe "golly i have to hit the dock NOW or ill die!". They dont sign my paycheck. And guess what.. that 20 year 3 million driver will be the one on the radio saying "dont worry about it hand take your time im not in a hurry". Even though he may be. Cause he's been there.

Screw what people think. Stop trying to be super trucker. Relax and just get it in. And you'll start to pick it up. And mostly remember.. all of us have those days where we couldnt hit a dock to save our lives.

[Shawster]

I cant hit a wide open dock to save my life. Im talking a building with 12 open docks and 40 football fields of room to maneuver in.

Give me an impossible, dangerous dock that scares the hell out of daycabs and ill nail it every time.

Dont stress over it. You're not paid to one shot docks instantly and never pull up. You're paid for two things.

Get the freight there on time and dont hit anything. Notice that "no pullups" isnt in there. That "impressing other drivers" isnt in there. That "getting in quick" isnt in there. When i see a driver having trouble i either help him or i pull the yellow knob and browse the net til he's done. When im having trouble.. i dont worry about it. I actually >intentionally< pull up multiple times when i have trainees in the truck. I GOAL on probably 50% of docks or more. I dont take chances. Sc**w joe newbie who just got a truck and wants to talk smack on the radio. Or joe "golly i have to hit the dock NOW or ill die!". They dont sign my paycheck. And guess what.. that 20 year 3 million driver will be the one on the radio saying "dont worry about it hand take your time im not in a hurry". Even though he may be. Cause he's been there.

Screw what people think. Stop trying to be super trucker. Relax and just get it in. And you'll start to pick it up. And mostly remember.. all of us have those days where we couldnt hit a dock to save our lives.

Great post.

[omapilot]

These have all been great posts! Taking your time is definately the most important part of the process. I work as a fueler and the challenge is getting the fuel truck under the wing of the aircraft without hitting the plane, rampers, bag carts etc... It is really easy to get in a rush because of the deprarture times, but it is crucial to go slow and be safe. Getting out after fueling is another challenge too, but I did take a dry erase marker and put GOAL on the mirrors of the truck! We do have the luxory on the 10,000 gallon trucks to have a camera with sonar installed on them! It works great until it rains!

[malaekat]

I had a real difficult time backing too. Then someone came with me and saw what was happening. I was trying to use both mirrors. Use one side only. Line up with mirrors on both sides if you can. But do the backing using one mirror only. If you feel the need to check the other side stop. Look quick then go back to the mirror you were using. If you have lined up properly to begin with you only need to watch one side to maintain the line. The person who taught me this took me to an empty lot and had me do circles in reverse with one eye covered until i got it. Then had me switch eyes till i got that. When I had it he had me open both eyes but took away one mirror at a time until i got that. Then had me do it with both eyes open and both mirrors available, what a difference i have not had trouble backing since then. Just make sure you use a large empty lot to train yourself like this because the first few times one-eyed will find you all over the place.

[silvan]

the first few times one-eyed will find you all over the place.

Now that you mention it, I realize I do the final lining up straight using just one eye.

I can't quite agree 100% about using just one mirror though. In general, yes, but you can't get so intent on your trailer that you forget about that light pole/fire hydrant/ditch/fence/car/Peterbilt you're about to clip with the passenger side of your hood.

This stuff is complicated. That's why we make 900K a year.

[Yanke_driver]

practice, practice, practice. Whenever you can!! Instead of taking that drive-thru spot at the T/S, back in. Turn the radio off and don't worry about anybody but yourself and your rig. It will come in time. Somedays I can't hit my marks in a wide open dock and other days I can't believe that I actually got my trailer into some spaces i've seen. Just remember to take your time and practice as much as you can, and if your not backing that tractor and trailer...theres no way you'll be able to learn!

BOL!!