[wot i life]

Originally Posted by Kaji

looking back is cheating.

Well, you got me with that one :?

[wot i life]

Chances are, you will be oversteering like most new drivers do.
If you put 1/4,1/2 or full turn on wheel, then obviously you have to take the exact amount off in the opposite direction to straighten. Move slowly, turn the wheel slowly and count the turns. Reversing on level ground can be done on the clutch only, no pressure on the accelerator, that way you can cover the brake and clutch and stop in a milisecond if you need to.
Good approach and good observation make life easier; But, that,ll develop as you get better. For now, just keep your speed to a minimum, its easier to correct mistakes at a snails pace.
Don,t go using a drawbar for practice, as has been advised; They react so much differently to an articulated lorry, you,ll only confuse yourself.
And do look back.... You,re travelling backwards, remember :wink:

[Soladad]

Another way of looking at backing is tighness of angle. Hand at the top, hand at the bottom, etc never worked for me in CDL school. Instructor said one day..."rightsy tightsy..lefty loosey". If the angle on the driver side between tractor and trailer (moving back of trailer to the left) needs to be tighened turn you wheel to the right. If you need to loosen up that angle on the driver side then turn the wheel to the left. After that and to this day it has reduced my confusion on backing to a minimum. Backing takes time to get it in the brain and even those who have been out here for 20 years say they have a bad day or a bad situation now and then that even causes them problems. Keep practicing each and every load.

Soladad

[dieselgrl]

Originally Posted by lady_with_greeneys

Not sure if this helps or not but we were told to steer towards trouble. If you see too much of the trailer in your left side - steer towards it and the same is true with the right side. I just graduated from class and passed my road test with the DMV. Believe me steer towards trouble really does help.

That bit of advice to "steer towards the trouble" is something I still use to this day. Granted, it's a little more on auto pilot now, and it will be for you eventually, but it's particulary helpful when doing a straight-line back. If the trailer starts to drift more into your driver's side mirror, start steering to the left slowly until it corrects. Same deal if you see it drift to the passenger side - steer slowly to the right.

[classicxl]

someone mentioned model trucks. My school had a couple in the class room you could play with and it actually helped by seeing what the trailer was doing from a birds-eye view

[ct77]

there is also a neat computer game my son plays called Wheels of Steel bought it for him at walmart, sort of a trucking simulation game and it might help someone practice backing, I tried playing it and and all it did was mess me up though

[madbunny]

Try thinking of pushing the trailer......go forward you pull, go backwards you push. Makes life easier.